Something I have learned over the years, from working with agencies, employers and business clients is that work culture really does matter. Work culture begins at the top and trickles down. It can be largely defined by how the boss behaves including the words they pick, the questions they ask, the emotions they choose to show you, as well as their dress sense and their general daily standards. All the things you are allowed to do, and not do and what defines the business norm, give those key insights into the work culture of the organisation.
Work style, workflow, and behavioural expectations are all defined by the one at the top, and in the same way, the fish will rot from the head down, a great and growing organisation has a leader who lives and breathes inspirational ideas, standards and openness.
A tale of two business cultures
Work culture is often defined by the business owner because the boss shows you what is expected in terms of the way you communicate, the way you work and how you use your time.
The best work culture I have been in, involved a bright, clean office, with banter allowed and daily 10-minute office-wide games such as wars with Nerf guns when a special computer alarm went off (yep, I’m not kidding!). If you had an idea it was listened to and often acted upon. There were productive, short group meetings standing up (not sitting around a table) where everyone had a turn, there were trips outside to get air and when clients were introduced, they were introduced to everyone, junior to senior, as a matter of importance. Teams quickly became cohesive and like a brand, in behaviour. Guess what? This business is thriving and growing. They have a second outside office, in a forest. The people want to stay there, too.
The worst work culture I witnessed was in a dank, dark, messy and claustrophobic office, with a boss who rarely showed up and when he did, he sat in a place literally higher than everyone else, like a king on a throne on a stage. The coffee mugs grew fungus from neglect. The MD frequently yelled, in a verging on violent way at employees without warning, and they were never praised, nor given credit for successes. There were incidents of objects being thrown. Conflicts were regular and the air was heavy. This business has shrunk, and the boss has now gone.
There are many versions in between and beyond these examples, out there. There is one line that really does make sense when it comes to this kind of realisation and that is ‘you reap what you sow’ . Treat people with respect, treat them like they count, nurture their ability, acknowledge them and forgive them and you’ll see them develop and thrive. Go the other way, beat them down, treat them like units, squeeze them for workload and keep them micromanaged to death and they will either leave, mirror or mimic the poor behaviour, or become broken like the business they have fallen foul to.
And the big question for employers… How can you know that company culture impacts the bottom line and helps the business grow? One study found that a culture that attracts high-calibre employees translates to a 33% increase in revenue. In addition, it reported that highly engaged employees lead to a 202% increase in performance, and company culture is important to nearly half of all job seekers.
StartUp on the right foot
Tweak the culture right as early as possible, and every day will have meaning for everyone there. For StartUps, this is important because StartUp culture tends to be manic and evolve with the strongest energies (which may not be understood at the start). Think of a StartUp as a crazy puppy chasing sticks thrown in the air. It goes after everything and anything that moves before it gets exhausted and settles down to understand which stick is best to chase.
There is often high employee churn in StartUps because all the sticks are in the air and it’s chaotic and people get binned if they don’t fit the next chosen direction. By starting with a set, agreed and thought-out company culture (not just lip service), with involved, inspired and engaged teams, the company will set off on a strong stride.
People are the business, it’s that simple.
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Well said Richard, I invite you to guest post on my blog.
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