What does company culture mean?
Fundamentally, company culture is a term that captures the general vibe of your company. It’s how people relate to one another and what their personalities are like. Each organisation has its very own blend of values, beliefs and guidelines that make it unique. Some of these aspects are unwritten rules that all contribute to relationship building and the ambience in your workplace. Leadership approaches and interactions among colleagues are also expressions of a company’s work culture.
How do we define cultural values in a business context?
In general, cultural values are the core principles on which an entire community rests and on which this community relies for its existence and for harmonious relationships among its members. The concept of cultural values comprises customs and rituals and a set of shared beliefs from which the group members operate. Cultural values dictate what is important and serve as a guide for the ideals and conduct of the members of a culture. In the workplace, cultural values are the foundation on which an organisation and its culture are based. They set the tone for the corporate culture.
Why is work culture important for businesses?
Company culture is an important factor in all workplaces. It determines how pleasant your working environment is for staff and, naturally, this will significantly impact employee satisfaction and retention. If your staff are happy in their workplace, they’ll be more motivated, achieve better results and stay at the company longer than if they are unhappy and have to force themselves to come in every day.
Recruitment and work culture
Having a distinct company culture is a competitive advantage, but building one isn’t easy. When you recruit for your workforce, it’s essential that any new hires are a good addition to the organisation. When a person is a good ‘culture add,’ it means they share and appreciate your corporate values but they also add something new that will positively contribute to your culture. This prevents conflict and supports positive relationships among your workers. It goes without saying that, ultimately, this also boosts employee satisfaction. For more tips and details, read How Hiring for ‘Culture Add’ Can Help Your Business Outshine the Rest.
How can you build your distinct company culture?
Having a distinct and appealing company culture is a competitive advantage, but building one isn’t easy. Every business has a unique history and individual needs, so every business needs to develop its own culture over time. Take some time to understand the steps involved in this process – it’s an investment that’ll pay back many times over! Consider these aspects:
1) Comfortable surroundings
For employees to feel relaxed and comfortable, their environment needs to be comfortable too. Pay attention to how you fit out your workspaces, choose soothing or invigorating colours, and consider setting up a relaxation space. Perhaps invest in a fancy coffee machine or hire a coffee van to stop by each day. Place some potted plants around the office or install a relaxing water feature. The opportunities to create an attractive environment are endless!
2) Build relationships
Strong relationships are the backbone of any team. You may want to organise some team-building activities like a paintball event or a family picnic open to staff and their partners and children. Or perhaps Friday after-work drinks with colleagues from different departments are a regular occurrence in your organisation? Any opportunity that supports staff members talking to each other or working together will improve relationships and lead to more effective communications in the company.
3) Develop your staff
A company’s biggest asset is its people, so investing in them is never a bad idea. Encourage personal development and send your workers on regular training days to learn a new skill or improve their existing expertise. A great incentive for employees is the option to undergo company-paid courses that will lead to a new qualification such as a professional certificate or diploma. After all, this will benefit both the employee and the company in the long term – a win-win situation!
4) Reduce stress
Employee burnout is every company’s worst enemy. To stop your staff from overexerting themselves, discourage working long hours or extreme competitiveness among staff. Support their mental health by providing access to an in-house counsellor, hire a corporate massage service on a weekly basis or reward excellent results with spa day vouchers. Healthy staff are happy and more productive staff!
5) Targeted recruitment
In a successful team, all members will share similar values. You don’t want to hire someone for a department, knowing their personality will likely clash with current team members. When you interview new candidates, ask the right questions to determine if they are a good addition to your company culture. Make sure new hires share the same values as your company, be it honesty, collaboration or autonomy. Bearing the corporate culture in mind during recruitment is crucial for bringing on board people who will be a good addition and not cause disruption in the team.
Related: How to Find Good Employees
6) Seek and act on feedback
The best way to determine if your employees are happy or what areas they think could be improved is to ask them to give feedback. This can be done through formal or informal surveys or by fostering an open culture where they are comfortable raising issues with superiors in their daily interactions as they arise. What’s important is that you take their feedback seriously and act on it. Really listen to what concerns them and show that you care by making changes where necessary.
What makes Australian business culture special?
It’s worth giving Australian work culture a special mention. Australian business culture has developed its own unique character over time. Here are its main characteristics:
- Directness: Australians are straightforward in their communication and call a spade a spade. There’s no beating around the bush in the Australian workplace.
- Equality: Australians tend to treat one another as equals and are not intimidated by someone in a higher position.
- Informality: The conversational tone in the Australian workplace is informal, and Australians like to use a good portion of humour in their interactions. Although there are hierarchies, it’s often not immediately obvious who is a supervisor and who is just another team member.
- Proactivity: When a problem arises, Australian workers don’t sit back and complain or wait for someone else to fix it but proactively strive to find a solution.
- Modesty: Australians don’t like to boast about their achievements, so a modest approach is the way to go.
- Collaboration: Rather than top-down orders, decisions are a team effort in most Australian workplaces, and managers like to consult other team members. This collaborative approach means business processes can be a little slower in Australia than in some other countries.
Related: Employer Branding Matters More to Job Seekers Than You Think
So it’s clear that work and corporate culture define a company’s general vibe and are what makes it appealing (or unappealing) for new hires and existing employees alike. Invest in building your company culture , and you will reap the rewards in the form of happier and more motivated employees and, consequently, better business results.
