Rebuilding Culture After a Tough Year

A roadmap for CEO's ready to re-engage their teams post crisis or turnover

When the dust settles—after a leadership shakeup, a painful layoff, or a season of uncertainty—what remains is the culture. Not the posters on the wall or the values on the website, but the lived experience of your people. Their trust. Their energy. Their belief in the future.

If you’re a CEO emerging from a tough year, now is the time to rebuild—not just operations, but connection.

Here’s a roadmap to help you re-engage your team with clarity, care, and credibility.

Step 1: Acknowledge What’s Been Lost

Before you can rebuild, you must name what’s changed. That means:

• Owning the impact of decisions—even the necessary ones

• Recognizing the emotional toll on your team

• Creating space for reflection, not just recovery

Silence breeds speculation. Transparency builds trust.

Step 2: Reset the Narrative

Your team is looking for a signal: What now? Where are we headed?

Reframe the story by:

• Articulating a clear, values-aligned vision for the future

• Connecting business strategy to human impact

• Reinforcing what still holds true—your purpose, your commitments, your care

This isn’t spin. It’s leadership.

Step 3: Rebuild Trust Through Action

Trust isn’t restored by words alone. It’s rebuilt through:

• Consistent, visible leadership behaviors

• Inclusive decision-making and feedback loops

• Tangible investments in people—development, recognition, and wellbeing

Ask yourself: What does trust look like in practice here?

Step 4: Re-engage Culture Creators

Every organization has culture carriers—those informal leaders who shape tone, morale, and belonging. Post-crisis, they’re your allies.

Invite them in:

• Listen to their perspective

• Empower them to lead rituals, conversations, and connection

• Recognize their role in healing and momentum

Culture isn’t rebuilt top-down. It’s co-created.

Step 5: Make It Safe to Begin Again

After a tough year, your team may be cautious. That’s normal.

Create psychological safety by:

• Encouraging experimentation and learning

• Celebrating small wins

• Modeling vulnerability and resilience

Rebuilding culture isn’t about returning to “before.” It’s about designing what’s next—with intention.

At Silver Fern HR Consulting, we help CEOs lead through transition with clarity and care. If you’re ready to re-engage your team and rebuild a culture that reflects your values, let’s talk.

Because the most powerful culture stories aren’t the ones that never faced hardship—they’re the ones that chose to rise.

About the Author

Andrea Lucky is the CEO | Founder of Silver Fern HR Consulting, a firm dedicated to transforming workplace cultures and driving strategic growth. With deep expertise in organizational transformation, talent strategy, and leadership development, Andrea partners with companies to align their people operations with their vision and business goals.

Known for her ability to shape cultures that inspire engagement and innovation, Andrea helps organizations navigate change, strengthen leadership effectiveness, and build workplaces that empower employees at every level. Her experience spans industries, with a strong focus on helping businesses create sustainable talent strategies that support long-term success.

With a keen eye for aligning strategy with impact, Andrea guides organizations in translating bold visions into actionable workforce solutions. Whether leading complex transformations or refining leadership frameworks, she is passionate about driving meaningful change that positions companies for lasting success.

Follow Andrea for insights on workplace culture, leadership, and the future of people strategy.