Does your company possess the type of culture that draws hardworking, dependable and self-motivated employees? If not, you as an employer can change that.
A company’s culture is simply its personality. Just as is the case with a human’s personality, an organization’s personality can be either disagreeable or pleasant. Your company’s culture will largely determine the quality of individuals who will be interested in working for your organization.
Creating company culture that attracts excellent employees doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are a few tips that may help you improve the health of your organization’s culture:
1. Define your company’s current culture – It is vital to thoroughly take stock of your company’s current culture, be it good or bad. The clearer your understanding of your organization’s current culture, the surer you will be of the changes that need to take place in order for a healthy culture to begin to grow.
2. Define your company’s ideal culture – Once your organization’s current culture is defined, you can move forward by defining its ideal culture. What type of personality do you want your business to ultimately possess? Perhaps your desired company personality is social, emphasizing relationships and teamwork. Or, maybe it is innovative, allowing for experimentation and creativity. Once you realize what type of culture you want to see manifested in your organization, you will be able to create a company mission that will serve as a blueprint for cultural transformation.
3. Find and equip informal leaders – According to the Globe and Mail’s Harvey Schachter, it is important to “mobilize informal leaders. (Informal leaders) are people…who motivate others by what they do and how they do it. They are recognized by their colleagues as credible, trustworthy and effective, and they know how to influence behavior.” Schachter claims that informal leaders should be equipped to “champion” the changes employers want to promote.
4. Unify employees – Did you know that you have the power to change company culture simply by unifying employees? It’s true. You can facilitate corporate unity by providing employees with a mission, then giving them the tools necessary to accomplish it. Ensuring that all employees understand company core values will further strengthen organizational unity.
Unarguably, company culture is one of the largest determinants of an organization’s future growth, financial health and employee retention. A healthy culture is a non-negotiable for any company destined to thrive. Conversely, “A dysfunctional corporate culture is likely to affect everything from your company’s performance to the way your brand is perceived.”
A negative culture, or personality, is poisonous for a company. Isn’t it empowering to realize that you as an employer have much influence in the culture of your organization? Take steps today to initialize cultural transformation within your company so that you and your employees will reap the benefits tomorrow.
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