How To Build A Positive Company Culture And Why It’s Important

“How much are they offering you?” “Is it better than your previous job?” “What’s the role of your position?” 
These are just some of the questions that a concerned family member or friend might ask you when you’ve landed yourself a job.
However, another important question that most of us would have probably left out is to find out how the working culture is like. Though it might not seem as important as things such as the salary drawn, or work scope, it still plays a vital role in shaping the way you view your job.
Most employees these days are looking to work in a place that has a great environment. As an employer, you should therefore strive to provide your employees with a positive working environment.
Not only does such an environment help your employees stay positive and motivated about their job, it helps with employee retention too and that will help you save on the cost of new hires and training.

Ways To Build A Positive Company Culture

So what are some of the ways that a company can work on creating a positive company culture?

1. Create Clear Values 

Your business must have clear core values that are effectively communicated to each employee and discussed with them so that there can be buy-in. The goal is to make sure that the employees take personal responsibility for them to live these values out. You want them to be proud of the core values, and maintain both a positive attitude and positive actions around those values.

2. Transparent Communication 

Good communication is critical for success. This includes the sharing of information and instructions to ensure that everyone is working off the same page.
Not only should communication be informative and clear, it should also be transparent and open to have a positive effect. This makes a work environment that is congenial since everybody knows how they add value to the business and what their role is.
Collaboration and teamwork which includes sharing ideas and providing feedback is a great way to create a positive environment. In addition, employees should feel free to raise their concerns without fear of backlash.

3. Training And Learning Opportunities

Peer to peer learning is one of the best ways to build a positive company culture of learning and growth. This means that each person will be able to train someone while learning from another.
Experts in each area should be identified as resource people in that particular area should anyone have a question. A work environment that encourages learning is great, so employers should seek to offer relevant training as much as possible. Employees appreciate that they can pick up new skills that will help them keep abreast of the changing marketplace.

4. Goals And Recognition

In order to have employees who are both motivated and engaged, you will have to set clear goals for each individual. Goals keep people motivated and focused and when you have a clear policy on progression within the company, you can be sure that your employees will give it their best.
Goals should be measurable which will allow for healthy competition. Key performance indicators will give your employees something to check their progress against so that they know what they need to achieve in order to attain recognition.
Positively reinforcing the goals with a reward system keeps the motivation high and of course promoting from within is an added plus. Celebrate employee milestones and achievements as much as possible to show that you value the person.

5. An Inclusive Atmosphere 

This makes reference to a work environment where everyone gets nurtured, supported and valued regardless of their sexual orientation, gender, or race. Every employee needs to have the same perks as other people in their job group, the same rewards for similar achievements, and equal opportunities to go up the career ladder. The differences that make people unique should be accepted to create an inclusive workplace.

6. A Vision For The Business 

It is important that every business has a written vision that is shared with all the employees working there.
In addition, the employees should buy into the vision and own it, so that they can work towards achieving it. It is the vision that dictates the role of each individual, since everyone will be working to achieve it regardless of where they are placed by their individual job descriptions.

7. Company Culture

It’s best to first visualize the kind of company you wish to create. Once you have this in mind, you’ll then be better able to gather people that fit the vision and this will in turn help to shape your work environment. It is important that they be people of like mind.

8. Mentorship 

Positive company culture can be passed on to new hires. This can be done by by pairing them up with people who have been at your company longer and have a good understanding of your company culture.
These are people that will be helping you coach your new hires through observation and leading by example. They will be demonstrating how the job is done, and also living out your company culture until the new recruits get it.

Benefits Of A Positive Company Culture

The benefits of a positive company culture cannot be understated. Here are just some of the things you can look forward to:

1. Job Satisfaction 

Since most people are looking for a work environment that is positive and holds opportunities for better and greater things, it is no wonder that one of the initial benefits to be enjoyed is satisfaction.
Once the person feels satisfaction from being at a particular company, they settle in to work since they already know that they will be much happier here than they have been in other places.

2. Improved Performance 

Good performance and a positive work culture go hand in hand.
Since your employees are happy at the place of work and has bought into the vision of the company, understand their role and the key performance indicators, as well as the recognition and promotion system, they’ll become motivated to work and strive hard, ensuring that they excel in their work.
This increased performance will benefit the business greatly as long as that employee remains with them.

3. Reduction Of Stress  

A company with negative company culture also carries lots of stress with it. It therefore goes without saying that the opposite is also true.
Stress can affect work performance and also relationships with other employees. When your employees have reduced stress in the workplace, you’ll see work performance, better collaboration, and less turnover. This also saves on recruitment and training costs.

4. Reduction Of Attrition 

Nobody wants to leave an environment that is happy, enabling, encouraging, and that has opportunities for career progression.
This is why it is very important to find employees that can fit with the company’s culture. If they are a poor fit they will be looking to leave as soon as they can. A person who is a good fit will not just work very hard for the company. They will also remain committed to the employer and will not be as motivated to resign.
Reduced attrition has many benefits. Since each employee must be trained for the job at hand, and the work experience that they gather is invaluable, it is important to keep them on the job for as long as possible.

5. Commitment To The Company 

Once the person fits into the company culture, you can expect that they will be more committed to the company in the long run since the fit is so perfect. In addition, they will buy into the company vision and work hard towards achieving its goals. This is because they will have an understanding that if the company flourishes, they will flourish right along with it.
With the aforementioned benefits, it is no wonder that experts encourage employers to strive to build a positive company culture.
Think about it. Working in a company with negative company culture inevitably decreases your employees motivation and would probably have them dragging their feet to work everyday. On the contrary, a company which advocates positive working culture will most likely boost their morale and job efficiency as a whole.
Ultimately, your company’s working culture is heavily dependent on the goals and vision you have for your business. The main takeaway is that a positive company culture is essential in driving and motivating your employees. Only when your employees feel driven will they be able to better your business and bring it to greater heights.

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