Team Culture: The Unspoken Rules

Ever noticed how some things never make it into the orientation pack, yet over time, you realise they’re just “how things work around here”? Maybe you started a new job and quickly realised that despite being told “we have an open-door policy,” most people book a meeting before approaching the boss. Or perhaps no one ever mentioned that Friday afternoons are “heads-down time,” so you were met with raised eyebrows when you scheduled a meeting for Friday. These unspoken rules, the things you were never explicitly told but had to figure out—aren’t written down or communicated, but you pick them up through observation, casual conversations, or sometimes by accidentally breaking them. A knowing glance from a colleague, a whispered “we don’t really do that here,” or the silence that follows an unexpected move—these moments teach you the real way things work. I believe that every organisation operates with two sets of rules: those written in handbooks and policies, and the unspoken ones that shape daily interactions and decisions. Could these implicit rules be having more influence on team dynamics than formal guidelines?

Organisational psychologist Edgar Schein’s model of organisational culture provides insight into how unspoken rules emerge and persist. He describes culture as existing at three levels: visible artefacts, espoused values, and basic underlying assumptions. It is at this deepest level where shared experiences and repeated behaviours form assumptions that unspoken rules are formed. They evolve over time as teams develop ways of working that prove successful, reinforcing certain behaviours and discouraging others without ever making them explicit.

Take communication, for example. In some teams, an unwritten rule might dictate that urgent matters require a phone call rather than an email, while in others, interrupting someone at their desk is only acceptable in extreme cases. These expectations are rarely discussed but quickly become apparent to newcomers. Power dynamics also play a role, formal hierarchies do not always reflect who truly holds influence. The person with the longest tenure may have more sway than a new manager, and certain individuals may act as gatekeepers to key decisions. Even time management is governed by unspoken rules: while official working hours might be 9 to 5, there could be an expectation that staying past 6 PM signals commitment, or that responding to weekend emails is the norm.

These hidden rules significantly impact team performance. Research from MIT’s Human Dynamics Laboratory suggests that informal social patterns, governed largely by unspoken rules account for approximately 50% of performance variations between seemingly similar teams. These patterns shape information flow, decision-making, innovation, conflict resolution, and overall team cohesion. The challenge, however, is that because these rules are not explicit, they can sometimes work against a team’s best interests.

Leaders who want to create healthier team cultures need to surface and critically assess these unspoken rules. Regularly engaging in conversations about workplace norms can help make implicit expectations explicit. Asking questions like, “What surprised you when you first joined the team/organisation?” or “What behaviours tend to be rewarded or penalised informally?” or “What have you had to figure out by yourself that no one told you when you join?” can shed light on assumptions that may otherwise go unexamined. Similarly, onboarding processes can be more deliberate in helping new team members navigate unwritten rules by pairing them with experienced colleagues who can provide insight into unofficial expectations.

Not all unspoken rules are positive, so it’s important to be cautious when pairing new joiners with experienced colleagues. A friend of mine, who was starting a new job at a bank, once shadowed a colleague who had WhatsApp downloaded on their company PC. Personal messages kept popping up while they were showing her the ropes, leaving us wondering whether that was allowed. She never asked the colleague directly, but we concluded that it couldn’t be right. My advice was simple, “Don’t do it.” Some may conflict with stated team/company values or rules, others create insider/outsider dynamics in teams or reinforce bias. When unspoken rules cause unnecessary stress, inhibit change, or limit psychological safety, they should be challenged and redefined. The goal is not to eliminate unspoken rules entirely, they will always exist but to ensure that they align with the team’s values and objectives. By making the invisible visible, teams can create more intentional cultures that drive success while supporting well-being and collaboration. At times leaders can be a little bit removed, rendering them blind to such nuances and those who take the time to explore these hidden forces will be better equipped to shape environments where team members feel both understood and empowered.

Are the unspoken rules in your team helping or hindering performance? Do you even know what the rules are on the ground? If you're wondering how to create a more intentional team culture, let’s talk. At WorldsView Academy , we value “effectiveness in a healthy way.” Get in touch with us if you’d like to strengthen your organisational strategy, leadership, and team development creating workplaces where both people and performance thrive.

Written by: Mbali Masinga