Lasting legacy of crisis: What workers tell later

ORGANISATIONS LOVE TO design culture decks, run engagement surveys, and host values workshops. But the true colours of your culture only show in pressure moments—in failure, farewells, crisis, and when the truth becomes inconvenient.

- Rohit Ohri Founder, Ohriginal

If you really want to understand your culture, look at how your company behaves when it's most exposed. Because culture isn't the sunshine in your success story. It's the fireproofing in your failure.

Nothing reveals culture faster than a scandal. A financial misconduct. A #MeToo allegation. A data breach. A whistleblower speaks up. These aren't operational glitches—they are cultural CT scans. When crisis hits, every choice—every delay, every press release—is magnified. Crisis strips away the curated image, exposing what you protect, what you ignore, and what you sacrifice to survive.

In these moments, leaders must choose between protecting the institution and protecting individuals. Between spin and truth, reputation and responsibility.

At Ohriginal, I've seen both sides play out. One company, facing financial misconduct, chose transparency. The CEO owned the mistake, communicated openly, and brought in independent oversight. It was messy. But trust survived and even deepened. Employees felt the company was willing to be honest when it mattered most.