Culture Club: Using Culture to Form Community in the Workplace
It’s no surprise that business owners are working hard to create a strong company culture. A recent survey suggested that employees care more about company culture than salary. But what exactly is company culture, and how can you implement it to see a change immediately?
What is company culture?
Company culture is the sum of all parts of your business. It refers to who gets things done and how they are done. It affects every aspect of your small business, from profits to employee retention to customer service. It’s also said that strong company culture can be felt, even by an outsider.
According to Comparably’s extensively researched annual Best Global Company Culture list, the top three (3) companies with the best culture are Microsoft, IBM, and Google. These businesses incorporated effective practices in their day-to-day operations to create great work environments. Here are just a few.
Embrace Open Communication
Most employees want to be more involved in the mission of your business. By being transparent and communicating the goals and challenges in your company, you’re inviting them to be more than just a worker. You’re helping them to feel a sense of ownership and holding them accountable.
Transparent communication has a significant impact on employee engagement and motivation, which are contributing components of solid company culture. When your team feels connected with their work, team members will feel united in achieving their goals, and your company will see more profitability.
Show Gratitude Often
Showing appreciation to your team is one of the easiest ways to foster excellent company culture. By giving employees gratitude regularly, you’re telling them their work is meaningful and valuable, which causes a ripple effect throughout the office. Research shows that appreciation and recognition are top drivers of employee engagement and key to good company culture.
You can start showing appreciation to employees and see its benefits almost immediately. Begin by sharing small daily affirmations, and expand your gratitude by creating an incentive plan to recognize and reward great performance.
Offer Flexibility and Autonomy
Flexibility is a growing factor for workers and often the deciding factor in where people choose to work. Remote working, flexible work hours, and the option to engage in a hybrid work model (if that works for your business) are ways business owners offer flexibility to employees.
In addition to being flexible, you’ll also need to give your team autonomy. Allow employees and trust them to do their jobs. By doing so, you’re empowering them, which reinforces how meaningful they are to the business and you.
Little Things Add Up
In addition to those above, remember to be authentic and honest with your staff. Give your team the tools and resources they need to advance, and always be considerate. The little things will make a big difference.