In our modern workplace, the culture can make or break your business. It influences hiring, retention, and productivity during an employee’s time in the company. In fact, people who are tightly engaged in their workplace get much more done. According to Gallup, this translates to an up to 27% increase in company revenue. Simply put, the work culture is worth investing in.
However, this kind of energized and supportive environment doesn’t just happen. It needs to be shaped and nurtured over time. Managers play a big part here. Good leadership brings out the best in employees, and poor management sends them packing. The company’s HR department is not as visible in day-to-day operations. However, HR plays an arguably important role in building a positive work culture behind the scenes.
The Work Culture You Want
Let’s start by defining what makes a great work culture. It’s one where employees feel valued. Their time and effort are respected, their opinions can be shared without penalty, and their hard work matters. If there’s a problem or conflict with someone else, they know where to go to navigate this.
Company culture begins before employment. Yes, your business sets the tone as you reach out and recruit prospective workers. People looking at your job listing will scrutinize how you worded it as much as what you’re saying. Studies suggest that for 88% of job seekers, the work culture is a major factor behind accepting or rejecting a position.
Nurturing the Work Environment
Work cultures constantly change and develop because the individuals who work there create the culture. The HR department has an important but indirect role to play here. You can’t make people get along or excel. However, you can create a supportive environment that encourages them to do so. Let’s look at seven key strategies:
1. Don’t be ambiguous.
State your expectations and goals clearly. Employees should understand at a glance what needs to happen by which deadline.
Measure progress and offer mutual feedback well before that deadline. Feedback is for the employees, manager, and HR department. It gives them time to troubleshoot problems before they snowball.
When milestones have been exceeded, announce what the team has accomplished. This builds a clear connection in their minds between their hard work and a tangible result.
2. Practice effective communication.
Everyone knows how to talk, but communicating effectively and listening to one another is a skill that develops over time. The HR department can set the tone for communications. Remind people to assume good intentions and honesty even during a conflict.
Create systems where employees can communicate with their manager or team about tricky subjects. How do they bring up concerns, and when will those be addressed? You can also offer anonymous surveys. These pinpoint where your communication systems need more development.
3. Value everyone’s opinions.
Workers who feel their voices are being heard are much more engaged with the company. So, how can you show you value them?
- Proactively reach out, asking for opinions and feedback.
- Thank them for bringing up concerns and points of conflict.
- Answer questions promptly, even if it’s just to tell them that this is currently under discussion.
- Finally, update them on any decisions or policy changes that come from their concerns.
4. Recognize diversity.
How do you build a work culture that appreciates the diversity of employees? Celebration and education. An easy strategy here is to recognize other religions and cultural events, including:
- Passover
- Black History Month
- Chinese New Year
- local festivals like Pride
You can also offer employees floating holiday dates to spend on their culture’s favorite celebrations.
This is a great time to educate people on the significance of these events. Employees can learn more about each other and your diverse customer base.
If there are misunderstandings, treat these as learning opportunities for the whole team. You can offer resources and training on unconscious bias and conflict resolution. The more we know about each other, the better we can work together.
5. Reward employees’ contributions.
Don’t just celebrate exceptional successes. It would help if you also recognized employees who put in consistent time and effort. After all, their hard work got the company this far and will hopefully propel you even further. Think about rewarding contributions by:
- positive reinforcement from managers
- a mention in the company newsletter
- glowing notes in the employee’s performance review
- offering performance bonuses
- Providing perks like legal referrals and stipends for things like accident coverage
- extra vacation time
- gift cards, movie tickets, subscription boxes, and more
These rewards show employees in a tangible way that their labor and dedication are valued.
6. Offer employees flexibility.
How much can you offer? That depends on your business, field, and season. However, flexibility can have a big impact on work culture. Short-term flexibility acts as a safety valve. It helps employees with scheduling conflicts, deadlines, or competing responsibilities.
Meanwhile, permanently flexible positions attract in-demand talent who might otherwise pass on the job listing.
For example, there are employees who can do tasks just as effectively at home. Even the option of one day per week working at home with pets can provide valuable flexibility. Work-from-home also makes a great recognition and reward (see above).
7. Train and develop your employees.
Offer frequent opportunities for employees to learn new skills or operate technical equipment. This training also refreshes people’s existing knowledge with the latest data-driven practices. Cultivate future management through mentorship programs for employees. Create workshops scattered around the year on leadership development, communication, and team-building.
Common Goals, Mutual Gain
If your employees are the engine that drives your company forward, the company culture is how well that engine functions. Do the different parts work smoothly together?
Can you identify problems coming up and defuse them before they affect productivity? How fast do you recover from communication breakdowns?
A supportive work culture that encourages employee engagement attracts the best people for the job.
Ashley Nielsen
Ashley Nielsen earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration Marketing at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a freelance writer who loves to share knowledge about general business, marketing, lifestyle, wellness, and financial tips. During her free time, she enjoys being outside, staying active, reading a book, or diving deep into her favorite music.