Workplace Transformation 101: 4 Ways to Reinvent Your Company Culture

The strength of a company’s culture can greatly impact the overall health and success of an organization. According to Forbes, companies with a strong company culture have up to 72% higher employee engagement than companies with poor culture.¹ It becomes evident that establishing a company culture that is not only understood by its employees but also supported by them is crucial for the organization’s success.

Developing a robust company culture presents significant challenges, particularly for global organizations with remote workers. Nevertheless, when effectively cultivated, culture can serve as a competitive advantage that sets your organization apart from the rest. There are many different tactics that exist to help leverage and harness a company’s culture into a powerful competitive advantage. Read more below to explore four diverse approaches for building a company culture that profoundly influence the overall well-being of an organization.

1. Involve Employees in Culture Development

As mentioned above, creating a company culture that is understood and supported by all employees is essential in turning culture into a competitive advantage. When employees actively participate in shaping the company’s culture, they feel a sense of ownership and commitment towards it. They become more invested in the organization’s values, mission and vision, leading to greater dedication and loyalty. Several effective strategies can be utilized to engage employees and gather their feedback, including the implementation of surveys, organizing focus groups and conducting company-wide meetings. Involving employees in culture development not only helps create a positive work environment that attracts and retains top talent, but it also ensures that the culture aligns with their values and beliefs. When employees feel their perspectives are valued and integrated into the culture, they are more likely to embrace and promote it.

2. Establish a Continuous Learning Culture

Establishing a proper learning environment that brings about opportunities for growth and development is essential in establishing a strong culture that is supported by employees. Providing opportunities for growth and development shows your employees that you value them and are willing to invest in their future. This leads to higher levels of engagement and motivation, as employees will see a clear path for advancement and improvement within the company. Prospective employees are also more likely to be drawn to organizations that prioritize their professional growth and offer opportunities for learning and advancement. For this reason, being able to create a culture where employees are constantly developing is essential in attracting top talent. By establishing a culture that offers growth and development opportunities, organizations enable employees to explore new ideas, stimulate innovation and drive continuous improvement.

3. Prioritize Work-Life Balance

Recognizing the importance of a work-life balance and employee well-being is critical in establishing a strong company culture that demonstrates care for employees. Offering flexible hours or remote work options allows employees to manage stress and maintain a healthy equilibrium. Developing a culture that embraces a work-life balance not only trains employees to better manage their workloads, but it also demonstrates the company’s commitment to their employee’s overall well-being.

When employees feel supported in achieving a healthy work-life balance, they are more likely to stay with the organization, ultimately reducing turnover and the associated costs of hiring and training new employees. Prioritizing a work-life balance also sends a message to employees that their well-being matters and that the organization values them as individuals. This helps create a positive and supportive company culture where employees feel appreciated and respected. Ultimately, demonstrating care for employee work-life balance promotes a productive work environment that benefits both the employees and the organization by fostering job satisfaction, well-being and long-term success. For more tips on how to achieve a healthy work-life balance, check out “Work-Life Balance – What It Is and How to Create It”.

4. Foster Open Communication

Even the most successful companies encounter challenges when it comes to establishing a culture that fosters open communication throughout all levels of the organization. Creating a company culture that encourages employees to speak up and share ideas not only promotes transparency, but it also ensures employees have access to information, updates and decisions being made that will affect them. Integrating techniques such as company-wide emails, newsletters and regular company-wide meetings is an effective approach for encouraging employees to voice their opinions and contribute their ideas. Establishing a culture that values open communication and idea sharing is vital for driving innovation, fostering employee engagement and promoting continuous improvement. It creates an environment that values and leverages the collective creativity of the entire workforce, ultimately leading to long-term organizational success.

In conclusion, the power of a strong company culture cannot be underestimated. It has the ability to transform organizations, shape their identity, attract top talent and propel them towards long term success. The strategies explored in this blog provide a roadmap for building such a culture, but they require commitment and action. It is up to leaders, managers and employees to work collaboratively and diligently to establish a culture that reflects shared values, fosters growth and innovation and prioritizes the well-being of its people. Since our inception, fostering a positive and supportive company culture has been one of our top priorities and is why we implement these very strategies into our own workplace.

For more on building and maintaining a strong company culture, listen to “Creating a Fast-Growth Culture with Kevin Lustig at Scientist.com”, which originally appeared on the Growth Think Tank blog.

References

1. Morgan, P. (2022, August 19). Understanding the importance of corporate culture after the great resignation. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulamorgan/2022/08/19/understanding-the-importance-of-corporate-culture-after-the-great-resignation/?sh=2255d3f318cd