It seems like every time you turn around, another list of “Most Loved Companies” or “Best Places To Work” is getting published. The usual suspects Google, Facebook, Apple, HubSpot, and others are always there–but those are monoliths we all know and love. It is easy to shrug off this measure of greatness as somewhat unattainable given the companies listed–yet in reality these companies were not always so large or so notable. From meager beginnings to typical growing pains, even great company cultures have a history of evolving and improving. Whether you’re just starting out with company culture or trying to change the course of an entrenched dynamic, learning how to create a company you love will make all the difference.
Company Culture Starts On The Human Level
Company cultures aren’t created in boardrooms or the C-suite. They are driven by the bulk of the workforce and developed with the natural contributions and input of all employees. One of the bigger mistakes companies make is attempting to drive a top down approach to company culture and ignoring the instinctive reactions of its people. At the core of any culture are the people and the same rings true for companies.
Leadership Needs To Embody The Core Values
To create company culture requires an ongoing commitment to promoting and portraying the core values of the company across all facets of company leadership. If a core value is integrity and the CEO is known for deceitful behavior, the culture coming from this value won’t be worth any more than the paper it is written on. However, if the company leaders promote attention to service and are personally responding to client issues and queries, the entire company will follow suit and show a high level of care for clients as well.
Remove Opportunities For Office Politics
The worst thing you can do to a company you want to love is allow drama and negativity to fester among departments and office cliques. Keep an eye and ear to the ground to pick up on any trends showing these problems may be en route–and task managers and leadership to set a good example and avoid playing into the politics. You can also encourage positive interactions and friendly relationships by including team building events on a regular basis. From major, full day events and excursions (we do a really awesome music team building event if you need ideas!) to mini sessions to kick off department meetings, creating opportunities for positive relationship building is key to reducing the opportunities for office politics to ruin your company.