How Company Culture Can Make Or Break Your Company
By Perminus Wainaina
Forget everything you have heard or read about company culture.
Today I will tell you what you really need to know about the culture of your organization and why it is so important in the sustainability of your company.
But first…we need to understand what company culture is or isn’t.
Simply put, company culture is the personality of an organization. It’s all about a company’s values, behaviors and ethics.
That simple.
So it’s really about how employees interact in an organization, what values do they uphold? How is your style of management? What are the guiding ethics in the workplace and so on.
Now that you know let’s look at the importance of creating a consistent company culture
A happy employee makes a happy CEO
You will notice that some of the most productive employees are those whose values match those of the company.
For instance, imagine an employee working for a company that requires team effort yet they prefer working alone, they will end up being frustrated and so will you.
They are happier doing their job more than anything else are results driven and in turn you are satisfied with their performance because their contribution is felt.
Getting the right people on board that fit with the culture of your company will serve to do these 2 things:
- Increased employee productivity
- A high retention rate
Having said that…here are 5 ways you can make sure you maintain a consistent company culture
- How Is Your Reporting Structure
What is the system of reporting in your company?
It should be systematic and your employees should know how the reporting structure works.
Enforce a system of policies such as form of communication, Key Performance Indicators, team building activities and even duties and responsibilities of each department.
This not only creates order but also sees to it that your employees understand their position, role and method of working.
- Internal Training’s To Ensure Your Employees Understand The Company Culture
The best way to ensure that your employees remain abreast with your company culture and values is make sure that every once in a while you hold trainings on company culture and values and mission.
Remember that people can forget a vision and they can forget why they need to keep doing what is required in order to see that the organization’s bottom line is achieved.
This is also a good platform to re-structure departmental objectives for maximum results.
- Your Company Is A Brand
If you are a CEO you must remember that you are a brand and so is your company.
You are in charge of making sure your company values are well understood within and without your organization.
For instance, if some of your core values are transparency, honesty and integrity, make sure this is known across the board.
And by the way, this is also a good way of making sure that you hire only the right people to join your team.
- How Do You Reward Success
Don’t ever let your employees feel like they are working for nothing.
If your employee(s) perform well, be the first to congratulate and reward them. Whether it is giving them a bonus, pay rise, taking them out for lunch as a place of their choice etc.
This will create a culture of rewards and will encourage the rest of your staff to work harder to receive rewards as well.
- You Are A Team Player Not An Island
No man is an island…
Even the most introverted introvert needs the help of others to progress in life.
Build a culture of team cohesion and team synergy.
Some of the best results are achieved as a team not as an individual.
Let your employees know that even though there are a number of individuals working in different departments, you are all one big happy team!
The bottom line…
As a CEO, you set the tone for the organization. You are the deciding factor into what is acceptable and unacceptable company behavior.
Do you have a job vacancy you’d like to fill with the best talent in the market?
Email our Client Service Manager- Muthoni Ndegwa on muthoni@corporatestaffing.co.ke and copy pwainaina@corporatestaffing.co.ke
Perminus Wainaina is a Certified HR Consultant and the Managing Partner at Corporate Staffing Services where he manages a team of 20 staff. He helps CEO’s, executives, and managers solve their biggest HR pains, dysfunctions, and key challenges and turn their teams into a well-oiled machine that contributes dramatically to business success.