Follow 6 critical steps to boost company culture
Company culture is a powerful force that attracts top talent, boosts retention, and provides a competitive edge to fuel growth. A workplace with healthy company culture cultivates employee engagement – something only one-third of organizations nationwide have on average.
Company culture can be described in many different ways – it’s a feeling or a vibe, your organization’s personality, and the temperament of your workplace environment. Whether your organization’s culture is vibrant, fun, and outspoken, or diligently heads-down focused, one thing is clear – improving company culture creates immeasurable value.
Nationwide, Top Workplaces know the measure of success is rooted in a healthy company culture. In fact, when it comes to beating out the competition, culture is the only fundamentally sustainable advantage an organization can have in an ever-increasing competitive market.
A healthy culture takes hard work and perseverance. Research shows organizations that intentionally invest their efforts to improve workplace culture and align it with company values are more profitable and more recognized, ranking among the nation’s best companies for workplace culture. Here are some suggestions for company improvement, based on Top Workplaces research.
1. Establish and live your company values: Top Workplaces set clear values to ensure employees and leaders alike unite on common goals and collectively support their unique work culture. They also feature their company values to attract top talent as one of the careers page best practices.
2. Gather employee feedback and act on it: Employee suggestions for company improvement and insights from employee surveys are invaluable resources that enable leaders to focus efforts where they are needed most. The process of asking for feedback, listening, and providing solutions makes employees feel heard and builds trust in leadership.
3. Integrate technology into the workplace to facilitate communication: Utilize innovative technology to make collaboration and project management straightforward and seamless whenever possible – your employees and managers will thank you!
4. Build team relationships and trust: Encourage team-building exercises. Ensure management provides clear and timely communication to build trust and make certain everyone is on the same page. Listen to employee suggestions for company improvement to encourage open and honest communication.
5. Create an internal mentoring program: Employees are more than just a workforce; they are an investment that drives your organization’s success. Empower your employees with opportunities to learn and grow with consistent support from management.
6. Identify ways to celebrate team achievements: While you may be working toward specific goals, don’t forget to celebrate success along the way. Top Workplaces let their employees know their efforts are making a difference and that they are appreciated.
An anonymous survey process is an ideal way to measure company culture. Taking a pulse on culture helps employees feel more connected to the organization and gives leaders the data necessary for organizational growth.
If the survey results reflect employee apathy, confusion, and negativity, those are signs that company culture needs attention. Regularly measuring culture and adjusting initiatives as necessary helps businesses address problem areas.
When you have a bad culture, fix it. When you have a great culture, celebrate it. Celebrating company culture reinforces values, creates community, promotes engagement, and enhances employer branding.
Bob Helbig is media partnerships director at Energage, a Philadelphia-based employee survey firm. Energage is The Washington Post’s survey partner for Top Workplaces.