What is Company Culture? And why it matters!
There’s a rather heated debate right now going on within some companies about whether or not it’s more beneficial to require in-office workers or allow people to work remotely.
The fight “to return to office” comes with pros on cons on each side:
When employees are in office, there are more chance meetings and spontaneous creative moments, sometimes resulting in powerful new ideas or initiatives. There’s also an ongoing opportunity to build camaraderie and connection with employees. And there’s the argument that it builds company culture and community amongst the team.
The opposing argument says that people are less stressed when they can work from home, due to less of a commute, not needing to get ready every day. They may be less tired, have fewer sick days, and be less likely to feel stress and anxiety.
What’s the right answer? The right answer is the one that's right for the company culture you’re looking to foster. Especially when you’re a startup or small business, company culture is foundational to the success of your business and team.
What is Company Culture?
Company culture isn’t simply a matter of whether or not your employees work in the office or at home. Company culture is a big picture and is the values, beliefs, and behaviors that shape the work environment as a whole. It’s pivotal in setting the tone and atmosphere within an organization and encompasses the attitudes and practices of employees and leaders.
It’s beyond written policies and procedures, and goes deep into vision, mission, values, and principles that matter most to your company.
And if you don’t choose or actively set your company culture, if you don’t make the decisions that matter most in establishing it, it will create itself. Company culture isn’t just about making everyone who works there happy. It’s about ensuring the people who work there will be happy by bringing on the right people in the first place. The people who align with the company culture and see your organization as one they want to be a part of.
There are a lot of companies out there doing what you do. There’s a lot of great talent you could bring on board. But what sets you and your teams apart is something no one else can copy or emulate exactly and that is your company culture.
Questions to consider when deciding on your company culture:
How will you keep employees engaged, motivated, and connected to the organization’s values and mission? Increased employee engagement leads to increased productivity, job satisfaction, and higher retention rates.
What does the communication look like within your organization? How will you set the tone for collaboration, creativity, open sharing of ideas? Will you empower employees and teams to take calculated risks for the sake of innovation and new solutions?
How do you want your employees and team members to interact with your customers? Customer experience begins at the top! Employees who are happy, engaged, and trained in excellent customer service, rooted in the values of the company will affect your bottom line and customer retention.
Where does morality and ethics play a role in your company? Do you want your company culture to promote ethical behavior and responsible business practices? How will you prevent things like fraud, misconduct, and foster integrity throughout your teams?
Similarly, what is your organization’s stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion? How can you bring your company’s values into the workplace and ensure you’re opening up to a wide range of perspectives, ideas, individuals, creativity-styles, and decision-making? How can you create a sense of belonging for everyone, no matter their background?
Your employee’s well-being including mental and physical health all goes back to the tone you set within your company culture. When employees are thriving and aligned with the company culture, they’re less likely to experience stress and burnout.
Your company culture also influences how your organization is perceived by others, which can mean your brand as well as your ability to attract great talent and people who want to work for you.
In closing, your company culture is pivotal to your success! When it’s well-defined and determined from the inside out, it can help you attract top talent, maintain a positive reputation, and provide you with a competitive edge. And even more importantly, your employees will love coming to work, feel like they’re a part of something larger and meaningful, and collaborate in ways that lead to creative problem-solving and innovative solutions.
Don’t let your company culture create itself, choose it!
Need help? This is an area I support startups and small businesses in on a regular basis! I’d love to give you guidance and support so you can define your cmoapny culture and create the systems that support it and your organization’s vision!
