The value of a positive company culture is universally recognised. A recent engagement report by Gallup states that “highly engaged business units achieve a 10% increase in customer metrics and a 20% increase in sales.” The report goes on to say “the relationship between engagement and performance at the business/work unit level is substantial.”
Four Steps To Creating A Winning Company Culture
Understanding the importance of company culture is vital, and understanding how to influence and inspire positivity is essential to company success. Here are four simple steps to take that will help you create a company culture that is supercharged with positivity and verve.
Get To Know What Your Team Really Thinks
Asking simple questions is the best way to understand your team, and to get a picture of how much your team understands your company. Ask open questions, such as “What do you think our goals are as a company?” or “What key changes do you think would help us reach our goals?”
Simple, targeted questions like these have several effects. Firstly, the very act of asking questions makes your team feel they have a role to play in the overall company. Secondly, your team will feel listened to and valued. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, your team will see the influence of their role on the company as a whole. Asking questions, and implementing solutions are the most effective ways to create a winning company culture.
Champion Successes
Celebrate the wins, both large and small. Encourage team members to identify the areas they’ve done really well in and encourage them to identify and champion these in others too. You could do this with a daily focus meeting, or perhaps stage a quarterly grand event or a combination of the two. The format and structure will vary from organisation to organisation, but the crucial thing is that successes are seen as something to champion. By fostering a collaborative rather than competitive culture, your organisation can become a place where winning is about the common good, rather than individual rivalry.
Have A Clear Definition Of Success
In order to champion these successes, you need to know what they truly look like. Is success about the best sales figures? Or about gaining a solid order from a notoriously difficult customer? Perhaps success is less tangible for your organisation – with measures like customer and colleague happiness playing a significant role? You might place greater emphasis on perks and benefits, for example, going above and beyond the basic employee rights required by law. Work alongside your team to discover what success looks like for them, as well as being honest about the bottom line and what needs to happen for the company to meet its financial goals. Track, measure and celebrate, so everyone knows what is expected.
Embrace Emotional Intelligence
Understanding emotional intelligence is central to forging a winning company culture. A high EQ – emotional quotient – means having a strong grasp of one’s own feelings, and a sound understanding of the variance and nuance experienced by others. Creating a culture where our emotions are seen as valid and relevant, rather than as something to be repressed and criticised, will lead to a company where each member of the team feels valid, empowered, and able to engage.
Creating a winning company culture is about creating a workplace that respects and honours the role of each member of the team, and seeks to maximise engagement and input. By asking questions and listening to answers, we help our team see the value of their role, and by clarifying and celebrating success, we help them enjoy the small wins as much as the grand achievements. Finally, a culture that values EQ is one where feelings are part of the business of business – they are recognised, responded to, and valued.
Author Bio: Manak Solicitors
Photo Credits: Unsplash
