The Impact of Culture on Manufacturing Operations
Many manufacturing leaders say culture is important. Fewer know what it actually looks like.
To explore that gap, I sat down with Rick Davis — Chief Manufacturing Officer at Morgan Foods, and a veteran of Colgate-Palmolive and Hershey’s. Over three decades, he’s led plant teams, overseen R&D, and built leadership systems across complex operations. Along the way, he’s noticed patterns that quietly set teams up to fail.
“There’s an epidemic in U.S. manufacturing,” Rick said. “And it’s being driven by one of two [types of] leaders.”
One type focuses on appearances, posting team photos online while most employees stay disconnected. The other falls back on control, using fear to meet short-term goals. Both result in the same outcome: a workplace that appears orderly but doesn’t improve over time.
In this post, we’ll look at the difference between false culture and the real thing. Rick shares how teams define winning, how to recognize real engagement, and what makes people want to stay.
The False Culture Epidemic
Not all cultural problems look the same. Rick described two common leadership styles he sees holding manufacturing back. At first, both styles appear to work. But neither builds anything lasting.
The LinkedIn Warrior Leader
Some leaders focus on visibility. They post photos from team lunches or share performance stats on social media. It looks like engagement, but the core is missing.
“They’re posting group photos, talking about how great the culture is,” Rick said. “But the truth is 80 to 90 percent of the team is simply not connected.”
This kind of culture often exists to convince one of three audiences: the leader themselves, their boss, or future recruits.
If employees aren’t telling others about the work environment, something’s wrong. In a real culture, people don’t need to be prompted. They talk about it because they believe in it.
The “Back to the Future” Leader
The second type of leader Rick described is harder to spot at first. They get results quickly. Their method depends on control over participation.
He’s heard the same message many times: “Check your brain at the door. Bring your back and your hands. Don’t ask questions.”
This mindset uses pressure and intimidation to drive compliance. It delivers quick results. Teams hit targets. Projects close fast.
But the gains don’t last. Trust fades. And people check out.
Rick said you can recognize these operations by looking at performance over time. The trend goes up for a while, then drops again. Once that leader leaves, the gains disappear.
There’s no system. No trust. Just turnover and survival mode.
What Real Manufacturing Culture Actually Is
Culture isn’t what leaders say. It’s what people do when no one’s watching. According to Rick, real culture shows up in daily decisions, shared expectations, and how teams define success together.
The Foundation House of Manufacturing
Rick describes a strong manufacturing culture as built on three priorities: people, safety, and quality. In that order.
People come first in how time gets spent, not just in slogans. Rick blocks 60% of his schedule for one-on-ones, development conversations, and informal check-ins. “If you don’t know what your team needs, then you’re not leading,” he said.
Next is safety — not as a poster on the wall, but as habits, inspections, and preventive actions taken seriously every day.
Then comes quality, measured not just by internal data but by customer complaints, rework, and first-pass success.
From there, teams define what “winning” means together. Leaders don’t dictate targets. They ask questions, build context, and invite the team to co-author goals. That clarity shows people what to focus on and how it connects to the work.
“When you have everyone with the wanted culture and you’re all rowing in the same direction, that’s when you truly have a culture that drives the foundation of your company,” Rick said.
The Recruitment Test
There’s a simple way to check if your culture is real: are your people recruiting?
Rick doesn’t mean job postings. He means referrals. Personal recommendations. The kind of place where someone tells a friend, “You’d like working here.”
“If your people aren’t recruiting, then you have a false culture,” Rick said.
That test matters because no amount of messaging can replace trust. In plant environments where work is physical and often repetitive, people rely on each other to get through the day. When they believe in the team, they stay. When they don’t, they leave — or disengage quietly.
Recruitment isn’t just an HR task. It reflects whether people feel heard, respected, and willing to vouch for where they work.
Building Authentic Culture in Manufacturing
Culture doesn’t start with metrics or strategy decks. It starts with how leaders spend their time.
The 60% People Rule
Rick blocks out 60% of his calendar for one thing: people. To Rick, leadership means paying attention — not just being seen. He uses that time to meet with team members across roles, understand what they need, and build the trust that culture depends on.
He begins with five questions:
- How did you get to where you are?
- What are your aspirations?
- What do you enjoy most about working here?
- What do you do for fun outside of work?
- What’s one thing I can help with?
These questions bring out things people don’t usually say in meetings.
With trust, people are open to change. Without it, they shut down.
“You have to know your team,” Rick said. “Otherwise, even the right answer becomes the wrong one.”
Quick Wins That Build Trust
Culture change takes time. Still, it can begin with small steps.
Rick starts by asking his team what’s broken, then helps fix it. Not because it’s tied to a corporate goal, but because his team raised it.
Often, the fix is small. It doesn’t require budget approvals or complex workflows. It takes listening, acting, and showing people that their input mattered. When a team sees a problem get solved fast, it builds momentum.
“You don’t need millions of dollars in savings,” Rick said. “You need a solution to something the team identified. That’s how trust gets built.”
Over time, this builds a team that speaks up, solves problems together, and carries the culture forward — no matter who’s in charge.
Conclusion
Rick Davis sees two forms of false culture in manufacturing: one focused on appearance, the other on control. Both can deliver short-term results. But they don’t create places where people want to stay.
Real culture shows up in daily actions. Teams define winning together. Leaders spend time listening, not just directing. Trust is what keeps things working.
Rick offers a simple place to start: the recruitment test. If your people aren’t bringing others in, there’s a disconnect.
Fix that first. Ask better questions. Act on what you hear. Digital tools only work when culture supports them. Engagement can’t be automated.
Listen to the full episode to hear Rick’s full framework for building real culture inside modern manufacturing teams.
