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Learn, from the restaurant chain Leon, the importance of a healthy workplace culture…

Have you ever considered how important your workplace culture is to the long- term prosperity of your business?

Most business owners only invest time and energy on getting smarter (rather than healthier) by focusing on the tangible, easier to measure aspects of their business.


However, to build a healthy workplace culture you must establish a set of behavioural standards (values) that you want your business and every member of your team to live by.

Your values should influence your decisions and actions on a daily and weekly basis and feature in all aspects of your business – team and customer meetings, operations, strategy, sales and marketing, recruitment and training, appraisals.

Here is a great story of a business that got it right…

Leon opened its first restaurant in Carnaby Street, London, in 2004, with a second restaurant opening a year later in Ludgate.

By the beginning of 2021, they had a chain of 70+ restaurants and an impressive menu (featuring a wide range of vegetarian and vegan food). They have recently been bought by the EG Group for £100m…

But do they have a healthy workplace culture?

When you hear that their guiding philosophy is “If God did fast food!” then you would assume they are aiming their standards pretty high!

They have navigated their way to a high level of healthy and profitable success with behavioural standards for their business. Their core values are:

a) Sourcing (of great food and ingredients)

b) Society (caring for staff; community; customers)

c) Environment (Reduce; Recycle; Reuse; Natural; No waste)

During the pandemic, they turned their restaurants into shops and takeaways, providing a home delivery or click and collect service. This secured jobs for their staff and ensured they were in contact with their community and that their customers could still enjoy their menu. They gave NHS workers a 50% discount and gave any profit made during this period to the NHS.

Leon’s team are living their core beliefs and values – they are at the heart of every business decision. And if you have ever eaten or purchased food from a Leon, you will have observed their upbeat and engaging staff (even at 6.05am on a Tuesday at Birmingham Train Station!).

This is what a healthy workplace culture looks like.

Click here to learn how you can take time out with your team to work on your business values and core beliefs. It paid off for Leon and it can pay off for you.

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