Building a strong culture based on a company’s vision and mission, can improve productivity, performance and result in improved revenue.
Lately, we’ve been hearing a lot of people talk about engagement and culture. In particular, how leadership is critical to the success of business and its culture. Some might think this only applies to bigger companies, when in actual fact, it’s essential for the success of all businesses.
How do we actually affect the culture and people in our business? Having a wonderful vision and mission statement is a great start, but how does your culture really perform in real life.
Are your leaders and team truly empowered to allow a culture that is communicated in your statements and visionary speeches?
Are you only looking at your Sales and Marketing when the numbers are down and things are flat in your business?
How can we as leaders approach such a mammoth task of implementing a cultural shift that can take a business soaring into a consistent state of growth, profitability and productivity?
The first stage is acknowledging there is work to be done and then, deciding what a successful culture looks like. Then the hard work and commitment starts.
Successful leaders say it takes guts and courage to take on change. You have to be ruthless and persistent. Embrace the fear that will be before you and there will be big rewards for your tenacity and consistency in the end.
Through my clients, I am exposed to businesses of all sizes and industries, and the ones I see succeed in this space are the ones that have a strong awareness. They know their people are the most important part of the business, and they make decisions with this in mind at the core of the organisation.
Their leadership threads the expected level of engagement and activity through demonstrated consistency, actions and behaviour. They will also communicate their vision and mission, with behaviour in line with the values and beliefs of the business.
After all, great policy and process can only succeed with great people that are aligned with the vision and values of the business, so this awareness is driven from the top down.
Communicating an organisation’s vision and mission, values and beliefs, can affect how an employee within performs at work. This is through their behaviour, business practices, communication, teamwork and ethics.
Without a positive culture, a business can quickly lead to chaos, mixed messages, unhappy staff, and an unclear direction. All of which affect employee retention, client retention, the bottom line and company revenue.
So, how does a company culture impact growth, revenue and a high performing team?
Engaged employees attract enthusiasm
A strong, well defined, positive culture that includes genuine care and respect for health and wellbeing increases employee engagement, job satisfaction, and productivity.
Engaged employees are enthusiastic about their roles, and desires to make a positive impact, whereas a disengaged hire will simply show up, give only what is required by their role and is reluctant to work as a team player.
One of the clearest methods to determine and engage an employee is through key measurables for employee success, including KPI’s and a personal development plan that synonymously reflects a company’s goals and objectives.
From employee feedback and engagement, companies have healed the gap for disengaged staff through new programs and initiatives including health and wellbeing programs, flexible working, and rewards – all of which have been very successful in attracting and retaining the right talent.
A culture that cultivates
A strong culture cultivates growth and success, for the individual, team, company and the client. People are attracted to a role nowadays for more than just a pay cheque. High employee retention rates, productivity, faster growth and therefore profit, are achieved when employees feel supported and included.
Retaining quality talent can be through inclusion, empowerment, innovation and guidance. Giving employees the opportunity to think creatively, be nurtured and given the space to make mistakes, has proven to be essential to creating high performance and commitment to an organisation.
Strong company culture creates purpose
Companies with a strong sense of culture, build high-performing, engaged teams. This is because defining a culture attracts and retains the right team members with aligned values, promotes the organisation’s values and reinforces those values throughout the company.
When this occurs, employees share a common purpose and understand how their role impacts the company. They are rewarded for their efforts, which reinforces key mindsets and behaviors needed to deliver the maximum results. Feeling fulfilled, appreciated, and part of the bigger picture elevates the level of work and outcomes. When a team of employees feels connected, trust builds as everyone’s words match actions and mindsets match behaviors.
Trust is critical to a company’s success
Building a culture of trust is a critical component to company growth and longevity through loyal employees. Authentic trust is built through consistent actions, follow-through, and a genuine interest and care for the employees, with data proving that employee retention and engagement increases when there is a high degree of trust.
When we as leaders are acting in line with our values, our team will believe in the values and follow. Take care of your people and they will take care of your business.