How To Build Company Culture

How To Build Company Culture

Company culture happens to be one of the most important parts of any business. It is so important that it affects almost every area of an organization. So, if you do not know how to build company culture as a business owner, you are doing yourself and your business a big disservice.

Strong and positive company culture is a plus for any organization.

And the fact that you are here means you most probably know this.

It also means that you are willing to learn how to go about building one.

This in itself is the first step you need to take to build a company culture.

Luckily, this article is the right place for you to start your learning process because everything that will help you build a strong and positive company culture will be discussed in this article.

So, ensure you stick with us to the end…

What is Company Culture – How to Build Company Culture

Of course, it would be very difficult for you to build what you do not understand.

This is why our first stop in this guide is to make you understand what the term company culture means exactly.

A simple definition of this term is the behavior and attitudes of a company, as well as, its employees.

This means company culture involves several factors such as the work environment, company values, expectations, goals, ethics, leadership styles, mission, and so on.

A company’s culture often shows in the way the people in the company interact with themselves and even those that do business with the company (customers, vendors, and so on).

It also shows in the values held by those in the organization and the choices they take.

Company culture can otherwise be called workplace culture, corporate culture, and organizational culture.

The thing about company culture is that it can be negative and it can also be positive and strong.

Needless to say, negative company culture will affect the company negatively while a positive one will positively impact the organization.

This is why when trying to build a company culture, your aim should be a strong and positive culture.

Company culture can be deliberately built or cultivated.

And it can also be left to chance, allowing it to develop and accumulate based on the decisions the organization makes over time.

But it goes without saying that it is better to cultivate your company’s culture.

This is because doing this allows you to decide what you want.

When you take your time to build your company’s culture, you can make it as positive and strong as you would like it.

But when you leave it to grow on its own, it may end up being what you would not want.

Reasons Why You Should Build Company Culture – How to Build Company Culture

Why should you spend your time painstakingly building your company’s culture?

Well, there are several reasons why you should do this.

But we’d only talk about some of these reasons in this section of the article.

Therefore, below are 7 benefits you stand to enjoy when you build your company’s culture.

Increased Productivity

Companies with strong workplace cultures often have a higher level of productivity.

This is because the workplace culture serves as a great source of motivation for the employees.

Because they are treated right by their employers and the company itself as a whole, they typically become more dedicated and loyal to the company.

They won’t mind putting in their all to ensure the organizational goals and visions are met.

Also, a company with a strong culture will provide all the necessary skills and tools its staff need to operate optimally.

A skilled, properly equipped, and motivated workforce is bound to work at least two times better than a workforce that lacks all of the above.

Visit here to learn more on how to improve productivity in the workplace. 

Better Employee Engagement

A properly built company culture is often propelled by clear purpose and expectations.

The employees in this kind of organization will know what is expected of them and why these things are expected of them.

Because they know what they are meant to do, they will be focused on their duties.

They will feel connected to the main goal of the organization and do everything they can to meet it.

Better employee engagement also results in increased productivity.

Healthy Work Environment

Some workplaces are full of so many negativities and toxicity such as bullying, too many in-house competitions, conflicts, and so on.

But a company with a strong culture will likely be devoid of all of these or have them at their lowest levels.

People will feel at home when working in such an environment.

They won’t be scared to share their ideas because they may get mocked and criticized if the idea isn’t good enough.

They also, won’t be scared to ask for help when they want to.

Reduced Employee Turnover – How to Build Company Culture

Strong and positive company culture will positively impact the employees.

Employees’ rights won’t be taken for granted.

They won’t be overworked because the company will prioritize their well-being.

Aside from their normal salaries, they will also get incentives and other employee perks that will motivate them to put in their best.

Also, because of how positive and toxic-free the workplace will be, employees will typically feel happy working in the environment.

They will be satisfied with their job and will become loyal and dedicated to both their employer and the company.

Now, who would want to leave this kind of environment?

Your guess is as good as ours, no one.

Yes, they may leave if they get a better offer that would help scale their career.

But even this most likely won’t be an easy choice.

Some people won’t even want to leave no matter how juicy the offer they get is.

So, having a positive company culture will help you retain your employees.

This is one big benefit, especially if you are in a competitive industry.

Recruitment – How to Build Company Culture

The same way a strong company culture will help you reduce employee turnover is the same way it will help you attract the best talents to your company.

If you have a negative company culture, no one will want to come work for you.

They will rather work for a rival company with a not-so-great salary but a positive culture that will make them enjoy working for the company.

But if your company culture is positive, you will get your pick of the talents the industry has to offer.

The best talents will come to you and you get to recruit the bests of the best.

Fosters Collaboration

Collaboration is another very important aspect of business that can affect a company’s growth.

A collaborative workplace is a working environment where everyone works hand-in-hand with the other members of the workforce to achieve a common goal.

And of course, in an environment like this, productivity will be at its peak.

Collaboration can also lead to several other amazing results that will help push the company forward.

Reduced Work Stress

Workplace stress is a very serious issue that can inhibit productivity, innovation, and creativity.

When a company has a strong workplace culture, it will go a long way in reducing workplace stress.

The workload on employees won’t be too much. 

This will prevent burnout and ensure the employees are healthy both physically and mentally.

In the end, all of these will promote better work performance.

Tips on How to Build Company Culture

Now that you know what company culture is and why it is important, it is time for you to also learn how to build company culture.

The guidelines and tips below will help you as you try to build a positive culture for your company.

1. Determine the Ideal Culture for Your Company

The first phase of building company culture is the planning phase.

It is at this stage that you need to map out what you’d like your company culture to look like.

You have to be serious and deliberate with this because it is the skeleton that the entire culture will rest on.

You have to take your time to carefully map out everything effectively.

