~Executive Vice President at American Senior Benefits/Integrity Marketing Group~
October 19, 2023
Your company culture can simply be defined as:
“How most people feel on Sunday night about Monday morning”.
A great company culture can make the difference in the success of your organization, and you can’t overstate its importance. It is essential for leadership to define it, help create and manage it over time, as the company grows. A great company culture attracts and retains people.
A positive workplace culture is one that is built on meaningful work, open communication, teamwork and core values. For the companies that have this, once someone is embraced by it, they don’t have many reasons to leave.
A positive work culture can go a long way towards encouraging staff engagement, dedication, and consistently outstanding performance. People that are happy and respected are willing to go the extra mile for their employers, leading to higher bottom lines and improved customer service.
Characteristics of a Positive Workplace Culture
Good Communication
Opportunities for Growth
Culture of Collaboration
Reward Systems
Strong Purpose and Core Values.
A great company culture….
Has a Clear Purpose
All team members are aware of this purpose and are invested in its success. By knowing what they are working towards, people can effectively translate their long term goals into action.
Gives Constructive Feedback
This applies to employees, managers, and team members alike. Don’t just tell them what they’re doing wrong; focus on what they’re doing RIGHT as well. Encourage them to do more of the same. Doing so can also show a marked performance improvement. It boosts cross-checking behavior that is crucial for the success of any organization.
Has Solid Teamwork
This means that companies value the ideas of many over the idea of one. Take time to collaborate and bounce ideas off each other.
Promotes Consistent Growth and Development
Teams should be encouraged to acquire new skills to obtain future opportunities. Better equipped teams mean that they are better able to work efficiently.
Finally, it’s important to observe the culture of your organization. It’s essential to assess and measure workplace culture in the organization objectively. If you are aware as a leader, you should be able to “feel” if your company culture is in a good place or not. Don’t underestimate how fast things can go south when you take your eye off the ball, culturally.
I have found that as a leader the ONE most important aspect to focus on in creating a great culture is your PEOPLE. You must never get so busy with the data or the numbers or the technology or the vendors, that you forget that it’s ALL about the people. Delegate the rest if you must. You will get far more positive, culture building results by taking someone who’s struggling for coffee ☕️, than almost any other activity you could be doing. Business, as in life, is all about building relationships. Culture is only successful when people truly feel like leadership sincerely cares about them.
