Is Your Business Growing? Take Steps Now to Scale Company Culture
Your business is growing—and fast—which means you might be thinking you should be entirely focusing on your business strategy. We get it; it makes sense since you don't have time for much else, but here is something to consider, company culture.
If your company is growing fast but neglecting culture, you run the risk of employees becoming disconnected. A Gallup study found that employees engaged in their organization are 27% more likely to receive "excellent" performance by their organization. Having a solid company culture means that your employees are happy, engaged, and enjoy what they do; in short, it means they will get more work done.
Since a positive company culture can increase engagement and productivity, encourage collaboration, and lead to happier employees, it should not be overlooked. As your company scales, you don't want employees who could be helping your business grow to get left behind.
Here are 5 tips to scale your company culture:
Think about who you hire
The first step in improving your culture is making sure the right people are working for your company. Don’t just hire the right people for getting the job done, but the right people for your culture. There are plenty of awesome people out there who could do the job well, but it’s beneficial for both the company and the candidate to mesh well when you choose applicants.
If your company culture consists of people talking and music plays, and the candidate doesn't believe work can't be done in this environment, they may not be the best cultural fit. One great way to assess if a potential candidate is a good fit is to bring the company culture into the interview. That way, right from the start, the potential candidate knows what the culture is like.
Show Appreciation
To have the best work culture available is to make sure your employees are happy. Everyone would love to get a raise, but money doesn't ensure lasting happiness. Frequent positive feedback and small rewards are good ways to keep employees happy daily. If there is room in your budget, offering catered lunches, group social outings, and happy hours is a great way to boost office morale.
Offering wellness classes are not only a great way to keep your company healthy, but the endorphins released from a good workout can make it back to the office. A study by Aflac found that 61% of employees make healthier life choices thanks to their wellness programs.
Promote a Positive Space
A positive work environment can make a world of difference for a company’s culture. Suppose the office is a good area for employees to collaborate. In that case, they’ll be more inclined to give their ideas and suggestions—which could be the million-dollar idea your company needs.
Create a solid team
Having team events like happy hours, lunches, and other social outings is a great way to keep that bond among your employees, and if your company is growing fast, you'll need these bonding experiences. In addition, if people can get to know each other outside of the office, they will feel more comfortable collaborating inside the office.
Prepare for Growth
With your business quickly growing, it's essential to listen to employee feedback. They're the ones that are getting a first-hand look at what is changing in their departments which can translate to your entire business.
Consider hiring a culture coordinator, a person who can assess the company's changes and see what the company can to make the culture better for its employees.
If you don't have the budget to hire someone to overlook culture, that's okay. Try sending out happiness surveys to your employees to get a handle on how they are feeling. Ask questions regarding work-life balance, office morale, and company spirit.
The point is that your business gets ahead of its growth. Don't let your company grow too fast without being able to know your employees. Get prepared and plan for your company's growth.
