Culture is an intangible thing but everyone knows it exists. You can see it in the differences between people who live in different countries. But if you stop to think about it, you can also see it in the differences between various companies and the people who work there. Different companies are run in different ways. And there’s a reason why people like working in certain companies and not others.
There are also financial benefits to running the kind of company which has a good company culture—you retain your employees longer and you have more productive employees, both of which help you to turn a profit at the end of the calendar year.
Evaluation
What is your current company culture like? You need to remove your rose-tinted glasses and think about this issue.
Are you generally seeing happy, beaming, enthusiastic faces around you?
Do your employees greet you with a smile?
Or are they surly and fatigued?
Do they usually tend to keep to themselves?
You know a company has a good company culture when there’s an intangible vibe of enthusiasm and aliveness in the office. It’s a collective feeling of going somewhere and doing something that matters.
Overtime
One of the main things that leads into disgruntled employees and a bad company culture is working too much overtime. Sure, there are times when people are going to pitch in for a big project and work the hours necessary to make it happen. But forcing employees to work overtime everyday can be a major factor contributing to a bad company culture.
Workspace
Another thing that can help to improve your company culture is
creating a workspace which encourages people to feel good. A moderately
spacious, well-decorated office with plenty of natural light, ergonomic
chairs and an open floor plan can do wonders for improving company
culture.