No matter how great your product or service is, it won’t do much good if your customers don’t stick around. Toxic working environments cost US organizations billions of dollars each year, and they put an incredible strain on employees that can result in high turnover rates, absenteeism, and general dissatisfaction among your staff. If you want to truly grow your organization and build something extraordinary, cultivating an intentional company culture is absolutely essential. Here are a few ways to get started with this process—along with some resources to help you along the way.
Toxic workplaces cost US organizations $360 billion each year. A Gallup poll found that 50% of employees don’t like going to work, and 79% are actively disengaged at work. Luckily, we can use research to understand how toxic environments harm our bottom line, and we can reverse these trends through a few common practices.
Companies that strive to create a healthy, functional culture often have great intentions. Unfortunately, many fall short. To avoid falling into common traps and mistakes, it’s essential to start with a strong foundation. A strong corporate culture isn’t something you build overnight; rather, it starts from day one and is constantly nurtured over time. Here are a few critical ingredients for creating a positive company culture.
A healthy company culture sets your business up for success by providing employees with a clear understanding of how to best do their jobs, empowering them to take initiative, and promoting a sense of trust and respect among all staff. In other words, building a positive company culture is vital for your long-term growth as an organization. As one entrepreneur put it: Culture eats strategy for breakfast!
A healthy company culture isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a necessity for growth and innovation. A positive culture can significantly impact productivity, employee engagement, customer loyalty, and brand reputation. After all, happy employees are motivated employees—which means a well-designed corporate culture is great for your bottom line too! If you want to grow your organization and build something extraordinary, it’s absolutely essential that you cultivate an intentional company culture today.
It’s Not Just About Benefits and Perks: One common misconception is that perks like free lunch and dry cleaning are what drives employees to stick around. While these benefits can improve retention, they don’t necessarily build a culture on their own. After all, someone could be given a desk with wheels, but if that person isn’t moving in a direction that he or she wants to move, then he or she will still be disengaged.
Here is some insight on building the right company culture.
See why you shouldn’t build a culture on a single personality here.