One of the most important aspects of any job is the company culture. Gallup found that roughly half of American employees are “quiet quitting.” Someone who has quiet quit will often do the bare minimum, if not less. Obviously, such disengaged workers could hurt a company’s operations and its bottom line. Fortunately, with the right company culture, it’s possible to increase engagement.
Let’s cover ways to improve company culture below. Before digging in, however, keep in mind that you don’t have to create everything from scratch. Instead, business leaders can turn to other companies that have already established great company cultures. Google culture, Apple culture, Rokt culture, there are a ton of companies already that offer great working environments.
By learning from the best, companies can speed up the process. Ultimately, an engaging, fun, and supportive environment will likely prove to be the most effective culture. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some things you can implement to start building a strong company culture.
Lead By Example
If a business leader preaches about doing something but then fails to do that thing him or herself, it could send a bad message. Many folks will question whether the “something” is really a focus. On the other hand, if leaders are willing to get their hands dirty and step in to participate or troubleshoot, many employees could gain more respect both for the leader and the initiative.
Do Good For Society
Another important company culture concept, especially with younger folks, is doing good. Many folks these days want to work for more than just a paycheck. Some would like to give back to society. By providing resources and/or support, companies can build goodwill and loyalty. Beyond which, doing good for society is a worthy end goal in and of itself. Further, businesses may improve their branding and public relations by supporting various causes.
Listen, Communicate, Execute
Many organizations these days are flatter than companies in the past, meaning there’s less distance between ground-level workers and the C-Suite. By always bringing the best ideas and concepts to bear, companies can often improve their market and economic position. Leaders would do well to remember that other folks may have great ideas and should engrain this in the company culture.
Business leaders should also make sure that they communicate regularly and effectively with employees. Companies that leave employees in the dark are setting workers up for failure. Of course, sometimes opinions and visions will differ. Regardless, after discussions have taken place, it’s time to execute. Even if a business leader doesn’t adhere to every suggestion, he or she should thank the employees, let them know that they’ve been heard and that ideas may be revisited in the future.
Crafting The Right Culture
There’s no single right answer for company culture. The right culture that’s great for one person may be a terrible fit for another. What’s crucial is recognizing how important company culture is. Employees and managers alike should strive to find an organization with a culture that resonates with them.
Business owners and executives should also consider their company culture and how they can improve it. Anyone who owns a successful company probably isn’t leaving that company to join another organization with a better culture. Yet business owners can improve their own culture. Make sure to keep employees and what would be a good fit for them in mind.
At the end of the day, cultures are organic and can be cultivated over time. This means you don’t have to get everything perfect right now, but instead can focus on improving things incrementally.
