In the past, company culture was likely handled very differently from what we see today. It’s possible that the HR department were asked to ‘improve the company culture’ by the CEO, and off they went on a mission to remind their staff of the organisation’s core values and goals. Free snacks in the staff room, team birthday celebrations and employee engagement surveys might have been implemented for a short while, but soon enough, these ‘perks’ would dwindle and other priorities would take over. Thus, the company culture mission slipped back to the bottom of the ever growing to-do list.
Recognising the significance of a positive company culture
But as many of us will have already realised, in a post-pandemic world with teams working extremely differently than ever before (hello hybrid and flexible working), this approach no longer works. Company culture has grown in importance too, thanks to the intensified push for DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and the continued battle for talent. No longer do staff snacks or early finishes on a Friday cut it. Culture has become a strategic priority with an impact on the bottom line.
Boost employee morale
Not only can a positive and supportive culture boost employee morale, productivity and retention rates (impacting the reputation of the company and its ability to attract top talent), but a strong culture can also align employees with the company’s values, mission and goals – leading to a more effective team. A healthy culture can foster innovation, creativity and a sense of belonging and in a nutshell, company culture can ultimately drive business success. So why wouldn’t you be prioritising the importance of company culture within your organisation?
Our clients are passionate about the culture that they create, and so we wanted to share some of our ‘Do’s and Don’ts of Company Culture’. Let us caveat this one by saying that company culture is nuanced and unique for each individual company, there is no ‘one size fits all’, but humour us for 2 minutes while we share with you some of our do’s and don’ts…
| Do… | Don’t… |
| Give regular praise for great work, hard work, and little things people get right or go out of their way to do. Get your people together and celebrate regularly. Fire the bad employees. Give opportunities for feedback on your leadership, culture and initiatives. Give praise and recognition at a personal and team wide level. Invest in your talent. Provide flexibility. | Ignore the concerns of your employees. Micro manage. Tolerate organisational politics. Overwork your employees. Forget to communicate the bigger picture vision, your team wants to know what they’re doing all this for. Get complacent. Review regularly what is working and what isn’t. Don’t do things just because you always have. |
Establish your company culture
With the institute of the office playing less of a role for modern companies in the post-pandemic world we’re now living in, we appreciate just how much harder the notion of culture is to establish. Our employee engagement events can help companies to reaffirm the culture that makes them who they are. If you’re struggling to get this right, we’d love to talk. Send us an email at hello@strive-agency.co.uk.
