Every business develops its own distinct culture, usually subconsciously, based on a combination of factors, including; management style, the structure and hierarchy, the size of the Company and the leaders and their style, to name a few.
Very simply; it's the way people interact, manage their daily work activities and how they prioritise their relationships, you could say, "It's the way we see and do things around here".
Interpreting and understanding your business culture is an important activity for management because culture affects everything from communication, business development and productivity to staff motivation. In fact, it is essential to the Company’s ability to attract and retain staff as well as influencing relationships with customers, shareholders, suppliers, etc.
How do I develop a culture that benefits my business?
Firstly, understand the culture that already exists; this can be achieved through an HR audit and employee opinion survey. Careful thought needs to be given to the type of culture you want to create, as what may be great for one business could play havoc with employees' working lives, ultimately damaging the employee relationship.
There is a problem with workplace morale. Changes have been planned to address the situation, but what is the best way of getting the staff behind the changes?
Communication, Communication, Communication. Really sell the benefits of the new way of working and focus on what's important to the individual.
Employee engagement is really important in making sure each individual feels part of the communication process. You can do this either through your staff representatives if you have them or you could create a staff forum made up of volunteers. The idea is that the forum provides an opportunity to discuss the planned changes and also builds mutual trust between staff and management. Whatever method of communication you use back it up with action, make sure the planned change doesn't drift or worse not happen at all.
** Note ** There is a separate process for changes to terms and conditions of employment.
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