Start by defining your company’s values.

Your company culture typically reflects the values of the company.

Once you know and understand your company’s values, you then have to decide on the type of culture that will match these values.

Spend your time thinking of the elements that will make an ideal culture for your business.

Do this until you arrive at the ideal company culture.

2. Evaluate the Existing Company Culture

Unless you are yet to launch your business, your company most likely already has a culture.

When you first started your business, you must have taken certain decisions based on the goals and vision you had for your business.

As time went on, these decisions started to accumulate and possibly took on a pattern.

Soon, other people started joining the company and they came with their own values and experiences.

These most likely also integrated into your workplace culture.

And just like that, your company now has a culture. 

This culture most likely would have certain elements that you do not like because it grew by itself.

However, this does not mean that this culture would be bad.

And even if it is, it most likely won’t be entirely bad; after all, it started based on the vision you had for your business.

This is why you need to evaluate the existing company culture.

Take your time to analyze it so you can see the good parts.

Also, compare it to the ideal workplace culture you came up with in tip 1.

Try to see if they have certain similarities.

If they do, then tweak these similar parts in the existing culture to perfectly match that of the ideal culture.

This way, you won’t have to build this part of the culture from the start.

You will simply need to work on a few things and you’d be golden in that aspect.

3. Get Input from Your Employees 

The last thing you want to do is change your company’s policy and then implement it on the same day you inform your staff.

This can be very demoralizing and in the worst cases can lead to employee turnover.

Your employees should also have a say in the organizational culture because it tends to affect them too.

You should not just make up all the decisions on your own without at least hearing what your employees have to say.

So, get their opinion through surveys.

It may help to make the surveys anonymous because your employees will speak more freely and honestly if they don’t have to attach a name to their opinion.

Let them tell you what they think about the workplace culture and how it can be made better.

Assess their responses and see if a particular problem keeps popping up.

If this happens, then that is most likely a very serious issue that you should address with the new culture.

4. Consider the Company’s Culture When Hiring – How to Build Company Culture

Hiring employees is yet another thing that you should be careful with as a business owner.

There are certain factors that an organization needs to consider when recruiting new employees.

And one of these factors is the organizational culture.

Why should you even consider this when recruiting?

Well, it is simple. When you have a company culture, your employees should be able to abide by this culture.

If you employ someone whose values do not match your company culture, you’d have a hard time making them emulate this culture.

So, ensure you only hire candidates that will fit your company culture.

It might be tempting to hire someone that doesn’t fit in this aspect just because the person meets the experience and educational requirements for the job.

It may even seem like the most logical thing to do.

But later on, you may find out you were wrong to think this way.

Because this person may have a hard time delivering the best results despite their qualification.

Read this article to learn more about what to consider when hiring employees. 

5. Communicate Your Expectations to Your Employees

When building your company culture, you need to be sure that your employees understand your expectations.

It will be very difficult for them to adopt the new culture if they do not know what exactly it is all about.

So, ensure that you communicate the values, elements, and expectations.

For instance, if collaboration is one of the core factors of the workplace culture, be sure to let them know and understand this.

In this case, an employee who normally works alone and even enjoys doing so will have a hard time adjusting to the new development. 

And it will be even more difficult for them to adjust if they do not know what is even expected of them.

It is your responsibility to make sure they not only know your expectation but that they understand it and its importance.

This way, it will be easier for them to adjust and adopt the new culture.

6. Work on Reducing Workplace Stress

It is almost impossible to live in our today’s world without being even a little bit stressed.

But even at that, stress should not be too much that it becomes unbearable and even start to affect one’s health.

If your employees are experiencing workplace stress and even getting burnout, this will significantly reduce their work performance and job satisfaction.

So, a great element you should add while building your company culture is stress reduction.

Encourage your employees to have a good work-life balance.

They should not sacrifice their personal life in a bid to scale their success.

Ensure they take all their vacation days.

Their benefit plan should include mental health care; you should also ensure that they know of this offer.

Ensure that everyone in a superior position is accessible and approachable.

This way, an employee with an issue can easily approach their superior to speak to them about it.

Employees should learn to take their daily breaks and even leave their workspace during their breaks.

They should use that time to interact with their colleagues, take a walk, meditate, or do any other activity that will make them feel refreshed once they get back to work.

Finally, you can’t preach what you do not practice.

If you are encouraging your employees to reduce their stress levels, you should be doing the same too.

Take vacations, have a work-life balance, take breaks in between work, and generally just ensure you do not over-exert yourself.

Your employees will see all of these, and would also emulate these behaviors.

7. Recognize and Appreciate Employee Achievements – How to Build Company Culture

You will significantly boost employee engagement by ensuring your employees know that their jobs play a major role in the growth of the company.

If an employee feels like their contributions do not count, they will become unenthusiastic toward their job and do the bare minimum.

This is why you need to learn how to recognize and appreciate your employees’ contributions and achievements.

It will make them feel valued and ultimately increase their job satisfaction.

Make sure each employee feels loved and valued by celebrating their milestones.

Announce employees’ birthdays on the company’s intranet, and welcome new employees by sharing their names on the intranet too.

When a team achieves a target, recognize this and appreciate their effort.

Recognize the achievements and contributions of your employees while they still work with you and even when they are about to leave the company.

Conclusion on How to Build Company Culture

Company culture is an integral part of business.

If a company’s culture is bad, it will have a bad impact on the company.

Likewise, if the culture is positive, it will have a positive impact on the company.

And because of this, it’s important to deliberately and properly build company culture to ensure it has all the necessary elements to make it a positive culture.

This article has shared some sure tips that will help you build a positive and strong company culture.

Now, all you have to do is take advantage of these tips and develop the right culture for your company.