"Culture" can be defined as the values and practices shared by members of a group. A company's culture, therefore, is made up of the values and practices shared by its employees. It is a company's personality.
Before you dismiss the concept of company culture as something you don't have time to worry about, consider this: A company's culture affects everything, including its bottom line. A positive culture can help a company outperform its competitors.
If all the employees of A's Restrooms value promptness, then tardiness to work and scheduled appointments is not a problem, thus increasing productivity. If those employees also put a high value on cleanliness then they always show up in fresh clean uniforms and do an exemplary job on the restrooms, resulting in positive feedback from A's customers and, most likely, repeat business. A's Restrooms has a company culture that includes values and practices rewarded in the marketplace.
Characteristics of a positive company culture
If you don't have a reading on your company culture (which in itself may be a sign that it's not as good as it could be), take a few days to assess the situation. Look at how employees act and interact with customers and each other. Listen to employees, suppliers and customers. Are you hearing positive comments, quality conversations and even a bit of laughter? Are people engaged in what they are doing? Do people help each other out? Or is it all griping and complaining? Are people passive or defensive? Are you hearing a lot of blame being thrown around for mistakes? Does everyone seem out for himself or herself?
Signs of a positive company culture include:
• High employee morale, motivation and productivity.
• Strong teamwork and cross-functional cooperation (people are
willing to pitch in and help each other rather than grumble,
"That's not my job.").
• Memorable service that produces loyal customers.
• Low turnover.
• Managers with excellent people skills.
Boy, doesn't that sound great? Wouldn't it be a breeze to run a company with a culture like that (if you don't already)?
The good news about company culture is that it evolves and changes over time, because each person brings values and practices to the mix and can influence others in a positive or negative way. If your company culture could stand some improvement, you need to "accentuate the positive," as the old song goes.
To shift your company culture toward the positive, realize that companies with a positive culture have a few things in common. Employees of positive companies feel they are fairly compensated, with pay and benefits on par with comparable companies. There's also open communication between management and staff, and programs in place to show employees their work is valued. Positive companies invest in training to ensure the success and safety of all employees.
MAKE IT BETTER
Improving culture doesn't have to involve a complex system of rewards. Start by thanking an employee for showing up every day and doing his job well and without complaint.
Sometimes a negative shift in the culture is caused because employees don't get along with each other. And often, the reason is simple: They just don't know each other. Create opportunities for people to get to know a little about each other ... what they do for the company, their lives outside of work, and what they did before they came to work for your company. Sometimes all it takes is for people to meet in a relaxed setting. Why do you think company picnics have been around so long?
WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
The former manager of a large grocery store chain says he frequently gave his employees the following speech:
"When we walk in here each day, all we have is each other. The outside world doesn't have much of an idea of what we do in here and our families are at home or somewhere else. So each day when we come to work, all we have is us and we all need to work together to get along."
That applies to the portable sanitation business even more than the grocery business. Most people have some idea what employees of a grocery store do, but there aren't many people outside of the industry who understand just what you and your employees do every day. That's not necessarily a bad thing, especially when you can use it to establish camaraderie in your company.
Culture Starts with Leadership
People look to their leaders for behavior cues. Most people want to be open and engaged, but they will only be this way if their leaders and the culture encourage it. In any company, the majority of employees are flexible. If the culture dictates it, they will be engaged, responsible, pleasant and productive. On the other hand, if they don't believe the culture wants them to be engaged, the same people can be closed, unengaged, irresponsible, unpleasant and unproductive.
If you want your employees to be engaged, you have to engage them. If you want better communications and relationships, work to communicate and establish good relationships. If managers want employees to be efficient and productive, they help those employees understand how each individual's job duties, no matter how large or small, contribute to the success of the company.
Unfortunately, many business owners have reacted to recent economic challenges with tighter controls and increased directives, creating a negative culture shift. Take time to take the pulse of your company and assess its culture. Make sure your response to today's marketplace hasn't changed your company culture in an adverse way. If it has, commit to turning it around by encouraging your employees to be more positive and engaged.
