Unlock the power of your company culture
/When I started working with companies on their culture 20+ years ago, every company had the same words painted in fancy fonts on their walls:
Our people are our most important asset.
It was one of the first indicators that they talked more than walked their company values, especially since most of the time, the CEO who met me in the lobby and walked to the board room did not even acknowledge colleagues we passed along the way.
The better indicator? The colleagues did not acknowledge the CEOs either.
Fewer companies have trite sayings like that blasted on their walls these days, but culture is more important now than ever.
Seven reasons company culture is so important right now are…
Changing market demands require speed of innovation, which can be slowed by internal functions with reams of red tape in a mediocre culture.
Employees today expect empathy from Managers, which many Managers do not have capacity or skills to provide. The increased pressure on Managers impacts their self-esteem, diminishes their productivity, and leads to burnout.
Increased time to hire for many key roles leaves roles unfilled, which strains current employees and Managers trying to maintain productivity and performance.
Increased remote and hybrid work environments, where face-to-face interaction is limited, culture becomes even more critical. It bridges the gap between physical distance and helps create a cohesive, unified team.
Different generations in the workforce bring different skills and expectations. The expectations Gen Z and Gen Alpha have of Managers, workplace rules, development, and career paths are changing company cultures and how companies function.
Increased expectation of trust on all fronts. Customers, employees, and companies expect to trust each other, and they need to build and reinforce the trust all the time. Their culture nourishes the trust and reveals when it’s not there too.
Companies who take an hour to decide what to serve at the summer picnic or leadership teams who need three meetings to choose brochure colors do not have a strong enough culture to implement and capitalize on AI safely or successfully.
There are many more reasons. What would be on your own list?
Company culture is not just about perks or the atmosphere at work. When cultivated intentionally, it influences everything from employee engagement, retention, and performance to management capacity to innovation and company performance.
The organizations that thrive are those who understand culture as a strategic asset—not just something that happens organically, but something to be shaped and nurtured. All. The. Time.
Today’s Culture Matters topic was, “How to unlock the power of your company culture.” The group of business owners, leaders, and professionals talked about the changes happening in the world and inside companies and what we can do about it.
If you want in on relevant, modern conversations like this, join Culture Matters next month. (Find out more here)
When you’re ready to talk about how to nourish your culture and treat it like the strategic asset it is, email us. We can help.
Culture drives performance.
Don’t leave it to chance. Join us!