How To Build A Positive Company Culture That Creates Happy Employees

Company culture is one of those buzzwords that we always hear about. Do you know what it is and why it is so important to your business?

Let’s start by defining company culture. It’s a broad term that incorporates a company’s values, ethics, beliefs, ideologies, goals, work environment, mission, benefits, community, and all around “feel.” Think of it as what it is really like when you work for a company – from an employee’s point of view. When phrased this way, you can see why a positive company culture is important if you want happy employees that stick around.

Company culture sets the tone of your business. It’s more than just pay, perks, and benefits, although those are important too. Culture is a major theme in your success story. You may have heard about the company cultures of REI, Facebook, USAA, Walt Disney, Nike, Southwest, or Google. These respected companies are places where employees dream of working because of the culture.

Every business needs to focus on building a positive company culture. Whether your company has 10 people or 10,000 people, company culture makes a difference.

Here are some things that you can focus on that will help your company create a culture of excellence where happy, smiling employees can thrive in a positive work environment and your business will be successful:

• Listen – Hear what your employees are saying. Value their opinions and consider their recommendations. When someone has a voice, they feel important and they feel a part of the success. An open door policy is a fantastic idea.
• Make Smart Hiring Decisions – Your culture is directly influenced by your hiring decisions. Take the time to hire the right people and to promote the right people. It makes a difference in how your company will ultimately grow.
• Communicate The Plan – People want to know what’s going on with the company they work for. Create a plan to boost communications so that everyone is in the loop.
• Engage Employees – Ask employees for their comments, concerns, thoughts, and recommendations. Engage them in conversation.
• Promote Camaraderie – It’s important to build a team that relies on each other. One way to do this is to take time to let employees create friendships and build trust beyond the confines of the office.
• Learn From The Past – Everyone can learn from both mistakes and successes that already happened.
• Focus On Strengths – We all have strengths and weaknesses. Help people develop their strengths.
• Develop Leadership – Give your staff the tools they need to become leaders.
• Share The Responsibility – It’s okay to show a bit of vulnerability as a recruiter or as a leader. Ask for help. You never know where the next brilliant idea will come from.
• Foster Innovation – Redesign your office. Send employees outside to play for an hour a day. Buy standing desks. Exercise, creativity, and innovation come from having a flexible and positive atmosphere.
• Put Employees First – Your employees want to know that you care about them. When you make a business decision that puts your employees first, it will truly help to promote your company culture.
• Plan For The Future – Every great company needs a plan for growth. Know where you want to go and have your employees help you get there.
• Celebrate – Celebrations always create a festive mood. It’s okay to take a bit of time off of work to have a party where your employees can relax and enjoy their life, their company, and their co-workers.
• Encourage Learning – One of the biggest reasons why employees leave is there is no room for growth. Help employees develop their skills, stay on top of their niche, and fulfill their potential.
• Be Consistent And Authentic – Everything you’ve read up to know is important to do if you want to create a positive company culture, but you can’t just do it once. You need to do it consistently. If you start free lunch Friday, dog friendly Thursday, or telecommute Tuesday, you need to offer it every week.
• Make Connections – Connect with co-workers and employees. Get to know them on a personal level.
• Have Fun – Life is all about having fun. Sure sometimes you have to grind out the work, but always make it a positive experience. A fun workplace creates fun and happy people.
• Evolve and Adapt – Just like everything in life, be prepared for change. Embrace technology. Encourage practices that work well. Adapt to things that come up. Be versatile and flexible.

A positive company culture isn’t something that happens overnight. It takes time to establish it and it’s something that needs to be constantly maintained. If you want to have happy, engaged employees who stick around, then company culture is something that you need to focus on.

Create a positive company culture and you’ll see a huge change in your business. It’s all about creating an environment where you would look forward to going to work – you can do that right?