Wake up. Push yourself out of bed. Shower, dress, stumble to the kitchen, get coffee. Find something to eat. 7:30AM – drag feet to the car, drag yourself into work, drag your way through the day. It’s like a vending machine: insert hours, receive dollars. Take your earnings and drag yourself home…just in time to get some sleep and start over the next day.
Chances are we’ve all experienced this grind; it’s the hallmark of a dissatisfying workplace. Even one burned-out employee can suck the joy out of the room and drag everyone down, hurting productivity. