Is your company culture an intentional reflection of your organization’s values or has it simply evolved on its own as somewhat of a byproduct of business-as-usual? With all the attention workplace culture has received in the last decade or so, you might be shocked by how many business owners fail to take an active role in shaping the environment in which their teams work and hopefully thrive. This is not to say that a positive culture isn’t important to them; it almost certainly is. But many owners mistakenly believe that culture is more of an assessment of their current environment rather than a dynamic for which they wield remarkable influence. Building a flourishing company culture is intentional and strategic, and requires top-down participation and cultivation.
Mistakes Business Leaders Make in Building Culture
A positive culture isn’t just a byproduct of throwing a few company parties or mounting a basketball hoop in the parking lot. While those perks may be welcomed, culture is shaped far more by all those seemingly inconsequential workday norms. Things like communication styles, acceptable behaviors, decision-making processes, and transparency all play much larger roles in culture – and by extension employee satisfaction and retention – than any Friday night happy hour could ever achieve. Building a positive culture takes intentionality and work.
Arguably worse than focusing on the inconsequential is allowing the culture to create itself. Think about it. Every company has a culture, whether by design or by default. And almost assuredly, those default cultures are not as vibrant, happy, or productive as their intentionally designed counterparts.
Assessing Your Current Culture
Take a moment to reflect on your current culture and ask yourself some hard questions. How much strategy and involvement did you have as the business owner in creating the workplace environment? What are the key tenets of your culture and how do they manifest in your leadership and throughout your teams? How aligned is your culture with the core values of your organization? How much do you value employee feedback and how well do you listen? How do you think current employees would describe the culture? Have you asked them? Is there a disconnect between your assessment and theirs?
Build the Culture You Want
As a business owner, it all starts with you. It is essential that you embody the culture and model the behaviors that you desire and expect from the rest of your team. Your actions and reactions carry tremendous clout, even when nobody is looking.
Click here for our downloadable white paper “Easy Ways to Improve Your Company Culture.”
Your business is innately rife with opportunities to define and embed your culture. It starts as early as the hiring and onboarding processes, then continues to be reflected in how you communicate, the ways you develop your team, and how you recognize and celebrate individual achievements. Rituals and traditions can play a big part in creating a positive company culture. One-on-ones, check-ins, and all-hands meetings are all terrific ways to reinforce your culture and values.
Speaking of values, take the time to identify what truly matters to your team—the things they desire, appreciate, and require to thrive. Whether it’s a flexible or hybrid work schedule, meaningful career development opportunities, or a culture of recognition and support, understanding what your employees value is key to building a workplace in which they feel motivated and engaged.
