Thursday 13 August 2015

Company culture – what’s your story?

At the conception of a new business the managing director (MD) works within the business day in day out creating a unique culture and ways of working. Those that join the team at this point are emotionally invested they wish to see the business succeed to enable growth. As the company grows it becomes harder to monitor staff engagement and more difficult to ensure everybody has the same induction process as a new starter and understanding of the culture compared to those who were there from the outset.
Therefore it’s important to undertake annual staff survey’s to check in with staff and highlight the main aspects of company culture to ensure everybody is still on the same page. As the business grows the MD’s role evolves and they become removed from day to day operations.  Thus are unable to be present for every new starter’s first day and to attend every meeting.  This is where company managers now become ambassadors for the company’s culture. This is important for staff as they need a culture to identity with to allow them to feel engaged.  It is vital they understand end goals and that their colleagues are working towards the same purpose; from the newest recruit up to the senior managers.
The importance of having a culture embedded in your company is huge; it will reflect how your employees deliver customer service and represent your business. Whilst you don’t want all employees functioning in the same way like robots, you will require consistency in how your business is delivered to customers to build a positive employer brand.
Never stop telling your story, the story of how the business came to be, where the passion came from and show that passion still exists day to day. Tell your story from the recruitment process through to team days and meetings, a culture once embedded is hard to change make sure it’s right from the outset.