How to Strengthen Your Company’s Organizational Culture

Most employees aren’t just concerned about salary and location but instead prioritize their well-being and work-life balance. Organizational culture defines the relationship we have with our work environment and, in turn, our job and the company we work for. A positive work culture can help a business grow, but a negative one can lead to real struggles.

What is organizational culture? Why is it important? What are the different types of culture? I had a conversation with the hybrid work experts at Deskbird to discuss how the future of work is changing and how corporate culture plays a massive role in its evolution.

What is Workplace Culture?

Workplace culture is difficult to define because it can be interpreted and created in many different ways. The culture of any workplace is an amalgamation of values, beliefs, expectations, philosophy, and vision shared by the leaders of an organization. 

Even though culture differs from one workspace to another, one characteristic remains consistent. Businesses with a strong corporate culture are likely to achieve greater success. According to McKinsey, more inclusive work cultures are more likely to be profitable.

Why is Creating a Strong Culture in the Workplace Important?

The fact that organizational culture can shape the success of a business shows how important it is, but how can it have such a significant influence? The way your workforce feels about your company and its values, beliefs, expectations, etc., has a big effect on how they work. A positive work environment can lead to more engagement, productivity, motivation, employee well-being, and retention. A win-win situation, according to research by the University of Oxford, “happy workers are 13% more productive.”

As Peter Drucker, a management consultant and writer, said: “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” You can have the best plan for your business, but you will never get the expected result if your corporate culture is weak. 

Culture for a company is like air for humans. If you inhale toxic air, you get sick. And similarly, if you have a toxic workplace culture, your company will probably have the same fate.

Moreover, as hybrid models are reshuffling the way we work, focusing on creating a strong culture in the workplace is becoming even more critical. Indeed, this is a substantial benefit to reducing the creation of silos.

In my conversation with Deskbird, we also discussed ways to improve company culture and create one that provides a positive experience. Here is a great article they wrote about creating a positive workplace culture.

What Are the 7 Most Common Types of Organizational Culture?

The hybrid work experts at Deskbird and I discussed the most common types of organizational culture and what they look like in practice. This discussion may help you better understand the culture at your company.

1. Clan culture

Being part of a company with a clan culture feels like working with family and mainly focuses on teamwork. This concept is inclusive and supportive, emphasizing and rewarding collaboration. Workers are equally valued and, therefore, tend to be more engaged.

76% of Generation Z employees said they would be more loyal to their company if they were recognized for their work.

Example of clan culture: Chobani.

2. Adhocracy culture

Innovation is at the center of adhocracy culture. Taking risks is not an issue and is even recommended. The goal is to improve and develop new ways of doing what already exists by experimenting with innovative methods.

Example of adhocracy culture: start-ups and tech companies like Google.

3. Market culture

Market culture is less focused on employee experience and well-being and prioritizes achievement and performance. This type of workplace culture is highly competitive and demands a lot of hard work.

Example of market culture: Amazon.

4. Hierarchy culture

Most commonly seen in traditional work models, the hierarchy culture contains several management layers. Businesses confronted with high-risk topics are usually based on this type of structure as it helps prevent mistakes, increase organization and drive efficiency.

Example of hierarchy culture: companies in the healthcare industry.

5. Customer focus culture

This type of culture is based on making customers happy and satisfied by focusing on their experience. The main goal: customers come first. Employees are rewarded with a feeling of pride when receiving positive customer feedback.

Example of customer focus culture: Whole Foods.

6. Purpose culture

People working in a company with a purpose culture are driven by the same goal or common cause. For them, this is more important than making a profit, and therefore, companies often partner with charities or local communities.

Example of purpose culture: Toms shoes.

7. Creative culture

A company with a creative culture prioritizes creating new products and services. This is more than simply creating a service or a product, as the main goal is to come up with something completely new and innovative.

Example of creative culture: Warner Bros.

Good to know: Other types of organizational culture include innovative culture, task-oriented culture, role-based culture, or leadership culture.

How to improve corporate culture?

Some executives assume that workplace culture develops organically. However, this mentality can actually have the opposite effect, creating a toxic environment. Business leaders are responsible for designing and communicating about the corporate culture in order for employees to participate.

According to Deloitte, 80% of leaders say that well-being is ranked as one of the most critical aspects of the company’s overall success.

First, the key is to observe the current work culture. How are people communicating with each other? What are their main drivers and motivations?

From these observations, you can determine if what is actually taking place in the company matches your vision, beliefs, and values. If you observe inconsistency, set up a plan for creating positive change. However, keep in mind that this process requires effort, and building a workplace culture does not happen overnight.

Your hiring practices should also reflect your values by actively recruiting people who fit with the company. However, the culture should draw prospective talent in on its own. A healthy work environment not only attracts talent but also increases workforce retention, as the hybrid work experts from Deskbird mentioned in one of their latest posts.

As you hire new team members, we recommend creating an onboarding program. On the one hand, you can share your beliefs and expectations with newcomers, and on the other hand, you can help them become integrated into their new environment and community. Showing new employees they chose a company with the same values is a great way to start a fruitful collaboration!

Last but not least, promoting a culture of recognition should be one of your top priorities. It motivates your workforce and encourages them to act according to your company’s values. Feeling valued, without doubt, inspires people to contribute towards the company’s growth and goals.

Workplace culture can be an extensive topic but one that should be taken seriously if you want to create a healthy, engaging, and inspiring work atmosphere. The future of organizational culture puts people and their well-being at the center. So if you are developing an employee-centric culture, you may be interested in Deskbird hot desking software. The app helps businesses embrace the hybrid work concept while supporting employee needs.

Chris Dyer is a company culture and leadership expert and CMO of PeopleG2, which has continuously been ranked as one of the best places to work. If you’re interested in learning about how Chris can help you prioritize work-life balance as a part of your company culture, reach out to get in contact today.

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