Toxic or Thriving? The Truth About Workplace Culture: with Barbara Patchen

The Leadership Code

Did you know...

70% of transformation efforts fail due to culture-related issues (Kotter, 2012)?

Only 31% of employees strongly agree that their company has a positive culture (Gallup, 2023)?

Toxic workplace cultures cost U.S. businesses over $223 billion in turnover in just five years (SHRM, 2019)?

76% of employees say culture directly impacts their productivity (MIT Sloan Management Review, 2021)?

Corporate culture isn’t just a trendy phrase—it’s the backbone of employee engagement, retention, and overall organizational success. Yet, despite its importance, many companies struggle to foster a truly positive and sustainable workplace environment.

So, where are organizations going wrong?

Why do leaders struggle to cultivate cultures that foster trust, collaboration, and innovation? And most importantly—how can we fix it?

To break this down, I’m joined by Barbara Patchen, Founder & Head Coach at Moonlight Strategy and an experienced organizational psychology practitioner. With a career spanning leadership roles in talent and organizational development—partnering with companies like Hyatt Hotels, Uber, Expedia, Cigna, CVS, and T-Mobile. Barbara brings a wealth of knowledge on how to build thriving workplaces in today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving business landscape.

🔹 Understanding the Problem

• What defines a “healthy workplace culture,” and why do so many companies struggle to achieve it?
• What are the most common signs of a toxic work environment?
• How does poor company culture affect engagement, retention, and productivity?

🔹 Root Causes of Culture Failure

• Why do leaders often underestimate the role of culture in business success?

🔹 Cultural Pitfalls & Barriers to Change

• How do companies unintentionally promote toxic behaviors?

🔹 Strategies for Building a Thriving Culture

• What are the essential ingredients of a successful workplace culture?
• How can organizations measure and track the health of their culture over time?

🔹 Leadership & Accountability

• What steps can leaders take to personally champion and sustain a strong culture?
• How can organizations recover after a culture crisis or scandal?

🔹 Future of Workplace Culture

• What trends will shape corporate culture in the next 5–10 years?

Barbara offers actionable insights on how organizations can stop treating culture as an afterthought and start making it a competitive advantage. If you’re a leader, HR professional, or someone passionate about transforming workplace culture, this episode is a must-listen.

🎧 Tune in to uncover why so many companies fail at creating healthy cultures—and how yours can get it right.