Recently, someone asked me to write fewer than 350 words about three of the main elements of a great corporate culture. I am a marketer obsessed with brand experience so I was more than happy to indulge.
Many people confuse corporate culture with pizza parties and ping pong tables when it is much more profound and somewhat elusive to define. Elements can vary based on the type of business and employees.
Regardless of industry, companies with great culture will all have low turnover, a full bench of people who want to join the team, a healthy bottom line, and high customer satisfaction scores. Knowing the results of a great culture, many leaders find themselves wondering how to get it.
If the definition of culture truly is so varied, is there any hope for the young startup or struggling business trying to reinvent itself? The answer is yes; if you focus on three simple things, the rest will follow:
1. Inspirational and Empowering
Think of your mission statement as the cornerstone of your culture. A powerful mission will unite team members and propel your business forward. It’s the rallying cry that makes someone want to put in that extra effort.
Hint: If you are struggling to develop your mission statement, think about what you want, the result to be, and work back there.
2. Clearly Defined
Every company has core values posted somewhere, but does everyone know what they mean? The lack of clarity in this area can often be frustrating and result in hiring the wrong people. If you define your core values and link them to desired behaviors, you will increase the likelihood of having a passionate and driven team.
3. Live It, Breathe It
To ensure a great culture, your leadership team must embrace and demonstrate the core values. Nothing kills the spirit of an engaged team member faster than the realization that the values that fuel them are not a priority for senior leadership. The saying about “you know what” rolling down the hill, it’s true. Everything rolls down, including attitude.
Once you have those three things running smoothly, go ahead and throw that pizza party if you want. You earned it