Is Your Company Culture Breaking You?

Your company culture determines what type of employees fit within the organization and drives how they interact with one other, what they think of their work and how they solve problems. A negative company culture can break you, driving away good employees. Create a positive environment with these six steps.

1. Define Valued Employee Qualities

Building a strong, positive company culture begins with determining which qualities are most important to your organization. Are you looking for self-motivated employees? Do you prefer a team of employees with excellent communication skills? Decide on these qualities that are valued by your company, list them out and then make them clear in every job description you post.

2. Hire Employees Who Fit

To make sure your organization employs workers who align with your company's culture, discuss the valued qualities you've established during the hiring process. Continue to endorse these values in coaching meetings and during employee performance reviews. If you compromise by hiring employees who don't possess the desired traits, it can reflect negatively on the company culture, shaping your organization in an undesirable way.

3. Promote the Company Mission

A company mission lets your employees know what goals your organization strives to reach and lets workers see how they contribute to this cause. As employees face challenges, they can use the company mission to help define the solutions that are most favorable for all involved. Enlist managers who strongly support the company's goals and can communicate the mission to employees.

4. Develop Your Employees

To help your company grow and promote a positive company culture, employee development is a necessity. Provide classes and seminars that help workers develop their skills. Enact mentoring programs that let new workers learn from seasoned employees with plenty of knowledge to impart. Help workers focus on their long-term career goals to show employees that they're valued by the organization.

5. Reward Outstanding Employees

When certain outperforming employees stand apart from the rest, acknowledge their hard work and offer rewards. Consider a process that bases employee pay scales and promotions on the worker's performance. Make sure this policy is clearly communicated throughout the organization so expectations are known by all employees.

6. Reinforce Encouraged Behaviors

Once a company culture is established and the organization's mission is clearly defined, it's important to reinforce desired behaviors continuously to keep seeing favorable results. For example, if your company places importance on ongoing improvement efforts, schedule regular after-action review meetings when projects are completed. Discuss what was successful and what didn't go well. Determine what changes you can make to improve future efforts.

If your company culture is lacking, it shows in your bottom line. Employee turnover rates soar and company profits plummet. Build a strong company culture that doesn't break you with these six tips.

Photo Courtesy of Harry Tahiliani at Flirkc.rom