“Every worker is the hand of Christ who continues to create and to do good” (St. Ambrose).

Google “workplace culture,” and you’ll quickly recognize that you’re on to a hot topic. Why? Because it’s pivotal to employee happiness. An awesome culture can recruit top talent. A paltry one can lose the best person.

Discussions of workplace culture seems to be around every corner—and every LinkedIn job posting. There are entire website pages dedicated to it, job postings remarking on it, and employees raving about it. So, what is corporate culture and how do we play a part in it?

Culture Brings Us Together

Merriam Webster defines “culture” as “a way of thinking, behaving, or working that exists in a place or organization (such as a business). The beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time.”

How does an organization create and perpetuate a workplace culture? How do each of us either drive it forward or allow it to fall off the rails? I believe it begins with beliefs and ideals.

We Each Have a Role to Play

Leadership plays a large part in defining a focused and living, breathing culture. If leaders can identify the values they hold dear and live and work by them, an organization is well on its way to creating a team culture that values leading by example.

But it’s not just leaders who contribute to an uplifting, dynamic culture that new hires rave about and the C-suite touts. Every employee is responsible for contributing to it or detracting from it. We might come to a job in a particular environment, at a company already driven by a particular set of beliefs, but it’s ours for the making.

Elements of Workplace Culture

Whether you’re building your own company or part of an existing team, here are some elements of culture to consider:

Purpose

Hitting the top of the charts for job fulfillment is being part of a mission-driven business. Organizations that value giving back and creating an atmosphere of volunteerism and philanthropy makes work meaningful beyond the company and customers and ignites a driving force for good.

Positivity

There’s a dramatic difference between organizations where the going feeling is one where everything is a pain and organizations where everything is an opportunity. How do you view challenges? Interruptions? Conflicting opinions? If we gripe and whine and dismiss, we fuel a fire for negativity and selfishness.

Caring and Amicability

We generally spend a lot of time collaborating and working with our colleagues. Do we want to perpetuate a culture of honesty and friendship or a culture of fakeness and competition? This type of culture directly influences trust.

Transparency

Town halls, state of the unions, internal newsletters … These things go far in creating an environment where leaders speak directly to the team, sharing company and personal updates, developments, and even struggles when appropriate.

Inclusion

The verbiage a company uses can connote particular feelings of inclusion or exclusion. Using the words “team,” “members,” and “colleagues” will help develop a culture of inclusion more than constant references to “staff,” “workers,” and “employees.” Consider how your company can support and look kindly upon each person.

Learning and Innovation

Continuous learning and creative problem-solving are the stuff dreams are made of. How can you serve customers and the community unless you’re striving for excellence? How can you strive for excellence unless you seek to understand what you don’t know and to develop a culture of innovation?

Hierarchy and Authority

How do leaders view their role? Supporting and serving their team and leading by example will make them role models of the values employees need to succeed and progress in the company.

Start Being a Force for Good 

Culture begins with me.

While founders and leaders have the rare opportunity to create meaning for an entire team and a legacy of business as mission, each of us is responsible for creating the type of workplace environment we want to be part of. If I’m in a state of grace, peace, inspiration, and positivity, I’ll tend to lead by example and develop these traits in my role. Doing the right thing from a place of quiet knowledge and understanding of who I am and what I value will have a ripple effect far beyond the desk or the door.

Laura Pugliano is co-founder of Ciccio's Olives, an exquisitely pure, single-origin extra virgin olive oil produced by her Italian in-laws in Calabria, Italy. She is also marketing and content strategist at the digital solutions provider Candoris, an alumna of Franciscan University of Steubenville, and most importantly, a wife and mother. Join Laura on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.