Crafting a positive company culture from the ground up can help businesses attract and retain employees, and promote productivity and employee satisfaction. Here are twelve strategies for building a successful company culture.
- Define Corporate Values: Developing a strong mission statement and foundational values should be a top priority for business leaders. Values should reflect the company’s identity, work and the attributes it strives to embody, such as integrity, respect, accountability, and innovation.
- Appoint a ‘Culture Chair’: This person will chair monthly meetings to talk about culture. The first meeting would be “suggested attendance” for all. The chair will ask, “What kind of culture do you want to be part of?” Suggestions are written for the group to see. Follow up with, “How do we get there?” Draft three to six guiding principles to align group aspirations. Address, advance, and adapt the guide monthly.
- Get Your Team’s Input: Unlike most of the executive decisions that can be formulated by owners, organizational culture inherently dictates a buy-in from those that are subject to it. Hence, the respective input from the team members should be the basis of formulating a sustainable and desirable plan that will withstand the test of time.
- Focus on Behaviors not Values: Identify the behaviors you think will align your culture with success, and then be explicit in rewarding those behaviors and correcting any missteps. You’ll create a stronger culture by focusing on the concrete behaviors rather than the lofty ideals.
- Foster Employee Connection: Business owners can focus on establishing a culture where employees feel emotionally connected to the purpose of the company and be inspired to perform their best daily. Focusing on a connection between employees and the company can create a culture of collaboration where daily interactions build trust and facilitate the sharing of information and ideas necessary for a business to be successful.
- Hire People Who Believe in Your Mission: Hiring employees who wholeheartedly believe in the mission of the organization is a must. From the beginning, keep in mind that the value systems and behaviors of the executives and decision makers are often displayed in their organization’s culture.
- Offer Collaboration Options: Create different collaboration options, engage each generation on Slack or another collaboration app. Involve all generations.
- Create a One-Focus Directive: Try having only one that created the culture you desired. Try either of these: “Do the best work of your life!” or “Love the people. Love the work!” If you employed either directive, would it solve most issues?
- Encourage Learning: From the beginning, create a culture of learning. All planning, innovation, project management, sales, and teamwork involve learning. Tap the deep diversity that exists in people’s learning styles to spark experimentation and open conversations.
- Write an Engaged Purpose Statement: Start with a list of 15 statements that create energy for your team. Have employees identify their top three statements. Draft a purpose statement based on the feedback you receive. Share the draft purpose statement with everyone and conduct a survey to understand how connected they are to it and ways they’ll demonstrate it.
- Leverage Others’ Strengths: Be aware of which way you tend, so you can recognize when you might be flagging. Hire individuals who complement your skills and can help grow your business.
- Celebrate Success: Finally, celebrate successes and encourage team bonding activities. It can be as simple as a pizza party or a team-building exercise. By creating a culture of celebration, you’ll create an environment of positivity and encourage collaboration, creativity, and productivity.
Takeaway
Building a successful company culture requires effort and consistency. Define your values, get your team’s input, foster employee connection, and celebrate successes. By doing so, you’ll create a positive and successful company culture that will attract and retain
top talent, improve employee satisfaction, and boost your bottom line. Remember that your company culture is a reflection of your brand, so make it a priority to create a culture that aligns with your values and mission.
Investing in your company culture can have a significant impact on your business’s success. By creating a workplace environment that encourages open communication, innovation, and collaboration, you can foster a team of motivated and engaged employees who are invested in the company’s success. This, in turn, can lead to increased productivity, improved employee retention rates, and a stronger overall brand reputation.
Furthermore, a successful company culture can also help attract and retain customers. When your employees are passionate about their work and are happy to be part of your organization, this can translate to better customer service and increased customer loyalty. Your company culture can even differentiate you from your competitors and make your brand more appealing to potential customers.
Remember, building a successful company culture is not a one-time task, but an ongoing effort. It requires a commitment to your values, consistent communication, and a willingness to listen and adapt to feedback. By making it a priority, you can create a positive and thriving workplace culture that benefits your employees, your customers, and your business as a whole.
