What is a good company culture?

Understanding the importance of a strong workplace culture can be the difference between your organisation having impressive employee retention rates and high employee satisfaction levels, and having a high turnover and low morale. Businesses that appreciate how vital a good company culture is, know that they must really invest in their people if they are to get the best out of them.

Keeping your employees satisfied and motivated is not only the right way to run a business, but could also save you money in the long run. Consider what your spending might be if you have to constantly provide cover for absenteeism, employees off with stress or poor health and a high turnover of staff.

These things might sound obvious, but often it’s a lot of work to implement. So, what are the major elements in creating and maintaining a good company culture?

Commitment needs to come from the top, all levels of management should be showing the rest of the staff that everyone is working together to create a great company culture. Clear and inclusive leadership is an essential part of maintaining your company’s culture. Ensure the leaders in your organisation fully understand the culture you’re trying to create and are able to effectively uphold it.

Salary and pension schemes are initial attractions, but increasingly employees are attracted by any ‘lifestyle benefits’ an employer can offer.  These include benefits such as flexi-time working, work-from-home options and study days and they’re popular because they can aid a healthier work/life balance.

Are there many cases of developing and growing talent internally in your organisation? Employees want to feel that their organisation is investing in their future and nurturing their personal and professional growth. Mentoring schemes or training days are ways of aiding employees’ development.

An open culture allows employees at every level to share their ideas, suggestions and concerns with their employer. Having structured feedback strategies in place means that employers can keep a constant eye on employee satisfaction levels and will be able to alleviate issues as and when they arise.

Balancing social interaction alongside business activity can be good for morale. A healthy social calendar outside of the office can help instigate inter-team bonding and creates an upbeat atmosphere.

Don’t just be innovative in the way your company conducts business, have the same attitude when engaging with staff. Does your company strive to be a thought-leader in its sector? Give employees the chance to stay up to date with trends and advancements in their field by having them attend industry events.

Small, regular perks can make a massive difference to an employee’s work life. Dress down days or early finishes are a good, free way to keep employees motivated. Providing incentives like lunch/spa/sports vouchers will be an added bonus that encourages positive attitudes.

If you’re looking for more information on running a business have a look in the Michael Page Employer Centre.

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