How to foster a cohesive company culture

Company culture sets the tone and influences how employees work, interact, and feel about their jobs. Every business has a company culture, whether or not the owner sets out to create one intentionally. By being proactive and creating the type of environment you want, you have greater control over the vibe in your company. A cohesive company culture builds positive employee relationships, increases productivity, and makes your staffers want to show up for work each day.

Perform a Company Culture Audit

If you have employees, your company culture already exists. Is it the type of culture that supports your company’s goals and mission statement? Take time to evaluate the type of culture that’s already developing around you. Try to separate yourself from your role as the owner and look at interactions from an impartial perspective. Things such as interactions between employees, conflict resolution, management techniques, and emotions employees show can give you clues about your culture. Compare the actual culture that’s happening now with what you want to happen to identify changes.

Put Your Company Culture in Writing

Creating a positive company culture takes effort and time. Just like your business goals, mission, and other guiding ideas, your company culture becomes more attainable when you define it and have it in writing. A company culture statement helps you identify areas that need work, so you can start taking steps toward building the environment you want. You can use the written culture statement as a rallying message to get your employees on board. They see exactly what you expect and your goals for the atmosphere around the office.

Encourage Open Communication

Employees appreciate open communication and honesty. Open communication is a big part of building trust. If you’re quiet about every aspect of the business, employees start to wonder what they’re missing. Keeping employees updated on what’s happening with the company makes them feel more integral to the success of the business. Your staff is also better able to help the company succeed when they have key information.

Communication also goes the other way. Let your employees share their opinions and ideas freely. You may discover some great ideas you’ve been missing when you encourage employees to take more ownership in the work. Listening to employee feedback can also help you improve your company culture with little changes for a better workplace.

Create an Inclusive, Supportive Environment

One of the most important parts of creating a positive company culture is being inclusive. When you make everyone feel included, your employees are more likely to work well together. A supportive, inclusive environment makes your company a more enjoyable place to be. No one wants to feel excluded or less valuable than others. Being inclusive shows that you care about each employee. This can make your employees more willing to put forth extra effort for your company. They may also be more productive when their work is valued.

Plan Team Building Activities for Employees

Help build a sense of team and unity among your employees with activities beyond work. During the workday, you can organise weekly or monthly luncheons. These kinds of activities give employees a chance to socialize outside of regular work interactions. You can also plan after-hours events, such as a meal together or some type of entertainment. Employees get to know one another on a personal level, which can help foster stronger relationships.

Being intentional with your company culture from day one helps create the work environment you want. For long-term success, it’s important to focus on key aspects of building a consistent, positive culture from the beginning.