|
Culture Doesn't Happen by Accident
Every organization has a culture.
The question is whether you've intentionally built it or simply allowed it to develop on its own.
As I visit businesses and organizations throughout Shawnee and Pottawatomie County, I'm always interested in what makes each one different. You can often feel it shortly after walking through the door. Some workplaces have an energy about them. Employees seem engaged, people enjoy working together, and there's a sense of pride in what they do.
That doesn't happen by accident.
When we hear the phrase "company culture," it's easy to think about employee benefits, team lunches, casual Fridays, or what's written in the values section of an employee handbook. Those things can certainly contribute to culture, but culture is built much more by what happens every day.
It's how leaders communicate when things aren't going well.
It's whether employees feel comfortable bringing forward an idea.
It's how someone is treated after making a mistake.
It's whether great work gets noticed.
It's whether expectations apply equally to everyone.
And perhaps most importantly, it's the behavior leaders are willing to accept.
You can have the best mission statement in the world hanging on the wall, but if the everyday experience of your employees doesn't reflect it, the words don't mean very much.
That's why culture requires intentional leadership.
For small businesses, this can be especially important. You may not have a human resources department or someone specifically responsible for employee engagement. Culture is shaped directly by the owner, manager, and people working alongside one another every day.
And it matters.
A strong workplace culture can help businesses retain good employees, develop future leaders, provide better customer service, and create an environment where people want to contribute. On the other hand, when communication breaks down or negative behaviors are allowed to continue, even good employees can eventually decide it's time to look elsewhere.
The good news is that improving culture doesn't necessarily require a new program or a large investment.
It can begin with a conversation.
Ask your employees what's working well. Ask what gets in the way of doing their best work. Recognize someone who went above and beyond. Explain the "why" behind a decision instead of simply communicating the decision. Give someone an opportunity to lead. And when something isn't working, address it rather than allowing it to become "just the way we do things around here."
Here's a question I'd encourage every business leader to consider this week:
If I asked your employees to describe your workplace in three words, what would they say?
Not what you hope they'd say.
What would they actually say?
If you aren't sure, maybe it's worth asking.
At Shawnee Forward, we spend a lot of time talking about attracting businesses and talent to our region, but keeping great people here is just as important. That work happens one organization at a time. When our local businesses create workplaces where people can grow, contribute, and take pride in what they do, we strengthen more than individual companies. We strengthen our entire business community.
Culture isn't created by what we say our organizations value.
It's created by what our people experience every day.
~Daniel
| 
