Crafting your company culture: a comprehensive guide
As we discovered in last week’s blog post, the culture behind your company matters more than you might think. Company culture is one factor that separates the highest performing brands from the rest. The ability to shape positive and defined core values is proving integral to success in the dynamic landscape of modern businesses.
It’s not just a top-down initiative either. Crafting a company culture is a collaborative effort that involves the entire workforce. A well-crafted culture and values workshop can serve as the platform for the collective journey you’re all on, and with a culture that can’t be imitated, you’re certain to stand out within your target market to become your customer’s very first choice.
Here’s a comprehensive guide on how both employers and employees can collaboratively identify and nurture the values that are right for the business and craft a healthy, high-performance culture that demonstrates what you do, how you do it, and why you simply can’t be matched.
Explore together
It really does take everyone’s input to uncover the beating heart behind a brand. Initiate a collaborative exploration phase where employees and employers engage in open discussion about the existing workplace culture and values. Employee input can be gathered through surveys, focus groups or one-on-one interviews. Every scrap of feedback can make a difference when identifying core values.
Everyone should be encouraged to share their perspectives on what values are currently upheld and which cultural aspects resonate with them. The results will form the foundations of your new company culture and become the very beginnings of a culture strategy that everyone can get on board with.
Host a workshop
The structure of a workshop can help you achieve the steps mentioned above in no time at all. During the workshop, values identification exercises – where employees and employers collaboratively explore and define the principles that resonate most with the organisation – can be used for the best results. Activities like brainstorming, word association or visioning exercises can facilitate this process.
Align your vision
Your company culture should be aspirational too, which makes it vital for your leadership and workforce to come together and communicate their vision for the company’s culture and values. Engage in discussions about the desired culture at all levels. What kind of work environment do employees and employers envision? And how can values enable you to create this desired workplace culture?
Fostering a sense of transparency and shared purpose will prove invaluable not just during collaborative exploration either. When the time comes to infuse your culture into the working day, a company culture that you’ve all helped to shape is certain to be embraced by all.
Look back
Looking back to move forward is another valuable exercise when developing or redefining your company culture. Reflect on the company’s history and past successes to identify the values that were instrumental in achieving key milestones. This historical perspective can uncover values that have been integral to your identity and success all along.
Look outside too
The external perceptions of the company can offer vital insights into how the culture of your brand is already defined. How do clients, partners or customers perceive the organisation? The answer to this question could just help you align internal values with external perceptions for a more consistent and authentic image.
Prioritise values
The identification of values is just the beginning. Next, you’ll have to work together to prioritise which are important and which aren’t. Not all values are equally significant. Some may have a more profound impact on the company’s culture than others. By prioritising, you and your team can focus your efforts on the most critical aspects.
Make it dynamic
No company culture should be static. While staying true to the values your company holds dear is important, reviewing and refining them as time and trends move on is crucial to keeping your customers satisfied.
Regularly check in with employees to assess whether the values are resonating and if any adjustments are needed to better align with the evolving needs of the workforce and wider market. Upholding the identified values is a commitment everyone should make, especially company leaders who play pivotal roles in setting the tone for the entire organisation.
Need help shaping a company culture that resonates with your staff and customers? Get in touch today to discuss how I can help with tailormade culture and values workshops.
