Can HR Keep Up with Company Culture Shaped by Influencer Employees and Viral Posts?

The Evolution of Company Culture

In the past, company culture was defined top-down'by founders, HR, or formal policies. Today, it's being shaped in real time by what employees post on LinkedIn, Twitter, and internal Slack channels. Some individuals have 100k+ followers, and a viral post can redefine your employer brand'overnight.

When an employee at a major Indian edtech startup posted a satirical thread about being micromanaged, it was shared 5,000+ times. Though the post was anonymous, everyone knew where they worked. HR scrambled to manage the fallout.

This begs the question'can HR still shape culture from behind the scenes, or must it now actively engage in public narrative-building? How do you support authentic expression while maintaining brand alignment?

In the current landscape where employees have significant social media influence, HR faces the challenge of balancing traditional top-down culture shaping with the real-time impact of employee posts. To maintain control over company culture in the age of influencer employees, HR must adapt its strategies. Here are some practical steps HR can take:

1. Proactive Social Media Policies: Develop clear guidelines on what employees can post about the company and how to represent the brand online.
2. Employee Advocacy Programs: Encourage employees to be brand ambassadors by providing them with positive content to share on their social channels.
3. Crisis Management Training: Equip HR teams to respond swiftly and effectively to any negative posts that could impact the company's reputation.
4. Transparent Communication: Foster open dialogue with employees to understand their concerns and address issues before they escalate.
5. Brand Consistency: Ensure that all internal and external communications align with the company's values and culture.
6. Monitoring Tools: Use social media monitoring tools to track employee posts and address any potential issues promptly.
7. Employee Engagement: Invest in creating a positive work environment that encourages employees to share their experiences authentically.

By implementing these strategies, HR can navigate the evolving landscape of company culture influenced by employee social media presence while maintaining brand alignment and authenticity.

The Consistency of Company Culture

The same trend exists as it did in the past. The company culture was defined by the founders, and HR administers it according to prevailing Acts and Rules. The Acts, Rules, and Policies are not driven by social media gossip.

The aspects that lack can be shaped for a better work culture. We do not see changes in real time based on comments that employees post on LinkedIn and Twitter. Social media platforms are not the rule book that HR will follow.

Fan followers and a viral post cannot redefine the laws overnight.

CiteHR-Thinktank,

You have written: In the past, company culture was defined top-down by founders, HR, or formal policies. Today, it’s being shaped in real-time by what employees post on LinkedIn, Twitter, and internal Slack channels.

I wish to correct you on this count. The company's culture was defined by top leadership only and never by HR or formal policies. Top leadership shaped the company's culture by promoting policies they wanted and empowering HR to execute those policies.

The second correction needed is regarding the company's culture taking shape based on posts raised by the employees on LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. No! This does not happen. Whatever people may write on social media, the company's administration is as cool as a cucumber. The company's administration is not perturbed because of the criticism it attracts for its wrongdoing.

About a year ago, a freshly passed CA working in EY committed suicide. "Extraordinarily long working hours" was the cause of the suicide. Yet, the Director of EY did not express any regret for the loss of life. Notwithstanding the hue and cry, the company just brazened out the incident.

You have asked: Can HR still shape culture from behind the scenes, or must it now actively engage in public narrative-building?

There are websites like ambitionbox.com or mouthshut.com on which the past and current employees write company reviews. The company's HR can download the feedback and give insight to the management on the perceptions of the past and current employees about the company and what corrective actions need to be taken. Whether the company's leadership takes this feedback seriously or not depends on how far they are temperate or intemperate.

Now, coming to actively engaging in public narrative-building. This is a risky game. This is because what if a bad incident like employee suicide or mass layoffs happens? Whatever narrative was built, it could be demolished in a day. Therefore, I do not think that any HR will take the risk of narrative building. By the way, narratives are built by political parties to shape public opinion in general, and their voters' opinion in particular. I have not heard of business entities getting into the shoes of political parties!

Thanks,

Regards,
Dinesh Divekar

The Changing Role of HR in Shaping Company Culture

This is a very relevant concern in today’s workplace. Earlier, company culture was shaped by HR, leadership, and official policies. But now, employee voices—especially on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Slack—have a powerful influence on how your company culture is seen.

When one viral post can reach thousands, HR can no longer stay behind the scenes. That doesn’t mean HR has lost control—it means HR’s role has changed.

Today, HR needs to be more visible, proactive, and involved in the public and internal narrative. You need to support authentic employee expression while also guiding it in a way that aligns with your company’s values and image.

Steps to Consider for HR Engagement

- Encourage employees to speak openly, but also train them on tone and brand representation.
- Use regular feedback and engagement tools to catch concerns early.
- Build a culture of transparency and trust internally, so issues are less likely to spill out publicly.
- Equip your HR and leadership teams to be active storytellers, not just policy managers.

Dear Dinesh Divekar,

Thank you for your insightful response. You've raised some valid points. I agree that traditionally, company culture was shaped by the top leadership with HR executing the policies. However, with the rise of social media and employees having a platform to share their experiences, it's hard to ignore the impact of these platforms on a company's image and culture.

While it's true that some companies may not be perturbed by what's posted on social media, it's important to note that the external perception of a company can influence a potential candidate's decision to join or not. In this regard, HR could play a role in helping to shape the narrative around the company's culture.

I understand your concern about the potential risks of public narrative-building. It's true that a single negative event can undermine previous efforts. However, this doesn't mean that companies should stay silent. A proactive approach, such as acknowledging the issue, expressing empathy, and outlining the steps taken to prevent reoccurrence, could help mitigate the damage.

Finally, regarding feedback sites like ambitionbox.com or mouthshut.com, I couldn't agree more. These sites provide valuable insights on employee experiences and perceptions. The feedback could be used to identify areas of improvement. However, it's also important for companies to encourage internal feedback through mechanisms like employee surveys or suggestion boxes. This could help companies address issues before they escalate to public platforms.

In conclusion, while HR may not solely define a company's culture, they can certainly influence it by promoting open communication, fostering a positive working environment, and taking employee feedback seriously.

This query greatly resonates with me. As a seasoned HR leader and startup founder, I have witnessed firsthand the dramatic evolution of the HR role. This perspective also strikes a chord on a personal level. As a parent, I observe our attempts to instill values and culture in our children. However, as they grow, they are inevitably influenced by their surroundings—friends, experiences, media.

In a company, the foundation of culture is laid down by the founders, HR, and policies. However, it isn't static. It must evolve with the people who join the team, aligning with their values, and actively nurturing the culture. The real challenge—and opportunity—is to ensure that while the culture adapts to external changes, it never loses its core essence. Instead, it should thrive over time, embracing diverse perspectives while staying true to its roots.

Best Regards,
Ab

The Shift in Company Culture

Culture is no longer what's written in the handbook. It's what's posted on Slack, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Once, HR shaped company culture behind closed doors—with policies, value statements, and leadership memos.

Today? A single viral employee post can redefine your employer brand overnight. When an employee at a major Indian edtech startup posted a satirical thread about micromanagement, it was shared over 5,000 times. It was anonymous, but everyone knew where they worked. HR was left scrambling.

This shift raises two urgent questions for People teams:

Can you still shape culture from behind the scenes? Or must you now engage in public narrative-building?

The answer is clear: HR must become a public-facing curator of culture.

- Monitor employee sentiment in real time
- Empower internal voices—not silence them
- Create guiding principles, not just policies
- Lead with transparency and purpose

Because today, culture isn't what you say it is—it's what your employees share it to be.