More businesses are now understanding how vital their company culture is to retaining the most valuable employees. Leaders should not underestimate the impact of bad reviews left by former employees and their not-so-positive thoughts on the workplace culture. If this ever happens, any goodwill that has been built over the years can be quickly rendered invalid.
Culture is a significant factor employees consider when job hunting. It makes sense why there is more emphasis on culture now as more employees are putting more importance on the ‘employee experience’ to ensure they enjoy their work and put in their best. They want to make an impact and are no longer just wanting to rush in and rush out when it’s 5 o’clock.
A high-performance culture equals a healthy, progressive company. But what does that look like exactly?
- Not being static in mindset: Seeing the big picture and going outside the comfort zone. It’s about continuous improvement.
- Retention: Employees stay for the long game and feel fulfilled with their jobs. A low turnover rate means employees are fulfilled in their roles.
- Strong teams: Teams would always stick together to solve problems, accomplish tasks collectively and have each other’s backs.
- Empowered employees: Employees are motivated and empowered to make crucial decisions while being trusted enough to take responsibility.
- Accountability: Employees own their jobs and the outcomes of the work they produce. They take on the full measure of their decisions and impact.
- Continuous improvement: Progress is measured regularly and accurately while encouraging better performance.
So now that we understand what the ingredients are in a high-performance culture, how do we make this into a recipe to build into your culture?
Communicate values regularly
Company values are a significant driver of success in your business. To encourage positive behaviors, they need to be communicated often and with enthusiasm at all levels.
Encourage Positive Behavior
This is closely linked to communicating values as this drives the right attitude. Ensure you are rewarding positive behavior that supports your values in order to reinforce and encourage it to others.
Promote Open Communication And Transparency
When open communication is encouraged, your employees will be more likely to show trust and be more comfortable connecting on deeper levels. No matter how nerve-racking any topic of discussion is, there should be an avenue to open up with no bias or judgment. This especially goes for leaders, and the flow of communication from leadership to employees should be simple and straightforward.
Trust And Empower Your Employees
Even though your employees may not tell you this, they appreciate being able to influence and make key decisions on matters that affect them. By empowering them, you are allowing them to reach their potential in more ways than you think, plus build up their confidence at the same time. Where there may be gaps, you can train and support their growth. Giving them freedom with boundaries ensures they understand their impact while driving the vision of your business.
Embrace The Practice Of Obtaining Feedback
You can’t have a high-performing culture without having a good feedback culture; they go hand in hand. The business will benefit more if employees are encouraged to give feedback on the job, not when they leave the job, which can be disastrous. Feedback on the job will only drive continuous improvement and transparency. To encourage the culture of giving feedback, don’t rebuff their opinions; give them the confidence to speak up and take what they’re saying seriously. This will lead to great results as they will feel comfortable and be satisfied knowing the organization values them.
Don’t Get Distracted By Irrelevant Things
Are you aware of the essential aspects of your culture and what really matters? Many businesses get carried away thinking the most important parts of the company culture are perks and initiatives, and while they matter, there are many more important aspects. Other elements include trust and transparency, recognition and rewarding high performance, opportunities for growth, openness and great leadership.
Take Note Of The Work Environment
Employees need a comfortable environment and the right resources to put in their best. Ensure the environment is healthy and not hostile with the necessary tools in place for efficiency.
Organizational culture is how and why there are certain behaviors. When those behaviors align with goals and priorities, it’s only normal for better results, more engaged employees, and higher retention to follow. As you work towards achieving a high-performance culture, note the attributes and let them serve as a benchmark and a way to measure how you are tracking and where there is room for improvements to reach your end goal.