By Frank Devine
The Culture Revolution: How Values Become the Beating Heart of Organisations
3 minute read
The Culture Revolution: How Values Become the Beating Heart of Organisations
4:52
Insights From Natasha Rudy, Regional Director of People & Culture at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Rebecca Moran Head of HR at Chatham House, and Keeley Watts, Head of HR at the Alchemist.
In today’s ever-changing workplaces, culture is more than a set of words on a wall – it’s the silent pulse that drives behaviour, decisions, and connection. At the Employee Engagement Summit, the Organisational Culture stage hosted a compelling conversation that proved just that. Moderated by Nick Brice, the session “The Culture Revolution: Tracking, Transforming & Sustaining Workplace Values” brought together three experienced voices who’ve not just talked about culture but lived and shaped it: Natasha Rudy of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Rebecca Moran of Chatham House, and Keeley Watts of The Alchemist.Their discussion was one of the summit’s highlights – a blend of thoughtful reflection and practical wisdom. The full conversation is now available on our podcast, but here’s a glimpse of the insights that had the audience leaning in.
Embedding Culture in Every Moment
Natasha set the tone beautifully with an analogy that struck a chord: organisational culture, she said, is like walking into your grandparent’s home or a place of worship. The expectations, behaviours, and values are immediately clear – not because they’re written on a wall, but because they’re lived. She challenged leaders to ensure that company values are present in every touchpoint, from hiring to exit interviews, and that they’re measured, rewarded, and modelled by leadership. For her, values aren’t a communications exercise – they’re operational foundations.
Bringing Values to Life Through Recruitment
Rebecca brought the conversation into the recruitment space, reminding us that culture begins long before an employee’s first day. She pointed out that candidates often come with preconceived ideas about a company’s culture based on its external reputation. For this reason, she argued, internal alignment must come first. Her approach to values-based recruitment – using behavioural questioning and collaborating closely with marketing teams – ensures that organisations attract people who truly resonate with their ethos, not just their brand image.
Culture Carriers and Authentic Connection
Keeley shared how The Alchemist leans into values-based hiring, focusing on shared behaviours rather than just technical skills. She explained that people can be trained to make a cocktail or manage a shift, but alignment with the organisation’s values is something deeper. Natasha added an insight from Four Seasons: the concept of “culture carriers.” These are employees who naturally embody core values and spread them across the organisation’s global footprint through programmes like international mobility and annual orientations – a brilliant example of sustaining culture across borders.
Adapting Values for a Diverse Workforce
Natasha and Keeley both explored the need for flexibility and authenticity in cultural expression. At Four Seasons, values like “Start with the Heart,” “Master Your Craft,” and “Be You” encourage employees to bring their true selves to work while maintaining exceptional standards. Keeley highlighted communication as the glue that holds this together, explaining that the biggest cultural breakdowns usually stem from fragmented or inconsistent communication.
Culture in Times of Change
Rebecca sparked a lively debate on managing culture through transformation. Rather than striving to “preserve” culture during change, she argued that leaders should embrace disruption as an opportunity to co-create a renewed identity. Both Natasha and Keeley echoed that sentiment – emphasising feedback, collaboration, and co-creation as essential tools for rebuilding trust and engagement after upheaval.
Measuring What Matters
The panel wrapped up with a challenge familiar to many engagement professionals: how to measure something as complex as culture. Keeley outlined creative approaches like QR-enabled instant feedback and open lines to senior leaders, while Natasha underscored the pivotal role of line managers as the make-or-break link. All three agreed that surveys can only go so far; real-time, qualitative feedback is vital to capture the living, breathing reality of culture on the ground.
This wasn’t just another discussion on values – this was a wake-up call for every leader who wants to ensure their culture isn’t static but sustained, scalable, and human at its core.
Curious to hear the full conversation, complete with their real-world examples and practical takeaways? Tune into the podcast episode from the Organisational Culture stage to experience The Culture Revolution in full.
To register your interest for the 2026 Engage Employee Summit click here: https://www.engageemployee.com/engage-employee-summit-registration
