The terms company culture and organizational culture get thrown around a lot, yet not everyone in the corporate and business world is clear what they mean exactly.
Let’s define the terms, and see what it is you can do to improve your own organizational culture.
What is organizational culture?
Organizational culture can be explained as the personality of a certain organization. It’s the way employees behave within a company, the values an organization holds dear, the way it engages with customers and staff members.
As such, organizational culture can bring you closer to your target audience and make your company a desirable place to work at – or it can give you quite a bad reputation.
How to improve your organizational culture
If you are looking to work on your company culture in 2020, here are some things you can implement.
Listen to your people
One of the best things you can do for your company is to listen to your employees. As a manager, leader and visionary, you may not know what’s really going on in the trenches, and the only people who can tell you are your staff members.
Make it a point to listen to every employee who comes to you with suggestions or complaints. Don’t dismiss anyone’s feelings or ideas just because you may not have come up with them or don’t agree with them from the get-go.
Facilitate communication in all directions
The key to any successful relationship is communication, and corporate settings are no different.
Make sure everyone on your teams can be open about everything. Establish an environment where your employees feel safe enough to come to you with anything and where they feel they can tell each other anything. Organize communication workshops and teach everyone how best to articulate their thoughts and ideas.
Also, make sure that your core values and company goals are clearly communicated to your target audience via all of your marketing channels.
Establish a sense of belonging
Employees who feel like they belong in their company and who work in companies that promote a family-like setting are more likely to be productive, to be invested in their work, and to truly contribute while they are at the office.
Work on establishing a camaraderie in the office, where all of your staff feel like they are on the same side, working on the same goals.
Do little things to promote the family feel: high-quality custom t-shirts work well in establishing a uniformity, and they also help identify your people in a crowd. You can also get them personalized stationery, mugs, and other items, which will make them feel a part of the brand.
Work on transparency
Transparency is a value most companies claim to invest in, yet fail to grasp its true meaning. When you are being transparent, that means you need to talk about the good and the bad and let your employees know exactly where you stand.
If you are going through a rough patch financially, let everyone know what’s going on and what you are doing to make matters better. This will get all of them inspired to pull their own weight better, as opposed to keeping silent (in their best interest) and allowing uncertainty and feelings of insecurity to rise.
Feedback is crucial
Employees who receive feedback are more productive and engaged at work – which is why you should establish a system where both top-down and bottom-up feedback is a part of the norm. Don’t forget about lateral feedback either.
While it may seem like a lot of effort (and it should be), providing feedback is one of the best ways to increase motivation and boost your end results.
Final thoughts
Company culture is not only important, but it is also an incredible way to make your brand stand out. It’s an essential factor in making your employees and even your customers feel valued and like they are a part of something larger than themselves.
By implementing some of the above principles, your own organizational culture can see a significant boost. Remember that all of these changes will take time and that you can’t expect your employees to embrace them overnight. Work on them diligently and patiently, and results will follow.
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