Great Company Cultures Don’t Just Happen
A positive, winning company culture serves as a strategic business advantage. As a business owner and entrepreneur, I try to gravitate towards organizations who treat their people well because great customer service is an extension of treating employees respectfully. In other words, happy employees equal happy customers.
Creating a positive, winning company culture, however, takes time, effort and devotion on the part of the organization’s leaders. The easy – or lazy – thing to do is allow your company culture to evolve without a leader’s positive influence. I do not recommend this auto-pilot approach. A hands-off approach to company culture is like assuming your kitchen will simply clean itself. After a few short days the kitchen will be growing toxic mold and mildew, and will not be a very inviting place to eat and enjoy family conversation.
A hands-off approach to company culture will inevitably lead to the hiring of several jerk employees and/or toxic bosses. Then you have a big problem on your hands.
What is the recipe for a great company culture? Although I can list the basic ingredients of trust, respect, dignity, flexibility, communication, etc., I cannot tell you how to “bake” the culture. Each company develops their own individual personality with time, nurture and care. Although Southwest Airlines has been tremendously successful with their “fun” corporate culture, simply copying their approach will likely lead to failure for a different company.
The important part is to actively work on the culture of your organization. When employees and customers walk into your lobby, what do you want them to experience? Answer that question and then begin the process of creating your very own company culture that positively separates you from your competition.
Question: What are your company’s ingredients to a great workplace?
Image Credit: Getty Images from Guardian.co.org
Kevin Kennemer, the founder of The People Group, is a great workplace advocate, consultant, speaker and writer who blogs daily on relevant workplace issues regarding company culture, leadership, worklife trends, and how companies can exceed their financial performance expectations by treating employees with dignity, trust and respect.
