Published by Sue Johns-Chapman
Published Date 23.04.2026 
The team at Bubble Design were recently shortlisted for a number of awards, including Best Culture Transformation, at the UK Company Culture Awards. We were absolutely delighted to be recognised – particularly because our culture is built from the inside out by our very own team.
We’ve grown steadily over the last 26 years, but in the last 18 months alone we’ve more than doubled the size of our team to keep up with the growing demand for our creative and marketing services. It’s been fantastic welcoming a whole bunch of immensely talented (and downright lovely) individuals to our Bubble, including the 15% of our employees who are growing their skills as part of an apprenticeship. But it hasn’t been without challenge.
To scale successfully while protecting the culture the business was built on, we recognised the need for a renewed, proactive approach to employee engagement, wellbeing and connection; one that would support both our long-standing team and those newly joining Bubble.
The guiding principle was: our culture must be built by our team, not handed down to them. And so, we opened the door for employees to shape the next era of Bubble.
From these foundations, we launched our most significant cultural shift to date: Bubble’s Cultural Roles Programme. This framework empowers our employees to volunteer to take ownership of key areas of culture, helping us protect what makes Bubble special without stunting our growth.
Why giving your team a voice matters (and how to do it)
Here are some of the key lessons we’ve learned about why giving your team a voice matters. And how you can start putting it into practice in your own business.
1. Culture sticks when your people are invested in it
When culture is created behind closed doors and handed down, it rarely lands in a meaningful way. But when employees are involved in shaping it, there’s a natural sense of ownership.
People are far more likely to engage with, advocate for, and protect something they’ve helped build.
How to apply this:
Invite input early and often. Whether that’s through workshops, surveys or open conversations over a coffee morning, give your team genuine opportunities to influence the direction of your culture.
2. Ownership drives engagement
One of the biggest shifts we saw came from giving individuals real responsibility for specific areas of culture. It moved engagement from passive participation to active contribution.
When people feel trusted to lead, they give it their all. From organising monthly pay day meals to shaping our DE&I handbook and taking part in volunteering opportunities, your team is incredibly capable – just give them the opportunity to shine!
How to apply this:
Create opportunities for employees to take ownership. We did this through opening up voluntary culture champion roles, but you could also implement formal roles and working groups. Keeping it voluntary is key to getting the right energy and enthusiasm.
3. Great ideas don’t always come from the top
Your people live inside your company every day, and with that comes unique insider input.
Opening up culture-building to everyone brings a diversity of perspectives that simply wouldn’t exist otherwise.
How to apply this:
Make it easy (and safe) for people to share ideas. Just as importantly, acknowledge and act on them where possible. Being heard is often as important as seeing an idea implemented.
4. Growth doesn’t have to dilute your culture
Scaling a business often puts pressure on culture. New people, new processes and new demands can make it harder to stay connected to what made the business special in the first place.
Distributing ownership helps protect and evolve culture as you grow, and gives any newbies a warm welcome into the fold.
How to apply this:
As your team expands, involve both new and existing employees in shaping what comes next. This creates continuity and gives your culture space to evolve naturally.
5. It builds confidence and future leaders
When you give people a voice it doesn’t just benefit your culture. It also benefits your people.
We’ve seen individuals step into cultural roles and develop new skills, grow in confidence and discover leadership qualities they may not have recognised in themselves before. It’s also naturally brought different departments together, improving communication channels business-wide.
How to apply this:
Frame culture initiatives as development opportunities. Support those involved with time, encouragement, autonomy, visibility, and the trust they need to make and execute decisions so they can truly thrive in these roles.
Bringing it all together
Giving your team a voice doesn’t dilute your culture. When you do it right, it strengthens it.
By creating space for people to contribute and take ownership, you move from a top-down approach to something far more powerful: a culture that is shaped, and sustained by the people at the heart of your business.
For us, that shift has made all the difference. And as we continue to grow, it’s what will ensure our culture grows too.
