Organisational Culture

We spend 40 or 50 or more hours at work each week. Many of us spend more time with those we work with than we do our families and to be content and fulfilled people, that time must be valuable for more than a dollar. . .

We want to be engaged in our work. We yearn for work that is enjoyable, meaningful and engaging because when we’re engaged we’re safer in our job, more productive and more willing and able to delight customers

Most organisation’s culture is that of sales and customer service oriented to ensure that while your staff are engaged and happy that your clients are satisfied and achieving their business goals. This is a win-win for all stakeholders.

Regardless of the focus on work, it is important for a business to think about the work environment, working relationships and “how we do things here.” By focusing on building and sustaining your business & workplace culture you are showing that your staff are your most valuable asset.

There are of course many other bottom line business reasons to focus on and build organisational culture. Here are seven of those reasons.

A strong culture is a talent-attractor. Your business culture is part of the package that prospective employees look at when assessing your business. Gone are the days of selecting the person you want from a large eager pool. The talent market is tighter and those looking for a new opportunity are more selective than ever. The best people want more than a salary and good benefits. They want an environment they can enjoy and succeed in.

A strong culture is talent-retainer. How likely are people to stay if they have other options and don’t love where they are? Your organisation’s culture is a key component of a person’s desire to stay and remain loyal to your organisation.

A strong culture engages people. People want to be engaged in their work. According to a Gallup survey at least 22 million workers are extremely negative or “actively disengaged” – this loss of productivity is estimated to be worth between $250-$300 Billion annually. Your culture can engage people. Engagement creates greater productivity, which can impact profitability.

A strong culture creates energy and momentum. Build a culture that is vibrant and allows people to be valued and express themselves and you will create a very real energy. That positive energy will permeate the organization and create a new momentum for success. Energy is contagious and will build on itself, reinforcing the culture and the attractiveness of your business and workplace not only to potential employees, but also to clients.

A strong culture changes the view of “work.” Most people have a negative connotation of the word work. Work equals drudgery, 9-5. When you create a culture that is attractive, people’s view of “going to work” will change. Would you rather see work as drudgery or a joy? Which do you think your employees would prefer? Which will lead to the best results?

A strong culture creates greater synergy. A strong culture brings people together. When people have the opportunity to (and are expected to) communicate and get to know each other better, they will find new connections. These connections will lead to new ideas and greater productivity – in other words, you will be creating synergy. Literally, 1 + 1 + right culture = more than 10.

A strong culture makes everyone more successful. Any one of the other six reasons should be reason enough to focus on your culture. But the bottom line is that an investment of time, talent and focus on your organisation culture will give you all of the above benefits.

Not only is creating a better culture a good thing to do for the human capital in the business, it makes good business sense too.