Build a Strong Workplace Culture With These Quick Tips

Business owners know that satisfied employees lead to a more profitable company. Creating a cohesive company culture takes a well-developed plan, organization, and teamwork. When you define your corporate philosophy, you give your teammates specific goals and expectations. Your employees feel appreciated, and they strive to meet goals. Valued employees are more productive and stay longer. There are many ways to build a corporate identity. Here are some ways to make a positive impact.

Know Everyone’s Job

Many employees feel frustrated and believe that management creates procedures in a vacuum. Do not implement new policies without feedback from the teammates performing those tasks. As CEO and Executive Chairman of DaVita Kent Thiry established “Reality 101.” This program required all new executives receive the same training as frontline teammates. Knowing the daily challenges helped management understand how to implement procedural or policy changes.

Define Values

Creating a mission statement is an important step in defining your company culture. Mission statements communicate your purpose to employees, management, and customers. Common values in mission statements include:

• Improve the environment
• Respect diversity
• Create a workplace of trust
• Encourage creativity
• Expect excellence

Examine Expectations

Define your overall corporate goals. Review each position in your organization and determine how each teammate can help achieve your objective. As with any planning strategy, make sure your goals are SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Based. Recognize your teammates’ accomplishments and challenges. Manageable goals are key to success.

Redefine Hiring Procedures

Traditional hiring techniques rarely identify the ideal applicant for your company culture. Build interviewing teams from all levels of your teammates. Have prospective colleagues ask questions to help understand the candidate’s personality and motivation. After interviewing, have candid conversations with everyone to make the best hiring decision. Some questions in a cultural interview are:

• Tell me about your ideal day at work.
• What qualities do you think are important for this position?
• How do you handle work-related stress?
• Describe your ideal work-life balance.
• What do you think will be the biggest challenge in this position?

Review Benefits

Reexamine your company benefits package. Make sure that employees’ needs are met effectively and efficiently. Create surveys to ask employees what benefits they enjoy most or would like added to the package. Consider low-cost benefits, such as flex time.

Change It Up

Review your mission statement and cultural identity when you experience new challenges or exponential growth. While it may seem counterintuitive to change what has been successful, your business goals have probably changed, and how you achieve them will also. Use your SWOT analysis to evaluate external opportunities and threats and guide your company into the future. Changing your culture is not something to be taken lightly, nor should it be done quickly or frequently.

A thorough understanding of the impact you want your company to have on your employees and the environment is important to building a strong company culture. Once you define goals, you can implement the steps needed to strengthen your company from the inside out.