Company culture is a term that a lot of businesses throw around… but not everyone is actually building and maintaining a productive one.
It's easy to see why culture often gets overlooked. When you're just starting your business as a solo operator, company culture isn't even a blip on your radar. You are the culture!
But as soon as you start building a team around you, culture becomes something that should be a top priority. While it may not seem as immediately important as getting leads and closing sales, your company culture is actually a key ingredient that will determine your business' future.
Don't believe me?
Let me convince you with these reasons to build your company's culture.
It defines the internal and external identity of your company
Your company culture is kind of like bottling the DNA of what you want the business to grow into. It's a representation of your values as a company. It defines how you hire and attract good talent, how you train and retain your team, and how you operate as a business.
Company values aren't just something to stick up on a wall and forget about. They're something that your team should be living by every day. Kind of like a barometer to indicate whether you're company's attitude is on track… or if it needs adjusting.
It transforms employees into advocates
Imagine if your staff were so excited about your company, that everywhere they went they kept talking about how amazing it is, and how much value your customers get from you.
Over the long term, that's going to attract more talent to your company, and more customers. Because word gets around. Your business gets a reputation as a place top talent would want to work. And your business success largely depends on the quality of the people you have working with you.
Attracting and retaining good talent
Richard Branson was once asked, 'What happens if you train your staff and they leave?' To which he responded, 'What happens if I don't train them, and they stay?'
Providing an environment where your employees are supported to be their best, and valued for the value they bring is key to retaining your top talent. These days, competition is fierce in business, and recruiters are always headhunting the best performers.
If your company's culture doesn't stimulate your employees, why would they stay? And the loss of a great employee is a big loss for your customers, and for your company.
Helps with onboarding and retention of staff
The more emotional buy-in your staff has into your company, the more they will protect it. There's been times when my staff have come to me and said that they don't think a new hire is a good fit for our company. And yes, they used the words OUR company. Great huh?
When your staff use language like this, you know you're on the right track. Because company culture isn't something that comes from you. As a leader, sure you lead the way. But culture is something that belongs to everyone. It's like a living thing that everybody contributes to and protects.
Transforms your company into a team
Think of the last sports game you watched. Was each member of the team out for themselves, hogging the ball and going for glory? Or were they all working together, seamlessly co-operating for a goal?
You know the answer. Just like sports teams do better when they work together, so does your business. Having a strong culture creates a business not full of individuals who are only out for themselves, but a team of people all working together to achieve a collective goal.
Building A Strong Corporate Culture in Your Business
If you're a business owner looking to improve your company's culture, hire and retain more A-player staff, or build your leadership skills, I invite you to book a 15 minute call with one of our Opulence team players.
We'll have a quick chat about your business, and if we can help you, we'll look at booking in a longer discussion to dive deeper into your business and identify where you want to be, and how to get you there.
