It comes as no surprise that workplace culture has a huge impact on a business, influencing everything from productivity to employee morale and collaboration, and ultimately the company’s bottom line. A good workplace culture fosters an environment of communication, collaboration, engagement, and creative problem solving – all of which are vital to ongoing business growth. What makes a good company culture though? Is it free snacks, fancy office spaces, and work from anywhere policies? Let’s look at the key elements of a great company culture.
Clear and positive mission and values
The GenZ (aged 11- 26 years in 2023)workforce are the first generation to prioritise purpose over money when it comes to making career-based decisions. They read company mission statements and values before applying for a role, and they are not afraid to call out any business that doesn’t align with their beliefs, or whose business practice does not align with their perceived mission and values.
Building a purpose-driven set of core values that are reflected in the company’s long terms goals and strategic plan are more important than ever and must be displayed in the ethos and everyday practices of a company rather than just on a PowerPointat an employee orientation and then forgotten about by the second day of a person’s employment. Having a clear set of values that are driven into every part of the company’s actions gives employees a clear reason for how their work ties into the bigger picture of the company and creates a defined set of community and teamwork.
Sense of community
Increased employee engagement, improved communication, a greater sense of belonging, and increased employee retention are some of the benefits that come with building a sense of community within the workplace. People are inheritablydrawn toward groups and working together so building on this by facilitating group social activities, regular team meetings, and employee town halls to encourage a sense of friendship and camaraderie will boost both morale and productivity. Creating a sense of unity helps employees feel as though they are working for and towards something bigger than themselves and is a huge booster of engagement.
Transparency, communication and respect
A positive workplace is one where people feel valued, respected, supported and nurtured for who they are. Secrets and a lack of communication from company leaders creates a sense of distrust, unease, and uncertainty. Fostering a policy of transparency so that all employees feel that they know where they stand, are respected and have a clear comprehension of where the company is headed creates a stronger trust and positivity throughout the workplace
Opportunities for professional development
Happy and committed employees want more than to just sign in, work all day, and sign out. They want the chance to better themselves, to grow their skills and to continuously learn and improve their skillset. Providing opportunities for professional development through education, courses and advancement and highlighting clear advancement pathways helps employees know what is expected of them in their role but also how they can move through the company and how the company supports them in their career growth.
While this is in no way an exhaustive list of the many attributes that create a good or positive workplace, they are a great starting point to get you thinking about your workplace and how it measures up to the new standards being set through the introduction of GenZ to the workplace and the changing values of the working environment as a whole.
If you’re looking at assessing your employee experience, culture, and engagement, our behavior experts at Chandler Macleod can work with you to help. Find out more about Chandler Macleod Consulting or contact our team to discuss your situation further.
