A Bit of Company Culture

More than ever we hear about the importance of developing a welcoming company culture.

As the values of professionals evolve, the work culture of a company climbs up the ladder of importance. Many professionals would even claim it to stand proudly on the top rung.

When building the culture of the company you work for, ask yourself: “What you can do to sustain a habit of retention, productivity, and innovation through your company culture?”

One of our go-to reads at Poprouser is Entrepreneur. The magazine recently published The 153 Best Company Cultures in America (and What You Can Learn From Them)*. I’d recommend looking through at the small, medium and large-sized companies and studying their company cultures. I would especially recommend analyzing the companies in your industry to see what you can do to be on the same playing field.

Also writing for the magazine, Rose Leadem shares advice from business leaders on how to create a winning company culture. Have a look at our summary and then read the article.

1. Company Culture is a priority.

(Ken McElrath, CEO/Founder of Skuid)

As I wrote above, many professionals feel that culture is the top priority in seeking employment. Only a company with a strong work culture will survive and retain employees.

2. The mission before analytics.

(Josh Reeves, CEO/Founder of Gusto)

Before jumping into analytics and seeing who is excelling and who is failing, make your company’s vision clear to all current and prospective employees (and recruits).

3. Measure your decisions.

(Kyle Taylor, CEO/Founder of The Penny Hoarder)

EVERY decision you make will have an impact on your company culture. Culture is created by society. The leaders of the team define the culture and they can alter it — for better or for worse.

4. Have others on board with your vision.

(Anna Binder, Head of People Ops at Asana)

Film directors are often given the hard task of motivating their crew to help make a film that is in line with their vision. But they are not alone. Regardless of your industry, you have to ensure that your employees are as motivated as you are to take the company forward; this can only be done if they agree with the culture and work alongside you to sustain the culture.

5. Those ‘others’ should share your values from the start.

(Sean Kelly, CEO/Founder of SnackNation)

Of course, what’s the best way to accomplish task 4? Make sure your company is employing those who fit the culture and share the values that the company holds. That should be amongst the top priority and should be considered a qualification.

6. Listen, Listen, Listen.

(Scott Norton, Co-Founder of Sir Kensington’s)

Some readers may think this is obvious and some will wish their current or former employers listened more often. The dictatorial hierarchy is a dwindling system. Employers need to listen to the needs of their employees; this ensures that the company culture is welcoming and that further issues do not develop.

*Authored by Andrea Huspeni (Special Projects Director) and Jason Feifer (Editor-in-Chief).