By: Ted Panagiotoulias, Employment/Labour Lawyer & HR/Labour Relations Consultant
In today’s fast-moving and increasingly complex work environments, employers are being asked to do more than just respond to problems in the workplace. They are expected to anticipate and prevent them. More and more employers are realizing the value and long-term benefits of addressing issues before they bubble over.
That’s where workplace assessments and culture reviews come in.
These are not just tools for after a crisis has hit. When used thoughtfully, they can help organizations take stock of what is really happening on the ground, before issues become reputational, legal, cultural or operational risks. They can be used when something just feels off, or when there is a clear problem that is steadily or suddenly rearing its head.
Having worked for years as both an employment/labour lawyer and a senior HR and labour relations executive, I have seen firsthand how powerful these reviews can be. Whether they are put in place following an anonymous complaint, a sudden uptick in employee turnover, or a subtle but growing undercurrent of tension, assessments allow organizations to pause, listen, and gain clarity.
They also work well when the crisis is already at your door. In some cases, they are the most appropriate form an investigation can take. This particularly tends to be the case when the concerns raised are cultural or systemic rather than isolated or individual. In other cases, they act as a complement to a workplace investigation, a precursor to gather more contextual insight, or even a component of the investigation itself. Many workplace investigations have a culture dimension that cannot and should not be ignored or separated from the specific allegations being reviewed. In fact, I would venture to say that the most effective workplace investigators take the time to immerse themselves in the culture of the workplace, learning about its complex dynamics and intricate layers. This ensures that they understand the unique workplace ecosystem in carrying out their mandate, but also allows the investigator to remain cautious and aware of the potential impacts their own decision-making may have on the workplace after the report is signed and delivered.
Understanding Culture Reviews and Workplace Assessments
A culture review or workplace assessment is an independent, structured process carried out by an external third-party that evaluates the overall health of an organization’s workplace environment. Unlike a formal investigation where the goal is to prove or disprove specific allegations, a culture review takes a broader lens.
The process typically involves confidential interviews, focus groups, document and policy reviews, and sometimes surveys. Culture reviews typically focus on systemic issues, patterns of behaviour, and the lived experience of employees. The goal is to gather candid feedback on themes such as trust, leadership effectiveness, communication, inclusion, fairness, and morale.
A Tool for Crisis and to Avoid Crisis
Workplace assessments are often triggered by complaints that do not name names. These appear in many forms such as tips left through whistleblower channels, concerns raised in engagement surveys, or anonymous allegations that HR or leadership simply cannot and should not ignore. In these situations, a neutral, structured review can help uncover whether there is substance to the concerns, and more importantly, what is driving them.
However, as I mentioned above, the value of assessments is not at all limited to reactive use. Increasingly, organizations are using them proactively to:
- Gauge how their culture is shifting or changing as changes are being made (e.g. with return to the office mandates, new policy implementation, etc.);
- Evaluate how leadership changes are landing with employees;
- Repair trust in unionized environments where labour relations have frayed;
- Check in after restructuring, M&A, or other disruptive changes.
When conducted properly, these reviews take the temperature of an organization in a way that anonymous surveys or surface-level pulse checks simply cannot. They uncover the root causes of employee concerns, cultural friction, or systemic issues that might otherwise remain hidden until a formal complaint or a PR nightmare forces a response.
A Specialized Approach to Restoring the Workplace
This work has become a specialty in our practice at SWL, sitting at the intersection of legal risk mitigation and cultural health. It complements our broader focus on workplace investigations, crisis management, and dispute resolution.
Our approach is grounded in empathy, discretion, and a clear-eyed assessment of the facts. Through interviews, document review, and organizational insights, we help clients not only understand what is happening but also what to do about it. Whether that means mediation, leadership coaching, policy reform, workplace / labour relations restoration, or simply fostering better and more open communication with employees and union representatives, we have the experience to help you successfully navigate what are often uncharted waters.
In unionized settings, culture reviews have also proven valuable in rebuilding strained labour relations. By involving both management and union perspectives in the assessment, we help parties move away from entrenched conflict and toward a more collaborative working relationship.
Why It Works
At its core, a culture review is a signal to employees that leadership is willing to listen, take accountability, and invest in making things better. That message alone, particularly when followed by meaningful action, can be transformative. In times of reputational or legal risk, it can also mean the difference between escalation and resolution.
Workplace assessments are not about finger-pointing or blame. They are about truth-finding, repair, and strategic insight. In a world where workplaces are under more scrutiny than ever before, that kind of clarity is invaluable.
If your organization is navigating internal tensions, fielding anonymous complaints, or simply wants to understand how things are really going behind the scenes, a workplace assessment might be the best investment you make this year.
