Don’t be fooled: the culture inside your business can be as important to its success as making it profitable, mostly because the two are dependent on each other. So, what are some steps you can take to get stronger at building company culture?
It Exists Either Way
The first thing you really need to understand about company culture is that whether or not you’re spending the time to nurture it, there definitely is one. Now, if you aren’t spending any time on it, the chances are pretty slim that it’s going to be a positive culture.If you don’t even care enough to create a work environment that promotes hard (but healthy) work, accountability, or growth, why would your team care? Positive change starts from the top and giving direction means not having check up on things every day.Let’s say you want your team to regularly take LinkedIn courses to improve their skills. Would you rather schedule the time into their calendars, check in to make sure they’re doing it, and then test them after to see if they actually did it? Wouldn’t it be better if personal growth was just baked right into your company culture? You could be assured that your team takes personal growth as seriously as you do!
Building Company Culture
So, you want to make sure that when you step away to focus on big picture stuff (which you need to be doing), your team carries on with the values you want your business to represent.
Values Matter
Don’t just pick five random words out of a hat because they sound like the type of thing your customers will like. Your company values should matter to you, so they can matter to your team. Think hard about those values and why you’re including them.
Start From Square One
When your team grows, try to find people who already align with your values. If you believe that honestly is a key value your company should hold, keep an eye out for that trait when hiring your new employees.Finding a candidate that goes five for five isn’t impossible, but it’s not going to happen every time. Look for people who fill a few of them, but are teachable enough to learn and adapt to the others along the way.
Be Clear
Your team should know exactly what’s expected of them when it comes to your company’s values. “Work Hard” is a pretty loose value that could be interpreted differently by a number of people. “Work your butt off from 9-5, then go home and enjoy yourself” is a much clearer statement.
Communication Styles
Would you rather everybody on the team be open about the things they’re currently working on? Or would you rather have people focus on their own projects to cut down on confusion? There’s no wrong answer! Both have merit, you just need everyone to be on the same page!
If you want to learn more about building company culture, you’re going to want to listen to the latest episode of The Business That Matters Podcast!This week’s episode welcomes Founder of Intrigue Media, Rob Murray, a successful entrepreneur who loves helping other entrepreneurs achieve that same success. Rob’s first-hand expertise, along with his experience supporting other growing businesses, gives him deep and unique insight into the world of entrepreneurship and business as a whole. Join Warren as he talks to Rob in this can’t miss episode. “We asked our clients why they continue working with us, and we always got back the same answer: because you follow through on your promises and do what you say you’re going to do.”
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