Culture Isn't Ping Pong Tables

We’ve all seen the Instagram-worthy versions of company culture: ping pong tables in the breakroom, cold brew on tap, beanbags in meeting rooms, and maybe even a dog or two roaming the office.

That’s fun. But that’s not culture.

Culture isn’t what you buy—it’s what you do when it matters.

And nothing reveals your real culture faster than how you treat an employee who’s having a bad day—or a sick one.

Culture is... how you respond when someone calls out sick

Let’s say one of your employees wakes up with the flu or has to stay home with a sick child. What happens next?

• Do they hesitate to text you because they’re worried it’ll “look bad”?
• Do their teammates grumble behind their back?
• Do you sigh and silently question their work ethic?
• Or do you have a plan, a little empathy, and the systems in place to handle it?

This is culture. Not the perks—but the people practices.

What “Culture” Really Means for Small Businesses

As a fractional HR consultant, I work with companies that don’t have in-house HR, but know they need help setting the tone.

Here’s what I tell every client:

Culture isn’t your dress code or your Slack emojis. It’s how consistently you treat people in the everyday moments—especially when things go wrong.

That includes:

• How you communicate time-off expectations
• Whether your PTO policy is clear, accessible, and fair
• How you support employees dealing with family emergencies or health issues
• What you model as a leader when you’re under pressure

These things tell your team everything they need to know about whether they’re working in a safe, supportive, and sustainable place.

What a Healthy Culture Looks Like (Yes, Even With 5 Employees)

You don’t need a formal culture committee. You don’t need a mission statement framed on the wall. You just need consistency, clarity, and care.

Here’s what that looks like in action:

• Clear expectations: Employees know how to call out sick, who to notify, and what documentation (if any) is required.
• No guilt trips: Taking care of your health isn’t seen as a weakness—it’s respected.
• Built-in coverage: You’ve cross-trained team members so one person’s absence doesn’t grind everything to a halt.
• Policy + humanity: You have a time-off policy, but you also know when to lead with grace.

When those systems are in place, your team doesn’t feel anxious when they need time to recover. And you don’t feel overwhelmed trying to make last-minute judgment calls. Everyone wins.

Florida-Specific Tip: Know the Law (and Know When to Go Beyond It)

In Florida, there’s no state-mandated paid sick leave. That means small businesses technically aren’t required to offer it—unless local ordinances or federal programs apply.

But just because it’s not required doesn’t mean it’s not smart. A fair, well-communicated sick leave policy helps you:

• Attract and retain talent
• Reduce presenteeism (people showing up sick)
• Protect your team and customers
• Reinforce a positive, respectful workplace culture

And yes—you can still do this affordably. I help small businesses design time-off policies that are fair, sustainable, and easy to manage.

Final Thought

Culture isn’t your décor. It’s not the “fun” page on your website.

It’s what your team experiences when they’re vulnerable.

It’s how you show up when someone’s not at their best.

If you want to build a culture that people trust—not just one that looks good in a recruiting post—you don’t need a ping pong table.

You need smart, supportive systems. Let’s talk. I help small and growing businesses build HR foundations that actually reflect their values—from sick days to team dynamics and everything in between.

Erin Eilers | Fractional HR Consultant | Eilers HR
Helping small businesses in Florida and across the U.S. create people-first cultures that work in real life—not just on paper.

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