Struggling with Company Culture? Here are 3 Ways to Improve Your Work Environment

By: JP George

Company culture is an extremely important component of a healthy business. Culture serves as the personality of the organization and has a huge impact on the company’s reputation with both internal employees and externally with customers and clients. In addition, workplace culture can influence an employee’s productivity and results. Companies who focus on building a positive culture will reap the benefits of a motivated and high-achieving workforce as employees will feel much more contented and connected at work.

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to company culture. Elements of a culture generally fall into one of five categories: physical objects and equipment, appropriate systems and policies, proper organizational hierarchy, communication channels, and experiential events and practices. Every company should take ownership of developing these five elements in a way that best fits the unique genetics of their workforce, however there are a few things that every company should encourage and promote at the office.

If you’re looking to more clearly define your company culture, don’t miss out on these three important components:

Offer Recognition & Gratitude

Recognition is an important element of workplace culture. In fact, a recent study found that 93 percent of employees would like to be recognized in the workplace. The study also found that 75 percent of employees who receive informal recognition at least monthly reported being satisfied with their jobs. For companies experiencing high turnover, the adoption of some employee recognition programs could help resolve a lot of issues.

It’s important to note that workplace recognition can include both formal and informal processes, however it must also be timely, relevant, and open to all employees. Your company can craft a formal process for offering recognition like a dashboard, peer reviews, and formal performance review practices. You should also train your management team on ways to provide more informal and regular feedback and recognition.

Encourage Growth & Development

As an employer, you’ll want your employees to know you support their growth and development. Professional growth and opportunities to advance are extremely important to today’s modern workforce. Employees crave the opportunity to learn and exercise new skills, so a company with a culture of continuous improvement and growth will bode well in today’s competitive environment. You’ll want to develop some learning initiatives, establish a continuing education and professional development budget, and regularly encourage your staff members to engage in networking and development events. This step will sit well with your employees and will make them feel like valued contributor to the team.

Communicate Strategy

Communication is key in any professional endeavor, but it’s especially important when establishing a corporate culture. Most company cultures are based on the organization’s mission, values and long-term plans, but rarely are these concepts communicated to the entire workforce. Many companies hoard the organization’s strategic direction within the upper realms of leadership and rarely filter them out to the lower levels of the organizational chart. This is a huge mistake as it creates a barrier and diminishes trust. The potential for teamwork is also decreased with this move. Instead, every member of the organization should know and understand the company’s values and long-term vision. This helps employees better connect to their work and can lead to improved performance and an overall positive perception of the company.

These are just a few of the many important elements of an effective and well-received company culture. Culture has a huge impact on a company’s ability to achieve their goals. As an employer, you’ll want to spend a good deal of time crafting a culture that fits your unique workplace dynamic.

By JP George