One thing that’s absolutely vital when you run a business, and you’re in charge of a team of people – no matter how big or small that team might be – is to have a positive company culture. That’s crucial because it helps your employees enjoy their work more and feel happy with their jobs, ensuring they’ll put their all into helping you and be much more productive as a result.
They’ll also be loyal, staying in your business rather than feeling they need to look for a new job, and that’s potentially more important than you might think – finding new employees is expensive and time-consuming, not to mention the fact that a high staff turnover looks bad and could negatively affect your reputation.
So, what do you need to do to have a positive company culture? What needs to change, and what measures can you put in place right now to make things better? Don’t worry; we’ve got the answers, so keep reading to find out more and ensure your business is a great place to work.
Here are some effective tips to create a positive company culture:
1. Keep Everyone Informed
Something that’s sure to help when you want to create a positive company culture is keeping everyone informed about what’s happening within the business. They don’t need to know all the ins and outs and all the details of every deal you’re making or meeting you’re hosting, but it’s a good idea to tell them what the business’s overall goals are, for example, and what their role is in the company. It’s good to hold regular meetings to keep everyone informed so no one ever feels as though they’re in the dark and not important enough to be trusted with this piece of news or that one.
Even if you don’t think the information is that relevant or that it won’t make all that much difference to a worker’s life, the fact is that it’s not necessarily the news itself that’s the important part – it’s that you involve them. They’ll feel much more like a part of the business and as though they matter, as though they’re so much more than just a cog in the machine, and that’s a big part of having a positive company culture. If everyone feels appreciated, it makes all the difference.
2. Lead By Example
Something that’s definitely not going to create a positive company culture is if you tell your staff to do something or expect a certain kind of behavior only to go and do the complete opposite yourself. When your team sees that, they’ll wonder why they have to follow the rules or behave in a certain way, and they’ll start to bend and then potentially completely break the rules as a result. That could lead to all kinds of problems, including unhappy customers, but there won’t be anything you can do about it because you’ll have been doing precisely that thing that you want your team to stop!
Of course, thinking about all this, it’s clear that if you want to create a positive company culture, you’ll need to lead by example. Remember that leaders set the tone for the entire business, and your team is going to be able to see what you do – they’ll be watching you because you’re their boss, and it’s right that they observe you (you want them to take notice of you), so make sure what you’re doing aligns with the company culture you’re trying to create, and you’ll be on the right track. Plus, if anyone strays off the path, it’ll be easier for you to discipline them.
3. Be Compassionate
A truly strong company culture is more than just being a great place to work – it’s about taking care of your employees in every way you can, including their mental and physical health, if need be. That’s where compassion comes in – compassion in the workplace is crucial, especially if someone is going through a difficult time, like the loss of a loved one, for example. If you run a business, you need to know that team members are going to have issues like this, and it’s wise to let them know you’re there for them.
Being there for someone might mean helping them out, perhaps by raising money for headstones by Memorials.com or giving them the time off they need. It can also mean letting them know you’re there for them, and they can talk to you about their issues. Having policies in place about how to help grieving employees, or those going through a divorce, or those with various health issues can help you ensure you’re doing the right thing and reinforce the positive company culture.
4. Be Flexible
Not everyone likes to work in the same way as they would have been expected to in the past – rather than working set hours, for example, they might be happier working when they’re able to (as long as they meet their deadlines), ensuring they have a good work-life balance. Or they might like hybrid working or perhaps it’s remote working that suits them best.
If you want to promote a positive company culture, taking all this into account is important, and offering as many different ways to work as possible makes a lot of sense. Your team will love it, and you’ll get the best results from them because they’ll be less overwhelmed and less likely to burn out, and because you’re giving them a choice about how to work, they’ll feel appreciated and appreciate you in return. Life is about so much more than working, but often that’s forgotten – if you can show you’ve remembered that fact, it will go a long way towards a positive company culture (and a great reputation).
Final Thoughts
A positive company culture is clearly important, and although it might seem like a difficult thing to do, the fact is that it’s fairly simple once you understand what it is your team wants and how you need them to behave. Put all that in place, and you’ll have an excellent business that people will want to work for.
