What Is Company Culture & How To Improve Yours
These days, potential employees value company culture as much as they value a fair salary. If you’re wondering what we mean by “company culture”, we’re referring to the values, beliefs, and attitudes that serve as guiding principles for each employee. Your company’s culture affects every aspect of your business, from the happiness of your employees to the public’s perception of your brand and beyond. When a company’s culture is in line with staff values, employees are eager to come to work and contribute every day. On the other hand, when a company’s culture is lacking, employees may have a hard time giving 110 percent day in and day out. Studies have shown that employees are more likely to enjoy their time at work when they fit in with the company culture and when their needs and values are consistent with the business.
The good news here is that if your company is currently lacking in the culture department, there are many things you can do to redeem yourself before it’s too late. If you can’t describe your company culture in a few sentences, you may want to focus on implementing a new culture and atmosphere that your employees will love. According to an article from Lattice, there are a few ways to do this. Let’s take a look at them below.
1. Get Everyone Involved In Creating A Company Culture
Just like no two companies are alike, no two company cultures are alike. Depending on the industry you’re in, some employee perks may be valued over others. Before you decide to offer a fully-stocked breakroom to your staff, get everyone involved in the vision of your company culture. This is not something that your HR department should be in charge of, rather, it is something upper management and entry-level employees should be on the same page about.
According to Tracy Repchuk of InnerSurf Online Brand & Web Services, “A thriving company culture takes establishing a core values statement that every employee knows verbatim and then living them. A culture can’t thrive if it doesn’t know the rules; it becomes a lawless society. This means everyone is on equal footing, so if an executive breaks a core value, anyone can call them out. A culture isn’t built on hierarchy, it’s built on behavior that is a way of life.”
Zappos has become a leader in company culture. This online shoe retailer was one of the first companies to incorporate an open floor plan with no corner offices. This means that the CEO can be sitting next to a customer service representative, making everyone feel like they are on the same playing field.
2. Hire For The Culture You’d Like To See
When you have an idea of the company culture you’d like to see, it’s time to start hiring new people. You’ll want to offer jobs to potential employees you feel would fit well within the company. Rather than hiring someone based solely on their work experience and talents, it’s important to make sure your new employees fit the company culture mold you want to build. While learning new skills simply takes time, adopting a new attitude is a different story.
Warby Parker, a retail and online prescription glasses store, is dedicated to instilling a one-of-a-kind culture for its employees. The company works hard to enforce a positive atmosphere for its employees, setting up fun events and lunches for employees so they always have something to look forward to.
Laurie Sudbrink from Unlimiting Coaching Solutions, Inc. says, “The key is aligning people to the culture. It’s one thing to say you want a great culture, it’s quite another to mindfully shape people’s thoughts and beliefs around this vision you have. You have to get people excited, proud and appreciative of the culture. Enlist them, empower them and encourage them. When they “own” it, the culture will thrive.”
3. Be Responsive To Your Employees
As we mentioned above, employees these days are looking for workplace perks. If your company isn’t staying on top of perks in the office, it may lead to more turnover than you’d like. For this reason, it’s important to remain responsive to your employees needs and wants. If you don’t have premium coffee in the breakroom and your employees are constantly having to make runs to the Starbucks down the street, this may be a perk worth investing in. At the end of the day, when you take the time to listen to your employees and create an action plan around what they need to succeed, they will feel more valuable within the company.
According to Larry Boyer of Success Rockets LLC, “Regardless of what sort of culture you want for your company, there has to be an element of caring about each other. You are all in it together. Caring about each other — their well-being, what’s happening in their life, etc. — creates trust and teamwork. When you don’t care, the culture suffers because it’s everyone for themselves.”
At Perkaroma, we’re proud to offer a variety of workplace perks to businesses across New York and New Jersey. Whether you’re interested in office snack services or breakroom supplies, we can help provide your business with the essentials it needs.
Perkaroma: New York & New Jersey Breakroom Supplies
If you work in the New York or New Jersey area and you’re looking for a way to improve your company culture, let Perkaroma help. We believe that the office doesn’t always have to feel like a workspace, and we offer an array of services to help you keep employees satisfied, productive, and happy. From cold brew coffee on tap to bulk cereal dispensers and office supplies, we’ll work with you to ensure your office has everything it needs to succeed. As a family-owned company with 50 years of experience, we offer cutting-edge restocking technologies and a wide selection of product to maximize your office’s operational efficiency. If you’re interested in learning more about our office supply delivery services or breakroom restocking services, contact our friendly staff today.
