Key takeaways (read the original full post here):

It’s crucial to develop an attractive and inclusive company culture for your small businesses.

In the past, increasing wages would have helped to alleviate the issue. But, in the current economy, many SMEs are simply unable to afford salary rises.

Instead, a well-defined work culture has become one of the best ways to distinguish yourself from competitors and improve employee engagement. It’s also beneficial for SMEs, as employees are far more likely to thrive within a supportive, conflict-free work culture, which leads

 

What is organisational culture?

The embodiment of a brand’s personality. Your culture influences behaviour and because of this, it should reflect your company’s values and expectations, and align closely with your company mission statement. A positive organisational culture will create a positive work environment that will see employees working towards a common goal.

 

Why is an organisational culture so important?

It will make your employees more engaged with the company and consequently likely to stay longer.

 

What is startup culture?

It’s a move away from ‘boring’ corporate culture and has lots of positive outcomes. Less rigid processes and a defined management pecking order can create the ideal atmosphere for innovation and accelerated growth.

 

How to develop a company culture

There’s no secret recipe for building a positive company culture. It’s something that comes from the employees, with the company values at the centre. The key to defining a successful company culture is to ensure that your ideal scenario is supported by strategy and structure.

 

• Communication – This is done by communicating the culture. For example, sharing stories about your company culture in action, such as by giving a shoutout to a staff member who you think really acted with integrity during a key project. By communicating your company culture and how it enables your business, it becomes more consistent and more effective.

• Be honest – Don’t shy away from transparency about the problems within your company. If you claim to promote DEI, but discover a gender pay gap within your company, don’t hush it up. Acknowledge the issue and communicate to your staff that you are taking steps to fix it.

• Be open to change – Long-term, the main tenets of your organisational culture are likely to stay the same. But, don’t be too steadfast in your approach to company behaviours and beliefs, as these will be affected by external social factors.

• Involve everyone – The leadership team must demonstrate a similar commitment to the company’s culture, or they risk undermining the very behaviours they’re trying to establish. Lead by example.

• Rein in bad behaviour – Embedding the ‘right’ kind of organisational culture for your business also means squashing the wrong kind – before it takes root. This will avoid causing conflict within the team further down the line.