Why Culture Matters
One of the biggest, and often forgotten, factors of a company’s success is their culture. Culture can add tremendous value to the growth and success of an organization. However, it can also be detrimental if not given the attention and mindfulness it needs. What exactly is culture? If you google it, a number of different explanations and scenarios will appear. To put it simply, culture is the way a group of people does things. When you look at the workplace, it can be applied to a number of things; how a company communicates change (or anything for that matter), how they develop their team, their approach to work-life-balance and the way they engage.
Culture can and should change over time. If you stick literally to the definition of 'the way a group of people does things’, it can be very un-inclusive. A healthy culture should be able to adapt. Toxic cultures often struggle to go through change, creating poor lines of communication and leaving employees feeling left behind or not included. To keep up with today’s highly competitive job market, there are some key reasons you might want to take a look at your company’s culture.
Employee retention
One of the biggest struggles companies are facing in this wild job market is retention. Relying on antiquated “perks” aren’t going to be what keeps your employees. How you treat them however, will go much further. When employees feel valued and like an integral part of their company’s success and growth, they tend to want to continue the journey. Having a negative or toxic culture is one of the fastest ways to lose top talent.
Productivity
It’s no secret that high production levels don’t typically come from disgruntled or unhappy employees. When employees are engaged, celebrated for their successes and feel included, there is a desire to work hard to meet goals. It also creates a much bigger space for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Reputation
Your reputation is likely very important to you as a business owner or leader within an organization, whether your company is dealing with clients, or you are simply trying to hire, how you treat people will have an impact on both. Employees who buy into the culture and believe in the values of your company, will work hard to service their clients, and be an incredible ambassador for your organization. Same goes for trying to attract talent. Companies who treat their employees poorly aren’t often able to keep it a secret for very long. People talk and there are a number of places to share reviews about their experience as an employee. If you aren’t engaged with your staff, this can lead to some poor performance, which can affect how your clients are serviced as well as toxic relationships within your organization.
An important thing to remember is that, if you have struggled with this in the past, it’s never too late to change. Survey your team, see how they are feeling, and really listen to the feedback. As leaders, it is important to have accountability for the culture of your team and your organization.
Meet the Author
Sarah Herrmann
Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Tech
When we say, “Ultimate Connectors,” we mean the best at the talent acquisition game.
Our expertise extends across industries, and verticals, with a broad network of professionals at all levels. Whatever your talent needs, we deliver a solution in a way that best fits your unique organization.
