## Culture **Erosion**  
Noun  
/ˈkəl-chər i-ˈrō-zhən/  
**Definition:**  
The gradual weakening or loss of the shared values, behaviors, trust, and sense of connection that once defined an organization’s identity — often occurring quietly over time as the company scales or undergoes change.

### The Symptoms  
- Drop in engagement & morale  
- Increased turnover  
- Breakdown in communication  
- Missed goals and CYA mentality  
- Misalignment of values  
- Loss of trust and psychological safety  
- Leadership gaps friction with managers  
- Decrease in productivity  
- Lack of innovation

## The Solution  
You have to be proactive to counteract the natural entropy of culture erosion.

You do this by focusing on the six pillars. Just think of the acronym “ **CREATE**” to remember them:

> **C** onnection  
> **R** ecognition  
> **E** mpathy  
> **A** lignment  
> **T** rust  
> **E** levation

### Communication  
- Is your strategic messaging **clear** and **consistent**?  
- Are you being **transparent** about your decision-making?  
- Are you actively **listening** to employee concerns and addressing them?  
- Do you have an internal communications **plan**, supported with the right **tools** and **processes**?

### Recognition  
- Do leaders **regular**, **timely**, **personalized**, public **recognition**?  
- Do you empower employees to give **peer-to-peer** recognition?  
- Do leaders provide regular positive feedback **in private**, and offer rewards?  
- Do you have a **formalized recognition program** to make it easy to infuse gratitude and appreciation into your culture?

### Environment  
- Do your leaders model vulnerability and authenticity?  
- Do your employees feel like they have a best friend at work?  
- Do you have clear expectations around respect and inclusion?  
- Do you encourage your employees to maintain a good work-life balance?

### Alignment  
- Does every employee understand how their work contributes to company-wide goals?  
- Are roles and responsibilities clearly defined across the entire organization?  
- Are you setting clear, achievable goals then tracking and reporting on them?  
- Is there space for employees to ask questions, and get clarity without punishment?

### Trust  
- Do you give employees autonomy and flexibility to do their work?  
- Are you transparent and honest about how and why difficult decisions are made?  
- Are managers and employees held accountable for their actions?  
- Do you practice active listening during conflicts or difficult conversations?

### Elevation  
- Are you providing employees with opportunities for advancement?  
- Do you encourage managers to understand their employees’ career goals?  
- Do you provide clear benchmarks and targets for growth?  
- Do you encourage mentorship, continuing education, and learning and development opportunities?

Great culture doesn't happen by accident...  
You have to **CREATE** it.  
Follow me for deep dives into company culture, and how to defeat Culture Erosion!