Why Your Culture Reset Isn't Sticking and How To Fix It with Paula Brockwell

Introducing new values doesn't change culture. New conditions do. In this episode of HR Superstars, Karina Young speaks with Paula Brockwell, founder and lead psychologist of The Employee Experience Project. They discuss why culture is something you design, not declare, and why so many culture initiatives stall six months after the big announcement. There's no single definition of a good culture, only the one that's right for your business. To find it, Paula shares how HR teams should build change around what the business needs right now, not an aspirational version years away. From there, she breaks down why getting specific about non-negotiables matters and how organizations can shape the conditions that actually drive behavior. You'll learn: Why building the conditions for change matters more than the change itself How to get your leaders to model what you're asking for Why slowing down on AI transformation can be the fastest path forward Join us as we discuss: (00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Paula Brockwell (03:17) Aspirational culture goals set leaders up to fail (10:26) Why unwanted behaviors flourish (14:47) Change fails without fixing the system first (16:46) Turning leaders into true enablers (23:33) The psychological contract between employer and employee (31:13) Why AI transformation needs a pause before scaling (33:41) How to pick the right cultural mode for your business Resources: For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube, or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player. Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/ Download 15Five's HR Leader's Guide to Reducing Regrettable Turnover: https://www.15five.com/resources/ebook/guide-to-reducing-regrettable-turnover?hsLang=en?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q4_2025_CTA&utm_content=turnover For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo Paula Brockwell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulabrockwell/ The Employee Experience Project: https://theexproject.com/