How to make a Supportive Work Culture: lessons from research

"Even though my background is in research I'm starting to understand that my experiences apply more broadly, to all sorts of workplaces."

To succeed in research, culture is everything. With the right culture, teams of people can come together to achieve remarkable outcomes. Research is often extremely difficult, yet  when a supportive work culture exists, research can be inspiring, motivating, connecting and enriching.

Reflecting on my journey as a researcher, and now as a leader of a large research team, there are some things I’ve done well and there are some mistakes that I’ve learnt lessons from. Even though my background is in research I'm starting to understand that my experiences apply more broadly, to all sorts of workplaces. Here are five key lessons I’ve learned:

1. Learn about your team members and their motivations.

Everyone is different, we already know that. These differences also extend to our workplace behaviours. As a PhD candidate, I made the mistake of assuming the only outcome you could hope for in research is to have a manuscript published in a peer-reviewed journal, as soon as possible. Without understanding my peers’ motivations, I was caught offside. Others wanted to spend more time in the learning process, the theoretical debates and in awe of playing with data and presenting this to others.

It wasn’t until I led my own team that I thought to ask about motivations (e.g. what drives you to come to work each day? What do you enjoy about your work?) These differences extend beyond research into many other workplaces. Your team members may not always be aware of their motivations, but having the conversation allows the dialogue to shape how you interact at work, the goals you set and how you measure success. It all starts with asking the question.

2. Genuinely appreciate your team members’ life situations.

I need to get something off my chest: Before I had my own family, I never truly realised how challenging it was to manage work alongside having people at home who need me. As a kid and young adult, I (wrongly) assumed that parents chose how they spend their days and how long they physically spent at work. Oh, how I was wrong!

Being a carer for other people, including children, parents or people with high needs requires all other aspects of life to be secondary. This is non-negotiable.

Make sure you consider whether there are aspects of your team members’ lives that comes with time or physical demands. Genuinely appreciate the challenges faced by other people and express this appreciation when sharing workloads, planning projects and setting deadlines. And remember, everyone deserves privacy and respect, including yourself.

3. Celebrate success at all levels.

One of the most hurtful comments I received in the workplace came after one of my poster presentations was accepted at a large international conference. A poster presentation is when you present research findings via a poster, allowing for conference delegates to read at their own leisure and ask questions during poster viewing sessions. A senior colleague told me, “No one is ever denied a poster presentation; it just means your work wasn’t good enough for an oral presentation.” I hadn’t heard this before, and at the time it took the wind out of my sails. Was that even success? What does that mean for my research and my ideas.

Try to take this culture, and reverse it. Success happens at multiple stages of your career and should be acknowledged and celebrated. Congratulate your students and research peers on milestones such as reaching recruitment goals, finishing data collection and submitting a manuscript for publication. These events may not be seen on our CVs, but they are huge wins in the research process. Make sure you acknowledge this so that others’ feel acknowledged and successful.

4. Lift up others with your words.

Conducting research and starting projects involves new ideas and new methods. One of the most powerful ways you can support your team is through your own words. I remember once being in a large research meeting and saying to a very experienced researcher “That’s a great idea, let’s test it out”. Afterwards, the researcher let me know that my comment made their day and gave them confidence during a difficult time. In other words, don’t be afraid to (verbally) give others a ‘pat on the back.’ It takes minimal effort on your side and makes a considerable difference to others. I always make sure that when I am reviewing other people’s writing, I comment on the sentences, paragraphs and sections that I believe are exceptionally high quality, just as much as parts that would benefit from further work. Your words are powerful, use them for good.

5. Constantly reflect.

Have you ever considered what the culture of your team is? One step further, have you ever tried to write a description of your team’s culture? You will only know if you are on the right path if you are thinking and reflecting about it. When I first started journaling about my team, I used words such as ambitious yet nervous. It informed the way I communicated with others and the actions I took to try and improve our culture. The dynamics can change quickly and seemingly overnight, especially when PhD candidates graduate and new students arrive. Today I choose to use words such as supportive, cohesive and energetic.

Supporting research students and early career researchers sets a strong foundation for their work. It also shapes how they will treat others as they progress their careers. Even though my focus is research, these experiences apply more broadly to all sorts of workplaces. Culture influences so much of our work, make sure you consider and manage yours.

Associate Professor Lauren Ball is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian and Principal Research Fellow at Menzies Health Institute Queensland. She leads the Healthy Primary Care team that conducts research aimed at supporting healthy behaviours and environments in general practice and other health settings.