5 Culture Practices That Create Stronger, Happier Teams

At Rebellion, we’re charting a new path in our industry. That also translates to our work culture. We’re actively growing, learning, and leaning into the tension of intentionally cultivating a work culture we can be proud of. It isn’t always perfect. In fact, it’s often messy. But we’re committed to not just posting our values on a wall or website—we’re living them out, one day at a time. 

How? Well, here are five simple but powerful practices that help nurture a culture of clarity, inclusion, and high performance, with a few examples of how we’re putting them into action at Rebellion. 

Practice #1: Attract Values-Aligned Team Members 

Culture is directly shaped by the people on your team. Each person brings their own unique mix of experiences, passions, and values. As your company grows, the team will naturally evolve. But hiring decisions must remain intentional. Attracting people whose values align with yours helps protect and strengthen your culture over time. 

How we practice this at Rebellion: We’re not shy about our values or our journey to uphold them. You’ll see this in how we engage candidates, from the tone of our job postings to how we show up during interviews. We don’t just talk about our values; we demonstrate them throughout the hiring process. 

💡 Pro Tip: Invite your “culture bearers” (employees who consistently model your values) to share what it’s really like to work at your company. Ask them to speak openly about both the wins and the growth areas. Their voice brings authenticity and clarity to the candidate experience. 

Practice #2: Make Recognition an Ongoing Practice 

Recognizing people’s contributions reinforces company values and keeps morale high, especially in fast-paced or high-pressure environments. 

How we practice this at Rebellion: Safety is core to our culture. That’s why we recognize field employees who actively identify and respond to safety concerns through our monthly Good Catch Awards, led by our Health, Safety, and Environment Engineer, Josh Rinehart. These recognitions celebrate not only the outcome, but the thoughtful action that reflects our shared commitment to each other’s safety and wellbeing. 

💡Pro Tip: Build in both top-down and peer-to-peer recognition. When teammates acknowledge each other’s wins, it strengthens connection and makes culture everyone’s responsibility. 

 💬 “Culture isn’t built in a day. It’s built in the everyday.” 
Start with one practice. Turn it into a habit. That’s how meaningful culture change begins. 

 Practice #3: Create Space for Real Talk 

Employees are always talking. It’s just a question of whether they feel safe doing it with leadership. Offering space for honest conversations builds trust, surfaces important insights, and allows challenges to be addressed before they become crises. 

How we practice this at Rebellion: 

Each quarter, our HR team hosts Talk Back Sessions—dedicated spaces for employees to raise concerns, explore challenges, and give input. When we can act on the feedback directly, we do. And when an issue needs senior leadership attention, we elevate it accordingly. Either way, employees know they’ve been heard. 

💡 Pro Tip: Psychological safety starts at the top. Leaders should model curiosity, receive feedback without defensiveness, and follow up transparently, even if the answer is, “We heard you, and here’s why we can’t move forward on that right now.” 

Practice #4: Make Room for Individuality 

People thrive in workplaces where they feel seen, respected, and included. Recognizing individuality helps employees show up as their full selves, strengthens connection across diverse teams, and fosters an environment of belonging. 

How we practice this at Rebellion: We make time for connection in ways big and small. From virtual coffee chats to semi-annual in-person gatherings, we prioritize relationship-building. Even simple prompts like “What’s your favorite book and why?” at the start of a meeting help create a deeper sense of belonging. 

💡 Pro Tip: Build micro-moments of humanity into the workday. From team “get-to-know-you” prompts to interest-based Slack channels, small signals that say “you matter here” go a long way. 

Practice #5: Admit When You Mess Up 

Every organization makes mistakes. What defines your culture is how you respond when things go sideways. Owning missteps with humility and transparency builds credibility and fosters a learning culture. 

How we practice this at Rebellion: When something doesn’t go as planned, we pause, reflect, and talk about it. It’s not always easy (and sometimes it means gently reminding each other to take that pause). But there’s a shared commitment to learn, grow, and do better next time. That’s how trust is built. 

💡 Pro Tip: Modeling accountability from the top creates a ripple effect. When leaders normalize “We got it wrong,” it gives everyone else permission to own their mistakes and move forward. 

Final Thoughts 

These practices might seem small, but they send a big message. When practiced consistently, they create the conditions where great culture can take root and where people can thrive. 

Remember: Culture isn’t a one-time initiative. It’s created, sustained, and reinforced through how we work together every day.  

So here’s your challenge: Choose one practice to experiment with this month and notice how your team responds. What you water will grow. 

Looking for more? Check out our post on Creating a Healthy Workplace Culture.