Company culture isn’t just what’s written in your values and mission statement.
It’s about how your people feel – what they’re saying to their families when they go home at the end of the day, what work stories they tell with their friends on the weekend, and how much trust and safety they feel in their jobs.
Culture is the accumulation of how people behave and interact at work every day.
And auditing these things is the only way you’ll improve them – that simple.
A company culture audit is a structured way to understand and evaluate your organisation’s work environment and ethos – usually involving surveys, employee interviews and an in-depth analysis of the company’s policies and procedures.
It helps you uncover what’s working, what’s not, and where there may be gaps between the culture you say you have and what employees actually experience.
But it’s not about pointing fingers.
A culture audit gives you a chance to listen, learn, and lead with purpose – especially as UK organisations face rising challenges like employee burnout, hybrid work tension, cost-of-living pressures and changing generational expectations.
By taking a proactive approach to monitoring culture, you will strengthen your employer brand and build a more inclusive, engaged workplace – one that’s not only good for people, but great for business too.
And with the right tools, like Stribe’s employee engagement software, running a culture audit doesn’t need to be complicated.
A culture audit isn’t just a one-off HR project. It’s a health check for your entire organisation to help you find out what’s driving engagement, and what might be quietly holding your people back. 
If your organisation is going through a period of change, such as a leadership transition, rapid growth, or restructuring, it’s a good practice to run an employee engagement culture audit to check in on how things are holding up.
In more stable times, incorporating a company culture health check into your annual employee feedback cycle will help keep your culture aligned with your business goals, and your people engaged.
While some companies treat culture audits as a one-off project, the most effective approach is continuous.
Regulay pulse survey check-ins help you stay connected to how your people are feeling all year round, not just when something challenging is going on.
A great culture audit is about listening deeply to your people and acting on what you hear.
The most effective audits are anonymous, so employees feel safe to be honest.
They’re also inclusive, giving everyone across teams and roles the chance to have their say.
And most importantly, they’re action-oriented, meaning they’re designed not just to surface insights, but to create real change.
It’s easy to spot the red flags of a poor culture audit; if it only reflects leadership’s view, relies on generic token questions, or disappears into a black hole with no follow-up, it’s unlikely to drive improvement, and will inevitably even harm trust.
The most successful culture audits are the ones that result in genuine change, not a flashy report gathering dust.
According to Gallup, organisations that engage employees through listening and follow-through can reduce turnover by up to 43%, and experience 23% higher profitability.
That’s a big return on simply paying attention to your people.
Start with a clear purpose.
What do you want to learn about your culture?
Tie your audit to strategic goals like improving psychological safety, belonging, or communication.
A focused objective helps you ask the right questions and take meaningful action later.
Use should use a mix of methods to get a full picture. For example:
Look for trends, patterns, and gaps in expectations and beliefs, especially between your stated values and day-to-day behaviours.
For example, if “collaboration” is a core value but feedback shows silos and poor communication, that’s definitely an area worth addressing.
Don’t just report upwards – share the results with your wider team.
Be honest, even about the hard stuff.
Framing weaknesses as areas for growth builds trust and shows employees their voices matter.
Pick one or two clear culture priorities to focus on, and start there.
Create a simple action plan with timelines and accountability, and keep your team updated on progress.
Remember, acting on feedback is where trust is built – without follow-through, you will do more harm than good.
Stribe makes culture audits easy, honest, and actionable.
With pulse surveys, anonymous feedback tools, and clear reporting dashboards, you’ll get the insights you need to build a happier, healthier workplaces — without the hours of manual analysis and headache of spreadsheets.
Explore the platform for yourself…
About the author
Starting out her early career as a journalist, Jade Madeley is an accomplished content writer with 8+ years’ experience across business, personal finance, SaaS, human resources and employee engagement. Working with Stribe, she crafts insightful content that brings complex HR topics to life and drives meaningful action.
