Building a company in today’s information rich age can oftentimes seem like an easy task. At your fingertips you have the resources, research, and dozens of other sources showing you how other leaders built their companies from the ground up. However, while this may seem easy on paper, we often see one thing lacking in these documents: Creating a culture.
“Company Culture” as it’s come to be known, is an important part of any business, large or small. From how you greet your customers, to how you hire employees, to even how you run your morning meetings, company culture is an important component to running a successful business.
In this article, we will review how we here at FCP Services create a better company culture, and how that in turn builds a better community.
Core Values
Without values, there is no culture. Core Values are what your company stands for. Think of your core values as the navigational map on your journey. Things change very quickly in a business; a wave of new clients puts strain on employees, a sudden shift in the market forces you to look elsewhere for prospects, the list can go on. But one thing must remain constant, the values your company promotes.
Constantly reminding your employees of the values your company upholds is an important part in navigating towards the culture you want to create. Mention them in meetings, or paint them on the wall where your employees see them daily. This can be the difference between having your team on board and ready for anything, or being confused or even troublesome when it comes to new responsibilities.
Build A Social Team
When your employees barely know each other, it can build invisible walls that can prohibit new ideas and innovation from happening in your company. It’s important to not just provide someone with a job, but provide them with a workspace where they feel welcome, and are excited to come to work every day to interact with their colleagues.
A great way to do this is by going above and beyond the daily operations of your business. Schedule a happy hour or team dinner monthly. Start a book club where your team members can chat about a common topic. There are multiple ways to build these relationships both inside and outside of the office.
As with most things though, it’s easy for these relationships to decrease productivity. Getting to know others is exciting, and can distract from the monotony of daily work tasks. This leads us to our third point.
Provide Meaning And Motivation
In a time where people are searching for meaning and purpose more than ever, creating one in your workspace is crucial to your culture. Are your employees showing up simply for a paycheck? Or are they showing up to work to be a part of something much larger that they can help grow?
Similar to the core values we mentioned earlier, a defining purpose gives your employees at all levels of the company something to work toward. Whether it’s meeting a yearly sales goal, or launching a new product, you can use your company’s growth to motivate those around you. Instead of being another cog in the wheel, your employees are now vital players in a larger mission.
Build A Better Culture.
Your company can hire the best people and see great results. But giving these people a reason other than a paycheck to come to work will create a unbreakable culture within your company. When your team knows what the company stands for, and feel like they are truly part of a supportive team that wants the best for them, the results will be remarkable.