Five Key PointsTeam debrief is known to improve teamwork and safety.In our study of various staff groups, a third of did not have access to debrief.Exposure to team debrief was associated with better Culture of Care Barometer scores.Quality of debrief matters also: staff found structured, coaching and manager-led meetings to be more effective, useful and engaging than debriefs consisting of quick comments or informal discussion only.Debrief could be one of the ways to improve team culture.Keywords: debrief, surgical specialties, culture, coaching, professional burnout, staff engagement, operating rooms, WHO Surgical Safety Checklist