InFocus

 

The big picture: An agency’s most valuable asset is its people. 

A pervasive and commonly shared perspective by police executives and community members is that an agency’s most valuable asset is its people, its human resources, both sworn officers and professional staff. In recent years, the demand for additional personnel, particularly sworn officers, has dominated headlines nationwide. Staffing shortages, recruitment challenges, and increasing crime have driven agencies to focus heavily on hiring more officers to meet growing public safety needs.

Many of these discussions tend to overlook the untapped potential within the agency’s existing workforce. By enhancing workplace culture and strengthening professional identity, agencies can boost organizational performance while improving both recruitment and retention. A supportive, mission-driven environment increases job satisfaction and morale among current staff, making the agency more attractive to prospective applicants. Focusing internally can lead to improved recruitment outcomes, higher retention rates, and ultimately, greater operational effectiveness.

 

What we know: A strong sense of workplace identity may be linked to enhanced performance and recruitment.

Workplace culture in law enforcement was identified decades ago as an obstacle to change within agencies. Recently, an increasing number of law enforcement executives have been reprioritizing the importance of workplace culture and emphasizing the upside of a strong and healthy culture. These leaders understand that a strong workplace culture can inspire and energize staff, whereas a weak or toxic culture can breed cynicism, disengagement, and blatant negativity. Workplace culture has been described by some as a “soft, holistic concept, with, however, presumed hard consequences.” The quote distills what is so difficult about workplace culture; it is hard to say what it is exactly, but easy to see and feel the consequences. Those consequences are felt as a community member walks into a police station and is immediately greeted by an officer with a smile and a service-oriented attitude. It is also felt when ignored by a cluster of officers standing around a desk, only to have one officer peel away, begrudgingly walk over, and ask, “What do you need?” Clearly, this is not a problem exclusive to law enforcement, but it speaks to a pressing issue for any organization: how do leaders keep employees focused on the mission and delivering high-quality service?

Workplace identity, also known as organizational identity, is linked to culture but with a stronger connection to job performance and the day-to-day experiences of employees. It is the inward-focused attributes and values considered central, distinctive, and enduring within the organization. Expressed through actions and behaviors, it represents how employees see or envision their job and role. It is distinct from workplace culture in that culture is broader and refers to the underlying shared values and beliefs about the world and external environment.

Workplace identity can serve as a powerful lever for promoting the behaviors and actions desired by the agency. Law enforcement leaders should be very explicit about the identity and what behaviors are aligned with it. It gives law enforcement leaders a clear mechanism to shape how employees behave by defining what it means to be part of the agency.

Focusing on workplace identity and what it means to be an agency employee holds promising benefits for performance and, perhaps unexpectedly, image improvement and recruitment efforts.

When employees understand their role and what it means to be an agency employee, they have higher levels of job involvement, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and in-role performance. Aligned actions, behaviors, and performance create positive images for the agency, as they usually align with community expectations. Additionally, a strong workplace identity can enhance recruitment efforts when potential applicants engage with recruitment officers.

Improving workplace identity is not easy. The nature of law enforcement exposes officers and staff to negative and somber situations where it is hard to imagine a positive outcome. The unbroken sequences of conflict and sadness make the vision of a positive and uplifting identity seem like an impossibility. Leaders who foster a strong workplace identity counteract the inertia of negativity. They create organizations where the mission, values, and identity are clear and compelling, leaving no question about what the organization stands for and how to contribute.

The Guardian’s Way: How the Brooklyn Center Police Department re-energized its team. 

When Chief Garett Flesland took leadership of the Brooklyn Center Police Department during a time of crisis, he introduced three guiding values—be professional, choose happiness, and serve proudly—to rebuild a fractured workplace culture. Drawing on decades of service within the agency, he emphasizes gratitude, personal accountability, and adaptability as key to fostering a resilient, mission-driven department ready to meet the expectations of a new generation. Read more.

 

The bottom line: Strong workplace identity helps agencies inspire staff, improve service, and shape how they’re seen—inside and out.

 

*Review research citations used in this issue here.