Organisational culture shapes how people work together, how decisions are made, and how care is delivered. In health and social care, culture directly affects staff wellbeing, teamwork, safety, and the quality of care people receive. A positive culture supports respect, learning, inclusion, and person-centred practice, while a negative culture can lead to poor outcomes and high staff turnover.
This free organisational culture online course provides a clear and practical introduction to organisational culture in health and social care. It explores what culture is, how it develops, how it affects behaviour and performance, and how individuals and organisations can contribute to positive cultural change.
Why Take This eLearning Course?
Understanding organisational culture helps staff and leaders recognise why things work well—or why challenges persist. Everyone has a role in shaping culture, regardless of job role or seniority.
This free course will help you to:
- Understand organisational culture: Learn what culture means and why it matters in health and social care.
- Improve quality of care: Understand how culture influences safety, communication, and person-centred care.
- Support staff wellbeing: Recognise how culture affects morale, motivation, and retention.
- Promote positive values: Link organisational values, ethics, and everyday practice.
- Support equality and inclusion: Understand how culture shapes equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).
- Contribute to improvement: Identify practical actions individuals and teams can take to strengthen culture.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain the meaning of organisational culture and its role in health and social care.
- Describe why organisational culture matters for staff, services, and people who use care.
- Identify how culture influences behaviour, communication, and teamwork.
- Recognise key elements that shape organisational culture, including leadership styles.
- Describe common types and models of organisational culture.
- Understand how organisational culture can change and develop over time.
- Explain the impact of culture on staff wellbeing and performance.
- Recognise the role of values and ethics in shaping workplace culture.
- Understand how organisational culture supports equality, diversity, and inclusion.
- Identify ways culture can be reviewed, improved, and sustained.
Organisational Culture in Health and Social Care Course Outline
Module 1: The Meaning and Role of Organisational Culture
Learners will explore what organisational culture is and why it matters in health and social care. This module explains how culture influences behaviour, communication, teamwork, and decision-making, and how it directly affects the quality and safety of care provided.
Module 2: The Main Elements That Shape Organisational Culture
This module looks at the key factors that form organisational culture, including shared values, beliefs, leadership styles, and everyday practices. Learners will examine both visible and invisible signs of culture and how management behaviour shapes the working environment.
Module 3: Types and Models of Organisational Culture
Learners will be introduced to common types of organisational culture and recognised models, such as Handy’s four types of culture. The module explores how different culture types affect motivation, staff relationships, decision-making, and overall workplace effectiveness.
Module 4: How Organisational Culture Changes and Develops
This module explains why organisational culture may need to change and how cultural change happens over time. Learners will explore the stages of cultural development and practical strategies that support positive and sustainable change within organisations.
Module 5: The Effect of Organisational Culture on Staff Wellbeing and Performance
Learners will examine how a positive culture supports staff morale, motivation, retention, and performance. The module also highlights the impact of negative cultures, including stress, burnout, and high staff turnover, and the shared responsibility for maintaining a healthy culture.
Module 6: The Place of Values and Ethics in Organisational Culture
This module focuses on the role of organisational values and ethics in shaping culture. Learners will explore how values-based working supports person-centred care and how values are reflected in policies, procedures, and day-to-day practice.
Module 7: Organisational Culture and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)
Learners will explore how organisational culture influences equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace. This module explains how positive cultures promote inclusive practice, fairness, and equal opportunities, and highlights actions and policies that support EDI in health and social care.
Module 8: How Organisational Culture Is Reviewed and Improved
The final module looks at how organisational culture is monitored, reviewed, and improved. Learners will explore the role of leadership, feedback, and reflection, as well as practical actions individuals and teams can take to support ongoing cultural improvement.
Target Audience
This course is suitable for:
- Health and social care workers at all levels.
- Team leaders, supervisors, and managers.
- Registered managers and senior leaders.
- HR and workforce development staff.
- Learners preparing for leadership or management roles.
No prior management training is required. The course is accessible, practical, and relevant across a wide range of health and social care settings.
FAQ
What does the course cover?
The course covers organisational culture, leadership, values, ethics, staff wellbeing, EDI, and continuous improvement.
Is this course relevant to UK health and social care?
Yes. The content reflects UK health and social care values, standards, and workplace practice.
Is the course practical?
Yes. It focuses on real workplace behaviours and actions that influence culture.
How long does the course take?
The course is self-paced and typically takes 1 hour to complete.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes. A certificate is provided on successful completion.
Is this course CPD accredited?
Courses are not currently CPD accredited, but accreditation is planned.
A positive organisational culture supports safer care, stronger teams, and better outcomes for everyone. By understanding culture and your role within it, you can help create workplaces where people feel valued, supported, and able to deliver high-quality care.
Join this course today and strengthen your understanding of organisational culture in health and social care.
Organisational Culture Training Course CPD Accredited and Government Funding
We’re working on getting this Organisational Culture Training Course CPD accredited, and any course that’s approved will be clearly labelled as CPD accredited on the site. Not every health and social care course has to be accredited to help you meet CQC expectations – what matters is that staff are competent, confident and properly trained for their roles under Regulation 18. Our courses are built to support those requirements, and because they’re not government funded there are no eligibility checks or ID needed – you can enrol and start learning straight away.
