Company culture is a powerful force that can attract top talent, boost retention, and even provide the competitive edge needed for exceptional growth. Most of all, a workplace with healthy company culture cultivates employee engagement – something only one-third of organizations nationwide claim they have.
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 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 company 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 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 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 too! Top Workplaces let their employees know their efforts are making a difference and that they are appreciated.
What is company culture?
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.
Why company culture matters
Every organization has its own unique culture. Whether or not 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.
Organizations that intentionally work to improve company culture gain a number of bragging rights and positive benefits, including:
Employee engagement: Employee engagement is one of the best indicators of a healthy culture. When employees are engaged, they feel connected to your organization and are united in a common goal – to see your organization succeed. They are passionate about the role they play and motivated to do their best to work toward common goals.
Employee recruitment and retention: Attracting top talent isn’t pure luck. A great company culture attracts talent that will sharpen your competitive edge and also help to ensure those individuals stay for the long haul. This positively impacts your employee recruitment and retention efforts as well as business outcomes.
Employee survey insights: Employees are the pulse of your organization and can provide valuable feedback about your organization’s strengths and weaknesses and suggestions for improvement. Employee survey insights identify actionable steps to help build a people-first culture.
Business outcomes: An intentional workplace culture enables leaders to support the organization’s vision and goals, leading to more successful business outcomes, not to mention employees who invest their best in the work they do.
How to evaluate company culture
Successful organizations understand leadership’s impact on organizational culture. They know the importance and benefits of consistent culture evaluations. Taking a pulse on culture helps employees feel more connected to the organization and gives leaders the data necessary for organizational growth.
Employee apathy, confusion, and negativity are all signs that you need to evaluate company culture. Regularly measuring culture and adjusting initiatives as necessary helps businesses spot cracks quickly and offer meaningful solutions before more problems arise.
Celebrate company culture
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.
Companies with great cultures deserve recognition. Nominate your organization today to receive recognition, media coverage, engagement insights, and (of course) company culture benefits.
Continue reading: Maintaining Company Culture in Times of Uncertainty
