Embrace these three things to build a strong company culture
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” You’ve probably heard the famous quote from renowned management consultant Peter Drucker, but do you ever stop to wonder what, exactly, your company culture is? If you were to ask your team, from the top to the bottom, what defines and drives your business, would they be able to clearly articulate the same thing and all sing from the same hymn sheet?
What follows are three vitally important activities to adopt if you want to forge a strong, clear company culture that will help attract the right employees to your business.
Collaboration
Especially in the age of remote working, it’s easy for employees to feel disconnected from their employers, and from the goals and vision they’re working towards. Embrace a culture of collaboration, whether your team is in-house or remote.
If you’ve made a hire, it’s most likely because that person has specific skills and attributes to bring to your organisation. Make sure you’re creating regular forums for them to share those skills and knowledge with you and their colleagues.
Be open-handed with project discussions and invite your team into ‘collaboration mode’, so that the whole team ‘owns’ a task, rather than individuals working in silos.
Listening
This sounds simple, but how much time do you give to listen to and truly hear your team? Practically this could be as simple as a five-minute check-in each week to hear what they’re working on and whether they are facing any particular challenges.
More broadly, find ways to ensure that staff are able to share their thoughts on what it’s like working within your company. What are the snags and obstacles, as they see it, to them achieving success? How do you get the best out of them and they out of you?
A culture of listening to others and acting appropriately begins and ends with you.
Value
Employees who feel valued are better motivated and more productive. Create a culture in which people feel valued and your bottom line will thank you.
Do your team members know that their contributions are valuable to your organisation’s success? How are they acknowledged and championed? Is positive work incentivised or celebrated? How do you encourage and celebrate individual success in your business?
People long to feel that their work is meaningful and recognised — and also that they personally are appreciated. Plan in some simple ways of communicating that value to your team members, and don’t be surprised to see a culture of valuing others emerging.
Whatever is important to your business, Kirsty Craig Associates provide advice and training to help you build a great company culture and attract the right employees to your business. Find out more here
