6 tips to make your work culture rock

With more people today trying to find fulfilment and purpose in their job environment, it is essential to make the work space fun, constructive and connected. Here are some tips on how to make your work culture rock.

1. It all starts with the management: To create a healthy, transparent and caring workspace, you need the leadership and management to embed those values into the DNA of an organisation. You need the CEO and managers to lead by example. You need to see supervisors who are quick to praise good work, who have the humility to apologise for mistakes or delays and who makes time for team activities outside of work, even if it's just joining the team for lunch.
2. Company culture is created by employees: You and me make the company culture. It is a team sport. And like any team sport, it requires effort, dedication and attention. The easiest way to do this is by hiring people who embody the values you are promoting, who benefit from the support systems in place and therefore feel empowered to continue protecting that work place culture. Similarly, never underestimate or undervalue the time and energy invested by colleagues in organising bonding moments like birthdays and team activities. Having the space to recognise your colleagues as individuals with complex needs, hopes and fears can help build camaraderie, empathy and respect which ultimately strengthens relationships in a team.
3. Invest in team building: All work and no play... just doesn't cut it anymore. If you want to create a great work vibe then invest in spaces, activities and even rituals that foster connection and happiness. At my last job for example, we set up "Cookie Friday" where every Friday a designated colleague was responsible for bringing treats for the team. It was a great way to end the week and a great way to share a moment of joy (albeit high in sugar content). Plus, it required minimum set up. All you need is a calendar invite with a list of your colleague's names and dates. But there are loads of other creative ways to do this. For example, has your team building activity really helped connect the team? I personally love team building activities where the whole group actively learns a skill. For example in Brussels, the Our House Project offers group cooking classes that are taught by refugees and migrants. What a great way to build solidarity and empathy both within the team and the wider community! Just don't forget to make sure that the team building is truly inclusive before suggesting that beer tasting workshop. The last thing you want the team building to do is create a rift between the ones who like doing said activity versus those that don't or can't.
4. The right blend of personal and professional: Now for those of you who may be a little skeptical, don't get me wrong. There needs to be a balance between the professional and the person behind the professional but rather than going to either extreme of not trying to build any type of personal relationship with your colleagues or becoming bffs, a balance can be struck. I have seen it in action, I have put it in action and trust me, it exists! When you acknowledge the person, you understand that everyone has their own personal struggles. Maybe they didn't get much sleep last night or they're worried about their mother's health. Whatever it is, at the end of the day, we are human and should be allowed to be human, even in a work space. Give people space to explain themselves, listen to their frustrations and they will cherish the work space even more.
5. Strategies to mitigate conflict: However having no strife will not a happy work place make. Every organisation and team will have conflict at some point. That's because every relationship involves people and every person has their own way of doing things and their set of priorities. So the important thing to do is put processes in place where staff have ways to constructively deal with conflict and report issues before they blow up. For example, does your office have a trusted person that people can turn to in case of issues? Most importantly, if someone comes to you with a work place conflict that they are unsure or uncomfortable addressing, take those concerns seriously and come up with strategies to resolve issues that center on communication, empathy and compromise.
6. Promote Non Violent Communication: More recently, a lot of individuals and organisations are embracing Non Violent Communication strategies for a variety of reasons including negotiating, finding compromises and resolving conflict. While it is important for employees to receive training to improve their professional competencies, so too is it important to build conflict resilience and communication strategies that focus on addressing concerns and everyday demands in a non violent way. Do yourself and the team a favour and hire someone to train the team in active listening and non violent communication skills. A team that has space to make mistakes, learn from each other and resolve conflict amicably is a team that is strongly rooted and will go the extra mile, sustainably.

These are some ideas to get the ball rolling on making your company culture rock. What other ideas have you seen in action?

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