Putting the "Cult" Back Into Corporate Culture

The phrase “corporate culture” describes the specific and unique sense of community that is created within a company. There is a clear difference between a company that has a bad atmosphere, and one that has built a good corporate culture within its walls. When your company has a good corporate culture, employees love their work and the people they work with. This encourages productivity and increases employee retention. Building a corporate culture is part of being a good leader, and caring about your company and the people in it.

Mission Statement

If all of your employees understand the vision of the company and what you want to achieve, they are more likely to understand the “why” behind why they are doing what they are doing. So if your company does not have a mission statement, now is a good time to create one. Once you have come up with your company’s overall mission, publicize it to all of your employees, and come up with smaller, more specific goals that will help you all to work together to reach your mission.

Create a Relaxed Environment

Of course you want high levels of productivity and disciplined employees, but one of the ways in which you can make this happen is to create a relaxed work environment. Stress and tension do not facilitate good results, nor do they encourage an effective corporate culture. You can create a relaxed work environment through the design of your offices, regular office parties, or any number of other techniques that will help people to feel excited to go into work each morning.

Reward Your Employees

One of the best ways to foster a good corporate culture is to create a rewards program for your employees. Service awards show your employees that you appreciate the work that they do. Things such as parties, paid-for lunches, and friendly competitions help to develop a sense of camaraderie and friendship between workers.

Communicate with Your Employees

An open channel of communication is crucial for the growth of a healthy corporate culture. You do not want your employees to see you as unapproachable, and you also need employees to be able to communicate well with each other. This is the foundation for a well-run business. Share the goals of the company with your employees, listen to their feedback, and use social tools to create an online community for the company.

Hiring Process

To create a good corporate culture, you must have the right people working for you. Try to let your corporate culture seep into the hiring process, hiring only people who are passionate about their work and the company. Make sure that there are sufficient opportunities for employees to grow and progress within the company, and you will find that you also have a better rate of employee retention.

Be Open to Change

Your corporate culture might not be at the stage that you desire just yet, but that does not mean that you cannot get there. If you are open to change and new ideas, it will happen. It might take longer than you want, but it is worth it to achieve the results that you need.