So You Want to Build a Better Work Culture?

SOMETIMES called ‘the voice of your organisation’ - your company culture is a reflection of what your organisation stands for.

Building a company culture that thrives should be the aim of every business.

In order to do this, Forbes magazine have put together a list of some of some of the most effective ways to create a better work culture:

1. Align your people to the culture

Empowering and encouraging your workers to get involved with what your organisation stands for is paramount. When your people ‘own’ the culture, the organisation will generally thrive: and both Apple and Google are good examples of this

2. Respect your employees

Having a healthy respect for your employees and where they work is essential for a good work culture. This is particularly important in light of the recent #MeToo sexual harassment claims, the growth of bullying in the workplace, and the rise in mental health disorders

3. Have empathy for others

When an organisation and its leaders have empathy for their team members the results speak for themselves: with higher morale, better outcomes, and more effective communication. Empathy also helps build trust and teamwork as, when people don't care, the culture suffers 

4. ‘Talk the talk’ and ‘walk the walk’

If you you're going to ‘talk the talk’ - you've got to ‘walk the walk’. In order for a company’s culture to take off, its leaders need to set the example. Thriving cultures have strong leadership support, which is practised daily by the leaders of the organisation

5. Clarity and communication are key

For any organisation to have an effective work culture - communication and clarity between both people and departments is crucial. This involves a mutual understanding and respect of company goals and values, as well as clear and proper communication to all parties of organisational events, news, changes, goals and successes

6. Trust is the cornerstone

Throughout any organisation’s journey to creating a better culture, trust is vital for success. Along with communication, clarity and empathy, trust is one of the most important factors in achieving a harmonious and thriving culture. This is because when people happily follow their leaders, the payoff for the organisation is more commitment and better ownership for the employees

7. Create a core values statement

When striving to create a better culture - a ‘core values’ statement is invaluable. A culture can only thrive if its people know the rules. These values should apply across the board so that even if an executive breaks the rules, they can be ‘called out’. This encourages better behaviour and leads to a better way of life for everyone

8. Celebrate the successes

To create a strong and effective workplace culture, it pays to focus more on the positives and less on the negatives. When leaders celebrate company successes it helps everyone: as this simple shift in mindset not only helps build a great culture, but also improves workers’ morale and self-confidence

9. Use stories to push forward

Every successful organisation has its own ‘communal’ success story. Take Apple for example: the tiny ‘backyard’ computer producer that started from nothing in a garage, and went on to become the world’s biggest and most successful computer company. To really ‘kick-start’ your company culture, it helps to use fascinating stories that can be brought to life by employees, and then passed on to clients and customers to create an authentic, thriving culture.