Creating a Heavy Metal Work Culture

As recruiters we frequently get asked what makes a good culture…

Some people think of getting to a good culture as being uniformity. The creation of an environment where everyone thinks and acts the same way, enforced by policies designed to constrain people acting outside this.

Personally, the thought of uniformity in an organization reminds me of a gathering at a Mormon conference. Check your differences in at the door, dial your personality back to a 5/10, and don’t rock the boat. That’s not how I see culture. To me, good culture is the absolute reverse; it’s like a Slipknot concert – a gathering of misfits, freaks and losers (me included) who come together, despite their differences, united by a common passion to create a constantly moving, evolving mass. It may not always be pretty, but it’s genuine, and that’s where I personally would rather be.

Here are my Top 10 thoughts on creating a heavy metal style office culture:

1. In concerts, the band doesn’t control what the crowd does - it’s more about peer pressure from those around you. The band might suggest clapping, jumping, or even scream, “Bang your f*ckin' head!” like Bring Me’s Oli Sykes, but it’s the energy of everyone else jumping like maniacs that keeps the mosh pit alive. Similarly, in the corporate world, policies don’t drive change; it’s how everyone else behaves that does.
2. Concerts where the band interacts with the crowd rather than just regurgitating the music always create a better vibe. Think about how Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson talks to the crowd, shares stories, and even debates with them. Equally, management that embraces a two-way dialogue creates a better dynamic, like a live metal show where the audience and band feed off each other’s energy.
3. If the band wants you to clap to a song, the lead singer usually exaggerates the motion and waits for the crowd to mimic. Think Freddie Mercury starting Radio Gaga - signalling the audience to follow? The same goes for culture. If management doesn’t display the characteristics they want to be mimicked, it’s not likely to happen.
4. It’s inevitable in a metal mosh pit that at some stage you’ll end up being plonked on your arse by someone. At a Slayer concert, for example, you’re bound to get knocked down in the pit. Equally, in work, clashes and disagreements will happen. To me, clashes are a sign of passion and invested people. A disagreement isn’t necessarily a sign of a bad culture or something to be avoided. What matters is that whoever knocked you down has the courtesy to stop, recognize this, and help you back to your feet before they go thrashing about on their merry way.
5. Notwithstanding the chance of being put on your backside, even the most raucous concerts have a “no-dickhead” policy. Just like Pantera's "Walk" sets the tone for self-expression, metalheads know when someone’s deliberately spoiling things for others. Dickheads are easy to spot in a concert (and in corporate life). No one wants to associate with them, and there’s a gap around them. Recognize this and eject them quickly.
6. Metal concerts are a mashup of green-haired punks, face-painted Emos, through to pot-bellied old-school rockers (like me) - a diverse mix of fans from different subcultures. The mix of different types gives everyone the license to chill, be themselves, and cut loose. Equally, an accepting, diverse corporate culture improves the environment for all.
7. All gigs ebb and flow. Periods of crazy intermingled with the odd slow song, ballad, instrumental, or whatever to let people catch their breath. Even the Prince of Darkness? himself (Ozzy Osbourne), ?mixes in "Changes" between the madness to let the crowd recuperate. Companies are the same; going slower from a cultural point of view isn’t always a bad thing. Letting people catch their breath and enjoy the quieter, temporary moments to recharge is essential.
8. Even considering the ebb and flow of concerts, nothing kills the vibe more than a band playing a whole lot of new stuff back-to-back. Crowds need to be reminded of why they’re there in the first place. Think of how AC/DC always peppers in "Back in Black" or "Highway to Hell" to reignite the crowd. Equally, constant change in an organization, or new ways of working, can throw off the vibe. Try to pace these things, staggering change with periods of normality.
9. Be true to your gig poster (EVP). No one would confuse a poster for a Taylor Swift concert with one for Cannibal Corpse – it’s clear what you’re getting yourself into. Similarly, in the corporate world, your EVP is your poster, so be authentic in describing what your culture is. Be open about the good and bad points of your culture when hiring; there’s no point in getting someone in the door who will hate things, leave quickly and create tension across the broader team while they do.
10. Culture, like music, is subjective. You’re not going to please everyone, so if external people don’t like your culture, who cares? Not everyone’s going to dig your brand of culture,? they’re not wrong for not being into your style, and you’re not wrong for having that style.? ?It’s simply a matter of taste. Trying to change your culture to appeal to everyone’s personality is the musical equivalent of Easy Listening – pleasant enough for most people, but not something anyone is passionate or genuinely committed to.

Finally, in the words of Bill S. Preston Esquire and Ted “Theodore Logan – “Be excellent to one another”.

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