A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a “Kick Butt” Company Culture
A thriving company culture isn’t just a nice to have, it is a critical component to any successful business. A company’s culture can impact employee satisfaction, retention and overall productivity.
So how do you build a positive company culture?
Here are seven steps to building your company’s culture…
1. Define Your Core Values
The foundation of any strong company culture is a clear and meaningful set of core values. Your values should reflect what you and your company stand for and they should guide every aspect of your business operations. It is important for the leadership team to identify the core values that are the most important in the organization, while making sure they are clearly communicated to the employees, not just once, but repeatedly. They should be visible in the business, incorporated into the hiring process and reflected in your company policies. The leadership team needs to model these values daily to reinforce their importance, not only your employees, but to everyone involved with the organization.
2. Foster Open Communication
Open and honest communication is vital for building trust and a positive work environment. Scheduling regular team meetings and doing one-on-one check-ins are important in keeping the lines of communication open. More importantly creating a culture where feedback is welcome and acted upon can make a huge difference when it comes to having engaged employees. Be transparent with your team about the company’s goals, challenges and achievements. This builds trust and aligns everyone towards common objectives.
3. Prioritize Employee Well-being
A company that prioritizes employee well-being will naturally foster a positive culture. Encourage a healthy work-life balance by offering flexible working hours and promote the importance of taking care of one- self, through exercise, taking breaks and eating well. Provide resources and support for mental health, which could include things like access to counseling services, mental health days, and creating a stigma-free environment around mental health discussions.
4. Encourage Professional Growth
Investing in your employees’ professional growth demonstrates that you value their contributions and are committed to their development. Offering regular training and development opportunities, through workshops, online course and professional certifications is a great way of demonstrating how important your employees are to you and your business. When employees have clear career progression pathways, they can understand how they are able to advance and grow as the business does. Mentorship programs where experience employees can guide and support newer or less experienced colleagues is a great way of building your team.
5. Celebrate Successes
Recognizing and celebrating successes, both big and small boost moral and reinforces a positive culture. While recognition doesn’t have to be formal, implementing a formal recognition program to acknowledge outstanding performance and achievements, keeps recognition top of mind. Recognition should celebrate both individuals and the team(s). Celebrate team milestones and successes with events, parties, or simple gestures like a team lunch. Acknowledging personal milestones, such as birthdays and work anniversaries, demonstrate you value them as individual, not just as employees.
Recognizing and celebrating successes, both big and small, boosts morale and reinforces a positive culture.
6. Build a Community
Creating a sense of community within the workplace fosters a supportive and collaborative environment. Organize regular team-building activities that are fun and promote bonding. This could be anything from off-site retreats to simple community volunteer activities. Create an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome and valued, regardless of their background. Keep employees engaged by involving then in decision-making processes and encouraging their input in various projects.
7. Lead by Example
Finally, leaders play a crucial role in shaping and maintaining company culture. Leaders should model the behaviours and attitudes they wish to see in their employees. This includes adhering to the company values, policies and procedures, consistently demonstrating the attitude you wish your employees to demonstrate and to ensuring you remain positive regarding your team and its abilities. Leaders need to be approachable and accessible, creating and environment where employees feel comfortable ring up concerns or suggestions.
By focusing on these key areas, you can build and sustain a positive company culture that not only attract top talent but also retains it. Remember, company culture is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort and attention. The rewards in creating one…a happier, more productive workforce and a thriving business, are well worth the effort.
