Elevating Company Culture: Essential Practices for Improvement
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You already know that company culture is crucial these days. Like it or not, your company has had a culture since day one - but that doesn't mean it will remain untouched without targeted nurturing.
This is exactly where the problem lies. Corporate cultures that have been neglected or forgotten go from bad to worse in no time. As a result, the garden becomes overgrown with weeds that crowd out everything good and replace it with bad things.
Poorly maintained company cultures have no sympathy, little to no personal connections, and virtually no commitment to the members of your team. If you keep this up, your company could find itself in a case study - and not in a good way.
It's time to eliminate bad company culture once and for all. Here's a comprehensive list of everything you need to know about improving company culture, as well as some tips you can implement right away.
But we don't want to get too ahead of ourselves. Let's start with a little introduction, shall we?
Company culture vs. organizational culture vs. work environment
Let’s make something clear right away: corporate culture is not the same as organizational culture or work environment. You may hear these terms used interchangeably, but that's really not accurate (or helpful) when you're trying to improve your culture.
Defined most simply, company culture is a belief system within a particular organization. It controls everything from what employees say to each other to how they eat their lunch. Corporate culture is a top-down phenomenon; People in positions of power are the primary agents of change.
Organizational culture, on the other hand, refers specifically to the accepted norms within a company. This is shaped by the company's employees and not by those in power. New hires have the potential to change organizational culture as well, especially if they have different ideas (or accepted norms) about work.
Finally, the work environment refers to the physical surroundings of a workplace. This forms the basis for how culture is expressed in the workplace, often in less obvious ways. An office with decorated cubicles and plant-filled cubicles is likely to have a relaxed culture. More sterile-looking offices are likely to have a more serious or formal culture.
As you can see, these three concepts are closely related, but not quite the same thing. Now that you know how they balance, you can make much more informed decisions about your culture and how it can be improved.
Simple methods to improve company culture
Sometimes it's the simplest changes that make the biggest difference. When it comes to improving company culture, this couldn't be more true.
Let's explore some of the best ways to improve company culture, starting with a suggestion we all know and love.
1.Flexible work
Flexible work is the future. And no, we don't just say that because we like working in our pajamas.
There's been a lot of research on this topic recently (thanks, COVID), and studies show that flexible work hours and adaptable schedules can actually be better than the traditional 9-to-5 work.
One study found that 80% of workers would turn down a job without flexible hours. Another study found that 43% of employees with flexible working hours had higher productivity at work.
Quality experts have also spoken out. Many sources claim that flexible working hours build trust, increase satisfaction and improve a company's image.
The point is that employees can tell when you really care about them. Offering flexible working hours is a sure way to achieve exactly that while promoting company culture.
2.Employee experiences
How do you know what the experiences of employees in your company are? Through feedback, of course! This way, you can quickly uncover existing problems with your company culture. By the way: If you aren't listening to your employees' feedback yet, you should.
Start with this:
- Hold in-person focus groups
- Develop anonymous surveys
- Creating a map of potential pain points
Remember that all parts of the employee experience (hiring, onboarding, exiting, etc.) set the mood and tone for the rest of your company. Make every phase an important one!
3.Employee recognition
Every employee wants to feel recognized for their hard work, which is why a recognition system is necessary for any type of company culture.
You can do this in different ways:
- Integration into public platforms that everyone can use
- Offer real cash rewards that anyone can send
- Implement recognition tools that the whole team wants to try
4.Employee retention
The employee retention rate says a lot about your company culture. The higher it is, the worse your culture is.
Start by implementing some general employee retention tactics:
- Focus on training and development opportunities
- Train your managers in best practices and leadership skills
- Consider overhauling your employee recognition and reward system.
These measures won't always work 100%, but they are a good starting point for improving your company culture.
5.Employee satisfaction
Let's make it simple: happy employees are satisfied employees. Dissatisfied employees are the exact opposite.
Start by measuring employee satisfaction with a pulse survey. Ask for honest feedback and leave space for people to add recommendations.
You can also run an eNPS survey to find out who loves your brand (and why). Knowledge is power!
Create a culture you can be proud of with IceHrm
If you're willing to make even a few improvements to your company culture, you'll reap the benefits in spades. Watch your employees jump on the bandwagon to try new things and develop a level of engagement that's too good to pass up.
And if you work with IceHrm, this will increase tenfold.
We are not here to displace your current culture, or tell you it is wrong, or force you to do things differently. We are here to help you do things in the most efficient way.
We don't want to brag or anything, but we really believe our tools work wonders for brands looking to improve their company culture.
By implementing these straightforward strategies, you can transform your company culture into a thriving ecosystem where employees feel valued and motivated. With IceHrm's support, you can take your culture to new heights and drive sustainable success.
