7 Ways to Build a Strong Company Culture

Every small/big organization has a vision, an idea that seeds its inception. This eventually branches out and gives a proper structure to an organization. It's just like starting a family you always wanted to have. Some fail, and some happen to live with happiness and prosperity.

Company culture is the amalgamation of vision, values, work environment, and internal behavior. It is the personality of your company. It is responsible for-

• How employees feel about the company.
• The way it functions.
• What message it gives to its customers.
• Why it stands out.
• How your company is perceived.
• And its reputation.

Importance Of Having A Right Company Culture

If you do not have a strong company culture, you may fail irrespective of talent and sources. If you pay attention to successful companies like Apple, Google, Amazon, or Disney, the common thread you would find is its company culture.

These companies have started with a vision and a strong company culture. They know what their brands stand for. What message they want to spread to its customers. They take care of their employees and are provided with solid employee perks and benefits. They respect their employees' decisions and work collaboratively with respect and trust.

In an interview, Apple’s ex-CEO, Steve Jobs said that Apple has a very collaborative company culture and does not have any committees. He reveals that they are organized like a start-up. They have assigned people individually for their different products and services. Teams work on their respective parts with enough trust and belief, and this is what they do well.

Apple has been following this organizational culture since its inception. This proves that Apple was very sure about its company culture and how it wants to function. They believe in collaborative teamwork, and all its employees are aligned with the company’s vision. They trust their product and are proud of it, which reflects in it. This sense of sight and culture made Apple the no.1 technology company in the world.

Here Are The 7 Ways To Build A Strong Company Culture

1. Start With The Foundation

When you start a company, you start it with your beliefs and experiences. You structure it the way you want. The looks, the vision for your company transcends from your individuality. It is significant to build a foundation with these core principles. This is when you realize, no matter where your company reaches, you would stick by the culture you envisioned and work towards it.

2. Right Hiring

Your company carries the trait of its employees and their understanding of corporate structure and behavior. So it's imperative to diligently create a culture that goes well with its vision and values. This way, you would help your organization stand tall in the corporate crowd.

Hiring the right people who fit with your organization’s ideologies is an excellent tactic to follow. A wrong hire can completely change the game for you. Hire people who fit your culture—one who can keep the same vision and work towards it.

3. Vision

When you start building a company, you envision many prospects. The first thing you do is to create goals and work towards them. You create a plan, hire people and work hard to achieve those. Having the right vision is great when you want to start a strong company culture.

While doing that, you should also make sure to create realistic, achievable goals. You cannot mindlessly have unrealistic goals or make promises to your employees, which will never see daylight.

4. Turn Your Brand Into A Cause

What your brand stands for? What are the problems it addresses or solves? Or does it serve the customer or help them in any possible way? Questions like this may sound very moralistic, but it is vital for any organization. It gives a brand reputation and what they stand for.

Coca-Cola promises to refresh the mind, body, and spirit. To inspire moments of optimism, create value, and make a difference. This is what coca-cola stands for and strongly believes in spreading happiness.

Coca-Cola also promotes an inclusive work culture that is rich in diverse people, talent, and ideas.

5. Job Satisfaction

You cannot have a great company culture without your employees being happy and satisfied. Make sure your employees are satisfied with their jobs and enjoy working with you. Since a workplace has a diverse set of people, it is better to run an internal job satisfaction survey. A survey is effective in analyzing and improving the company culture and improving overall employee satisfaction.

When employees are happy and satisfied with the management and work culture, they put their best effort into making the company successful.

6. Take Care Of Your Employees

Your employees are the building block of your organization. Your company culture is shaped according to their traits and internal behavior. So it would help if you took care of your employees. Make sure your employees do not feel left out. Listen to them. Give them surprises on their birthdays or work anniversaries. Try to know them personally, be honest and transparent with them.

Support your employees and always help them in need. Actively listen to them, communicate more to understand their state of mind, and try to know about anything bothering them or diminishing their well-being.

When you care for your employees and help them grow, that’s when you build a team that can thrive and accomplish anything.

7. Retain Good People

Retaining good people is equally as crucial as hiring the right ones. You soon realize, the teams you build have potential and can help your company grow in the long run. They develop your company culture and are valuable. The flip side is that it's tough to retain these people.

Do what it takes to retain them. Please provide them with the best employee retention program you can. More than that, make them realize it's their company too, and its sustainability and growth have a lot to do with them.

Don't miss our podcast on: How leaders can communicate a company's culture to employees

Wrapping It Up

Do you have a strong company culture? Or do you want to improve your culture according to your company's ideologies?

If yes! Then this is how you can build a great company culture. All you need is perseverance and belief in your vision, and determination to adapt to any unwelcoming change.

This article is written by Braja Deepon Roy. He works as a Content Creator and Digital Marketer at Vantage Circle. He actively participates in the growth of corporate culture and keeps himself updated in this space. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com