“The first thing to look for when searching for a great employee is somebody with a personality that fits with your company culture. Most skills can be learned, but it is difficult to train people on their personality. If you can find people who are fun, friendly, caring and love helping others, you are on to a winner.”
It’s a quote from Sir Richard Branson, an English business magnate, investor, philanthropist and the founder of Virgin Group which comprises of 400 companies. I’m sure we all agree to every word he said. A company culture can make or break a business. It’s a very important element of an organisation because it determines how employees interact with each other. Company culture also reflects how the company’s clients and customers will be treated.
So here are some tips on how to create a great company culture:
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Create a culture with personal touch and authenticity
Your company’s culture should be a reflection of who you are, your beliefs and goals. Create a culture that shows your core values and how you want your brand or company to be known for. Identify your strengths and weaknesses so you’ll know what qualities to consider when hiring employees. Finding team members who jive with your personality will create harmony but you can also find people who complement you to fill in your weakness or has different experiences than yours so they can share their knowledge and skills for the company’s success.
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Establish good communication
Not everyone is a good communicator but you can encourage employees to speak up and share ideas by having team meetings and brainstorming sessions. It is also important to consistently communicate your vision so everyone will be on the same track.
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Show that you care
A good company culture is achieved when humanity is recognised. According to studies, employees who feel cared for usually do their best, work harder, stay longer and produce more, so it’s a win-win situation for everyone.
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Learn from past experiences
Remember your past work experiences? What are their best practices? What worked for you and what didn’t? You can also examine other successful organisation on how they manage people and how you can make it better.
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Foster teamwork
Remind everyone that “We’re all in this together” to disseminate the idea that we’re not working as employees from different departments, but as a team striving for the achievement of common goals. It promotes a sense of unity and community.
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Nurture your company’s culture
Creating a good company culture takes time. It should evolve and develop gradually. Nurture it and encourage every employee to grow positively with the culture. If something goes wrong then go back to your vision, your core values and the reason why you build your company, then continue working on having a great company culture.
Build a company culture where employees love going to work every day. Make it a culture that drives everyone in the same direction. Make it a working environment which defines your personality, leadership style and management skills. Aside from talent, knowledge and skills, what makes a company successful is the good interaction with each other based on the organisation’s culture.
So let me end this article with another advice from Sir Richard Branson:
“Create the kind of workplace and company culture that will attract great talent. If you hire brilliant people, they will make work feel more like play.”
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