We knew things were bad when the fruit boxes disappeared.
No question, the corporation I’d joined a few years earlier was starting to struggle.
Headcount freezes and restructures were ahead of us, but the symbol of our decline was more subtle: The missing box of apples and bananas in the kitchen.
Because this seemingly trivial benefit carried a bigger message.
The fruit wasn’t really about nutrition. It was about signalling “we care for you”. And when it went, the signal flipped to “we care about cost”.
This is the reality employees see through in corporate life. The small, symbolic things often reveal more than the official comms.
Culture doesn’t change with a grand speech or well worded email. It shifts through the cues people pick up every day – what’s provided, what’s taken away, what’s rewarded, what’s ignored.
Because in the end, culture isn’t what you say, it’s what you signal.
🌟 If you found this interesting, let me know! Buy me a virtual coffee ☕ or forward this email ↗️ to someone who also might like it. Your occasional support means I can keep sharing ideas about behavioural science for free.
🧠 Learn the science of Influencing Action
📈 Be shown exactly what to do to get better results for your small business
Hey, are we connected yet?
