Ever been in the situation at work when, ahem, you have finished your business and look down to see that the person before you used the last of the toilet roll and left you to cope for yourself?

What’s this got to do with workplace culture?

My guess is that if this happens at your place, it’s an ‘everyone for themselves’ culture. The person before you is really saying “I’m fine, but good luck to the next person who’s in here”.

If it never happens then, clearly, your people are demonstrating concern for their fellow workers. They are thinking “I wouldn’t want to be in this situation, so I won’t put anyone else in it”.

Surprisingly, this message is not about empty toilet rolls, but more importantly, how your people consider each other. It is an important cultural element that they are thinking about and caring about each other. Their attitude to the empty toilet roll, good and bad, would apply to everything else that happens in the work place.

When a culture of leadership is present, people put their own interests behind others (I knew I couldn’t write this blog without a cringeworthy pun).

Strive for an organisational culture where people care about, and for, each other.