5 Steps to Creating a Winning Company Culture
By Andrew Patricio
July 22, 2015
Small Business & Entrepreneurship
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By Stefanie Neyland, Small Business Content Developer at BizLaunch.com
Happy employees equal happy customers—that much we know. But the science behind shaping a workforce of delighted individuals is a little more unclear.
In this day and age, corporate culture is becoming increasingly important. Companies like Google are investing huge amounts of time and effort into making their business somewhere that people want to work. From its virtually flat management structure to its free food, bicycles and policy of one day’s “me” time every week (a day in which every employee is allowed to spend eight hours doing something of interest to them—work-related or otherwise), organizations like Google are undoubtedly setting the bar high. And, in order to attract top talent, small businesses need to think about following suit.
But when you don’t have Google’s budget, how do you create a winning company culture?
The good news is that you don’t have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on material things to make your employees happy, as a truly great company culture starts with the way you treat your staff. Here are five simple—and, most importantly, free—steps to fostering a truly cheerful workforce and positive company culture.
Perhaps more than anything else, truly talented people want to feel that the work they’re doing has purpose and is making a difference in the world. Quadrupling profitability and achieving certain metrics are not the kind of things that motivate rockstar talent. Outstanding people want to work in an organization where they can be proud of the challenging—but rewarding—work that they do everyday. To them work is about purpose, not profits.
A great corporate culture is one that gives clear direction through a compelling vision and focused strategies. It supports people with training, coaching and mentoring, and empowers employees to be the very best they can be. The results will be increased productivity, enhanced morale, healthier working relationships and greater levels of creative thinking.
Respect is crucial to building a strong corporate culture. Talented people want to be respected for the work they do, treated fairly and made to feel that their voices will be heard and that their opinions will be valued. A culture of respect and dignity is now a minimum standard for those who are talented enough to have other options.
The trademark of any good corporate culture is high levels of open, honest and productive communication. In a positive company culture, people communicate with forthrightness, sincerity and empathy. Honesty and candidness are held as core values, and emotional intelligence is considered just as important as intellectual capacity
Having a fun company culture doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to have a ping pong table in the boardroom and a slide in the lobby; it just means that people need to enjoy the work that they do and appreciate the company of the people they do it with. An organization with a strong culture will, as tawdry as it sounds, be like one big happy family. People within the company are like-minded and consider their coworkers to be their friends, not just their colleagues. The key is to create an environment where your employees look forward to coming to work on a Monday morning.
At the end of the day, employee satisfaction all boils down to two key things: opportunity and appreciation. Potential staff members need to feel that by joining your business, they’ll be given the chance to flourish, do meaningful work with interesting people, and ultimately receive heartfelt appreciation for their involvement.
If you can make your business an engaging and positive place to work, you can attract the best talent to drive your company forward—and you can do it without having to offer the biggest pay packet.
Happy employees equal happy customers—that much we know. But the science behind shaping a workforce of delighted individuals is a little more unclear.
In this day and age, corporate culture is becoming increasingly important. Companies like Google are investing huge amounts of time and effort into making their business somewhere that people want to work. From its virtually flat management structure to its free food, bicycles and policy of one day’s “me” time every week (a day in which every employee is allowed to spend eight hours doing something of interest to them—work-related or otherwise), organizations like Google are undoubtedly setting the bar high. And, in order to attract top talent, small businesses need to think about following suit.
But when you don’t have Google’s budget, how do you create a winning company culture?
The good news is that you don’t have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on material things to make your employees happy, as a truly great company culture starts with the way you treat your staff. Here are five simple—and, most importantly, free—steps to fostering a truly cheerful workforce and positive company culture.
- Meaning
Perhaps more than anything else, truly talented people want to feel that the work they’re doing has purpose and is making a difference in the world. Quadrupling profitability and achieving certain metrics are not the kind of things that motivate rockstar talent. Outstanding people want to work in an organization where they can be proud of the challenging—but rewarding—work that they do everyday. To them work is about purpose, not profits.
- Empowerment
A great corporate culture is one that gives clear direction through a compelling vision and focused strategies. It supports people with training, coaching and mentoring, and empowers employees to be the very best they can be. The results will be increased productivity, enhanced morale, healthier working relationships and greater levels of creative thinking.
- Respect
Respect is crucial to building a strong corporate culture. Talented people want to be respected for the work they do, treated fairly and made to feel that their voices will be heard and that their opinions will be valued. A culture of respect and dignity is now a minimum standard for those who are talented enough to have other options.
- Transparency
The trademark of any good corporate culture is high levels of open, honest and productive communication. In a positive company culture, people communicate with forthrightness, sincerity and empathy. Honesty and candidness are held as core values, and emotional intelligence is considered just as important as intellectual capacity
- Fun
Having a fun company culture doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to have a ping pong table in the boardroom and a slide in the lobby; it just means that people need to enjoy the work that they do and appreciate the company of the people they do it with. An organization with a strong culture will, as tawdry as it sounds, be like one big happy family. People within the company are like-minded and consider their coworkers to be their friends, not just their colleagues. The key is to create an environment where your employees look forward to coming to work on a Monday morning.
At the end of the day, employee satisfaction all boils down to two key things: opportunity and appreciation. Potential staff members need to feel that by joining your business, they’ll be given the chance to flourish, do meaningful work with interesting people, and ultimately receive heartfelt appreciation for their involvement.
If you can make your business an engaging and positive place to work, you can attract the best talent to drive your company forward—and you can do it without having to offer the biggest pay packet.