Company culture influences everything from how your employees work to how long they stay at your organization. Culture can be the difference between a thriving organization and a struggling business. It’s always beneficial to improve company culture, and there are several ways you can go about it. Doing so shows a commitment to your employees.
Create a Positive Experience
Employees’ experiences at your organization determine how satisfied they work for you. Employees’ experiences and company culture share a close connection, and each one affects the other. The experience an employee has impacted the way they feel about your company. This encompasses everything from team interactions to promotions to emails to everyday conversations. Your employees’ experience is made up of every interaction they have, whether or not it is positive. If an employee feels a lack of connection or receives a negative comment from a manager, they may have a poor experience. On the other hand, if they are able to collaborate or can easily get the resources they need, they’ll have a more satisfying experience.
To improve the employee experience, consider focusing on the details that affect their everyday lives. You could try to improve emails sent from human resources, conversations among coworkers, and the spaces your employees work in. Make sure each individual has a way to express suggestions or concerns and that they can share ideas as they come. You may encourage interaction and connection among the team by scheduling regular team-building activities. You’ll want to ensure managers and supervisors show positivity in every communication.
Reevaluate Benefits Offerings
Another way to focus on positive experience is by ensuring your employees receive a competitive salary and benefits package. When employees feel fairly compensated, they are more likely to have positive feelings about their experience. As the workplace encompasses multiple generations, different people will have different benefits and needs. If funding is tight, consider taking out a small business loan. Taking advantage of business loans can give you more room in your budget to ensure employees are fairly compensated.
Create a Sense of Purpose
If you don’t have a strong sense of purpose, it will be challenging to identify what you want to do, whether it’s to help others in a certain area or teach people something new. Your purpose is different from your values, mission, or strategy. Your values are behaviors you want your employees to implement, your mission indicates what you do, and your strategy is the way you will meet these goals. But your purpose defines why you do what you do.
Consider identifying your organization’s purpose as early as the hiring phase. The right employees can make or break your organization, so attracting the right talent is important. Potential hires should believe in your goals, and if they identify with what you believe, they will be more committed to working for your organization long-term. Equip your human resources department to be more successful in recruiting by ensuring that your purpose is well-defined. This purpose should be connected to societal good, giving employees value in their jobs. Ensure you communicate the difference your company is making, offering specific examples of how it impacts customers and other employees.
Focus on Open Communication
How your employees communicate with each other indicates the company’s organizational culture. While what is being communicated is important, the way messages are shared is also important. One trend in today’s workplaces is a team approach to management, which includes more feedback and transparency. Transparency should apply to your organization, not just to those in charge of making decisions. Taking a team approach to this type of communication impacts the way managers and employees interact, and it also ensures there is more open communication, which can lead to a greater level of trust. When there is more trust, mentorship and collaboration are more likely to happen.
Give Teams More Power
Micromanaging your teams involves creating goals for them instead of getting their feedback. Instead, consider setting expectations for how teams’ function. This allows business leaders to create teams that encourage independent work. Teams don’t necessarily need guidance on how to do their jobs or what they should be doing. Instead, they should be given general guidance. Your managers and supervisors should mentor and inspire employees, encouraging a connection with the team. Managers should treat team members as individuals and get to know each one.
It’s a good idea to allow your team members to influence assignments and other projects. Team members are closer to the day-to-day operations of your business, and they will likely have valuable insight that can help managers determine the best direction to move in. If a team does not have the power to make decisions or set goals, they will not feel as willing to share ideas or collaborate. When teams feel their input has no impact on decisions, they will not be as motivated to do their best. If you want them to stay motivated towards career advancement, within your organization, this consideration is critical.
Set a Positive Example
Set patterns of positive behavior to create an inclusive and positive culture. No matter their level, managers should show and communicate the behavior they wish to see. If your leadership does not have the culture you desire, employees will pick up on the hypocrisy and become disillusioned by it. While managers may understand why it is important to invest in your culture, they may find it difficult to come up with behaviors that can build a strong culture. Still, even the simplest actions can make a difference. Whether it’s showing interest in workers’ personal interests or recognizing their accomplishments, it does not have to be big for managers to show they care.
Use the Right Communication Channels
Spend time connecting with workers to find out which channels of communication they prefer. If necessary, consider implementing multiple channels to meet everyone’s needs. A new parent may need more meetings to take place remotely.
