Six ways to improve company culture

Company culture is a powerful force that can attract top talent, boost retention, and provide the competitive edge needed for exceptional growth. Most of all, a workplace with healthy company culture cultivates employee engagement.

While a healthy culture can make or break your organization’s success, like any good thing in life, it takes hard work and perseverance. Research shows organizations that intentionally invest their efforts to improve workplace culture and align it with company values are not only more profitable, but also more recognized, ranking among the nation’s Top Workplaces.

Whether it is employee survey results and suggestions for improvement in the workplace that lead your organization toward a desire for change, or the tell-tale signs of poor employee retention, production, and effort, these six strategies can help put your organization on track toward improving company culture.

1. Establish and live your company values: Top Workplaces set clear values to ensure employees and leaders alike unite in common goals and collectively support their unique work culture.

2. Gather employee feedback and act on it: Employee suggestions for company improvement and employee survey insights are invaluable resources that enable leaders to focus efforts where they are needed most while at the same time making employees feel heard and respected.

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 & trust: Encourage team building exercises and 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 can add to the dynamics of your organizations 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 too! Top Workplaces let their employees know their efforts are making a difference and that they are appreciated.

Every organization has its own unique culture. Whether that culture is intentional is another story. Organizations that recognize the value of improving workplace culture understand that it is a daily effort. And while that kind of commitment may seem overwhelming, the positive business outcomes speak for themselves.

Laura Brinton is content marketing director at Energage, a Philadelphia-based research and consulting firm that surveyed more than 2 million employees at more than 7,000 organizations in 2019. Energage is The Washington Post’s research partner for Top Workplaces.