Pretty ProgressiveCreating an uplifting and inspiring company culture is difficult because it’s so elusive. You may want to make your workplace somewhere people love to step into every day, but what does that look like? To help, here are some modern ways to create a positive company culture that feels like employees’ home away from home.
Listen to Employee Feedback
First, listen to employees’ perspectives. Instead of trying to address their concerns to pursue your own vision, it’s better to incorporate employees into that vision. It gives them a sense of shared purpose if they bring up concerns about training or communication and change comes from it. This makes them feel heard and like their feedback is valuable. If you’re serious about hearing from workers, consider forming an employee-run board that collects concerns and ideas. Who knows, they may have an idea for a company-wide program that promotes socialization that does the legwork of establishing a culture for you.
Prioritize People Over Production
It’s also true that focusing on your employees is more important than being all about your product and processes. There are several simple and effective ways to show your employees you care about them, including buying them a gift to commemorate their accomplishments and growth. Be vocal about prioritizing your staff too, so they know where you stand, and encourage them to call out ways you’re not supportive.
Promote Self-Care
One way to prioritize your people is to make it clear that employee self-care is important to you. To do this, make sure leadership is modeling self-care themselves—if supervisors don’t take breaks, employees may not either. This leads to burnout because people are producing work for hours at a time and not resting. Also, allow some schedule flexibility. Employees are much more at ease about their overall life when they know their at-home life matters to their bosses. You should consider bigger changes, too—institute mental health days off and even an exercise program. Mental health days off specifically give you an opening to talk about mental health’s seriousness and why it’s not employees’ fault if they’re experiencing depression or anxiety.
Serve a Cause Together
Another way to create a positive company culture that’s been gaining steam is community involvement. Giving company funds to a charity or allowing employees to volunteer during paid time (called volunteer time off) is a great way for everyone to feel that their job has meaning. You can even start an employee match program that matches their monetary donations and promotes even more giving and engagement.
