September 25: Small Acts Can Change the Feeling of a Room
Small Acts Can Change the Feeling of a Room
There are some rooms we walk into and immediately feel comfortable in, even when we do not know everyone there. Nothing particularly remarkable may have happened, yet something about the atmosphere tells us that we can relax, contribute and be ourselves. In other rooms, we can feel slightly more guarded without being able to put our finger on exactly why. Often, the difference is created by the accumulation of small signals we pick up from the people around us.
The way someone is greeted, the tone of a conversation, whether people look up when somebody arrives, how humour is used, whether mistakes are met with patience or embarrassment, and whether people seem genuinely pleased to have one another around all contribute to that feeling. These things may not appear on a workplace policy or inclusion strategy, but they are part of the everyday experience of belonging, because culture is felt just as much as it is written down.
The atmosphere is shaped by all of us
When we talk about workplace culture, it can be tempting to think about the big things first: values, policies, leadership behaviours, employee networks and formal initiatives. All of these have an important role to play, but there is another layer of culture that exists in the ordinary moments between them. It is the way colleagues speak to one another when there is no presentation to give and no senior leader watching. It is what happens in the few minutes before a meeting starts, how people respond when somebody gets something wrong, whether new colleagues are treated as though they have something to offer from the beginning, and whether the atmosphere changes when certain people enter the room.
None of these moments seems particularly significant on its own, but together they create an environment that people learn to read very quickly. We all notice whether a space feels open or closed, warm or distant, welcoming or difficult to navigate, even if we would struggle to explain exactly what has created that impression.
That is why inclusion is about the feeling we create for the people around us.
A small moment can change someone's experience
Imagine arriving somewhere where you do not know many people and being met with a genuine smile and a simple, “Come and join us.” Imagine making a contribution in a meeting and having someone build on your idea rather than moving straight on to the next point. Imagine getting something wrong and finding that the response is, “No problem, let’s work it out”.
These are small moments that can change how a person experiences the entire room.
They can also be especially meaningful for people who are already unsure about whether they belong. Someone who is new to an organisation, returning to work after time away, working in a different way, navigating a disability, communicating differently or simply finding their feet within an established team may be paying particular attention to the signals around them. A small act of warmth or consideration can quietly communicate that they do not need to earn their place before they are welcomed into it.
The point is not to turn every interaction into a carefully considered act of inclusion, it’s about developing an awareness that the way we behave in ordinary moments contributes to the environment everyone else is experiencing.
The tone we set travels further than we realise
Atmosphere spreads.
When someone responds to a difficult question with patience, it becomes easier for others to do the same. When a team celebrates somebody else's success generously, it can create a culture where people feel comfortable celebrating one another rather than competing for recognition. When humour is kind rather than at someone else's expense, people can relax. When people show appreciation openly, gratitude becomes part of the everyday language of the team.
In the same way, tension can spread too. A dismissive comment, an eye roll, a joke that leaves someone uncomfortable or a habit of talking over particular people can subtly change the atmosphere, particularly when nobody challenges it. None of these moments necessarily feels like a major incident, but repeated often enough, they can tell people something about what is accepted and who is comfortable here.
We are constantly teaching one another what a workplace feels like through the behaviour we model.
That does not mean expecting people to be endlessly cheerful or pretending that difficult days do not exist. Inclusive workplaces are not rooms where everyone is permanently positive. People will disagree, frustrations will happen and some conversations will be uncomfortable. A healthy culture is not one where everything feels easy; it is one where people can move through those moments with respect and where difficult experiences do not become the defining atmosphere of the room.
We can change the atmosphere without changing everything
Perhaps one of the most encouraging things about this is that we do not have to wait for a major cultural programme to begin making a difference.
We can start by becoming more conscious of the people who may experience the same room differently from us. What feels completely normal to one person might feel intimidating to another. A fast-moving discussion may feel energising to some and overwhelming to others. A particular style of humour may feel friendly within one group but uncomfortable to someone who has not yet found their place within it. The more aware we become of these differences, the more opportunities we have to create environments that work for a wider range of people.
None of this requires perfection. What matters is being willing to notice, adjust and keep learning.
Inclusion lives in the ordinary
It is easy to associate inclusion with the moments that are most visible: a campaign, an awareness day, a new policy, a staff network or a big organisational commitment. Those things can be valuable, but inclusion is also quieter and lives in the everyday.
It lives in whether people feel comfortable walking into the room, whether they are treated with consideration, whether their presence seems to matter and whether the people around them create an atmosphere where they can participate without having to constantly question whether they belong.
We do not need to have complete control over workplace culture to influence it. Every interaction is an opportunity to add something positive to the atmosphere around us.
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