I’m always reminding people that company culture is real, whether you can see it or not; whether you’re aware of it or not; whether you’re actively building it or just letting it happen by accident. Every company has a culture, and that culture has an impact on employee morale and engagement. Period.
Culture is important, and one reason for that is that culture can impact employee retention. It’s really pretty simple: If your culture is positive—the kind of culture that makes people want to come to the office and get some work done each day—your employees are more likely to stick around.
And if your culture is toxic, you can expect people to start jumping ship.
Okay, but how do you ensure your culture is truly a positive one? Here are a few of my solutions.
Solutions for a Positive Company Culture
- Start as early as you can. The younger your business and the smaller your team, the easier it is to establish core values. Now is the time to talk with your people about your mission, your values, and your intentions at creating a truly positive culture.
- Define what you stand for. The best way to create a positive company culture is to articulate what you believe in, what you’re trying to accomplish—what you stand for. Don’t define your company by what it’s not, but by what it embraces.
- Lead by example. Once you have a clear sense of what the company stands for— whether that’s changing the world, changing your industry, or just making a difference in each customer’s life—it’s important for you to uphold those values every day. The team will look to you and follow your lead!
- Check in often. Devote some time in team meetings to quickly reviewing your value proposition and ask the team how they think you’re doing. Keep your positive values ever before you, and don’t be afraid to course-correct on the fly, as needed.
A positive company culture is one that upholds key values and encourages team members to rally behind those values. With these simple steps, you can outline those values and start pursuing them today.
I’d love to talk with you more about this. Reach out to me directly to speak about culture-building and team development. And don’t forget to buy my book, The Solutions Oriented Leader, for step-by-step advice on transforming your life, your business, and your team.
You can contact me at www.rickgoodman.com or call 888-267-6098.
