Employees' Responses to Corporate Culture Reinforcement Communication by BRI Culture Agents: A Case Study at BRI Purwokerto Branch

This study examines employees’ responses to corporate culture reinforcement communication conducted by Culture Agents at the Purwokerto Branch of Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI). As part of BRI’s effort to internalize its core values, AKHLAK (Amanah, Competence, Harmony, Loyalty, Adaptability, and Collaboration), Culture Agents play a strategic role in facilitating communication and embedding cultural values across organizational levels. Employing a descriptive case study approach, data were collected through direct interviews and triangulation to provide a comprehensive understanding of employees’ perceptions and experiences regarding cultural communication. The findings reveal three dominant perspectives on corporate culture: as operational routines, as normative values guiding behaviors, and as strategic instruments supporting organizational vision. Employees demonstrated varying levels of comprehension of the AKHLAK values, ranging from comprehensive and contextual to general awareness. Role modeling emerged as the most effective communication method, supported by structured programs such as the Culture Activation Program (CAP) and multimodal channels combining formal and informal interactions. Positive outcomes included increased awareness, improved discipline, and gradual behavioral alignment with corporate values, indicating successful though incremental cultural internalization. However, the study also identified structural and psychosocial barriers, including workload constraints faced by Culture Agents, limited interaction frequency, diverse employee backgrounds, and information gaps. Recommendations from employees emphasized intensifying interactions, strengthening cascade communication across units, fostering two-way and participatory dialogue, and integrating cultural reinforcement with training and reward systems. Overall, this study highlights both achievements and challenges in organizational culture reinforcement at BRI Purwokerto Branch, underscoring the importance of systematic, consistent, and adaptive communication strategies in sustaining cultural transformation.