Cultivating Culture: How Companies Can Develop Workplace Culture

We all need to work for a living; there's no way around this. Luckily, if you enjoy your job, it's not as much of a chore to head to work each day. A large part of this depends on the culture of the company or organisation that you work for. If you're representing a company and reading this, you might be wondering just how you can foster a positive company culture. Well, you're in luck because this helpful article will share all about cultivating culture and how companies can develop, nurture and grow their company culture. So, continue reading if you're interested in this topic.

What Is Company Culture?

Your work or company culture is the term given to a shared set of beliefs, attitudes and values that steer your organisation. Your company culture is reflected in the manner in which you treat your customers, stakeholders and employees. Company culture might impact the type of candidates you attract for open positions, and having a strong work culture also boosts staff productivity, decreases turnover rates and improves employee engagement.

Strategies for Cultivating a Strong Work Culture

Let's discuss some strategies that you can immediately use to cultivate a positive and thriving workplace culture at your organisation.

Promote Respect and Inclusion

Staff who are treated with deference and respect will work better for their company — that is the bottom line here. Team members who are given a degree of autonomy, some creative licence and the freedom to do their jobs well will perform much better compared to those who are micromanaged or disrespected at work. It makes complete sense to treat your staff well and respect them instead of opting for controlling and intimidating tactics at work.

Inclusion and diversity initiatives also go a long way. Organisations with diversity and inclusion portfolios and lead roles should attract a wider range of staff from diverse backgrounds who bring a wealth of knowledge and professional experience to an enterprise.

Staff Recognition and Rewards

Staff who are recognised and rewarded for their efforts at work will feel more engaged and happy at work and, therefore, be more productive. Ensure that you and your managers acknowledge hard work and give praise and positive feedback to teams when it is due. For instance, if a staff member solves a sticky problem or has an excellent brainwave, ensure that you give credit where it is due to them. And going beyond recognition, consider staff rewards as well for those top performers. How can you reward people for a job well done, you ask? There are a few ways to do this, including stock options, cash bonuses, gift cards, employee awards, personalised gifts and team activities, such as a fun outing or shared meal. A pay bump or promotion is also a great way to reward staff who stand out with impactful achievements in the workplace.

Clear and Transparent Communication

This is a key point for the managers reading this. Ensure that your communication with your team members is clear, assertive, direct and respectful. Make sure that your directions are easy to understand and follow. Look to clarify any unclear points that staff raise questions about. Close the feedback loop when possible and appropriate. Staff need to have the best knowledge and direction to do their jobs, and clear, transparent and open communication is the best way that managers can achieve this. This will go a long way towards a positive workplace culture at your company.

Fun at Work

Part of cultivating a positive culture is ensuring work is fun. You can achieve this in a number of ways, including team-building activities such as trips to an escape room or bowling alley. You might also consider a puzzle or board game club at work, investing in some light tabletop games for teams to enjoy during a designated break time.

Opportunities and Growth

Another way you can create a positive workplace culture is by creating opportunities and growth for staff who deserve it. If a team member over-delivers on a project or task, consider them for a promotion or extra responsibilities with a commensurate pay rise. As part of your forecasting and projections for each quarter, consider which staff might be able to lead a new project or initiative at your organisation. You should always future-plan for the next wave of leadership, earmarking key staff who stand out for leadership or other specialist roles.

Strategies for Fostering Staff Engagement with Culture

In the final part of this article, we will discuss some crucial strategies for fostering engagement at your company to develop a positive workplace culture.

Managers to Lead By Example

For managers, you must lead by example at all times. This may mean rolling up your sleeves and getting into the meat of the daily work alongside your team. It also means role modelling positive workplace behaviour and culture, such as clear and assertive communication, giving praise and feedback when it's warranted and addressing problematic workplace behaviours in a considerate and fair way. Staff will always appreciate when managers lead by example and demonstrate their positive leadership skills and behaviour.

Hiring Strategy

Part of cultivating an excellent workplace culture is through hiring practices. For instance, when assessing a potential candidate's qualifications, like whether they've completed a grad cert business, it's just as important to consider their alignment with the company's culture. By hiring the right staff who will fit with and improve the company's culture, you're on the right path to a healthy and productive workplace.