Company culture doesn’t just happen. For the most part, it’s cultivated by the leadership team, either intentionally or unintentionally. So, if you’re unhappy with your company culture, it’s on you to change it — but that doesn’t mean you should feel all alone in this endeavor. Here are four tips that can help you make your company more successful, happier and healthier in the long run.
Too often we are quick to criticize negative behavior and slow to celebrate positive behaviors. A simple way to start shifting your team’s energy is to talk about what’s working well instead of what isn’t working. Stop criticizing and begin rewarding good behavior with recognition or with small rewards (e.g., an ice cream sundae party). Even small rewards that are doled out over time can have a big impact on improving attitudes and energy around change efforts! Just make sure the rewards are incentives for good work accomplished and not bribes for work that needs to be completed.
If you have people on your team who resist change and refuse to participate, there may be a reason why. It could be that they don’t trust you or feel threatened by something else—like budget cuts or new initiatives—and are acting out as an outlet for their frustrations. More than likely, though, it’s just because they’re resistant to change in general and need extra coaxing. Acknowledge their feelings and explain how you plan to address them: I know things will look different at first, but I promise we’ll get through it together. Then show them how they can make a difference: Your feedback is important here; let me know what you think about X or Y so we can work toward Z together.
Some of us have stellar managers or companies who help us through. But if you’re not so lucky and your team isn’t responsive to change, consider one of these four solutions 1) Ask yourself what you can do differently; 2) Evaluate how much control you really have over others; 3) Consider changing teams; 4) Decide whether it’s worth staying at all. Each option has its own pros and cons, but they all allow room for growth—which is important because engaging in a positive work environment will give you an opportunity to show off your skills.
If you notice resistance from one or more employees, it’s likely because they aren’t aware of how exactly their role contributes to making positive change possible. Be sure everyone understands what part they play and make time to address any concerns they have head-on so that you can reach as many people as possible with your message—and you can continue to build on their understanding over time. Everyone needs to be part of making a better company culture.
Find out why major changes are needed to fix a toxic work environment here.
Check why people are no longer staying with Companies that have Cool Cultures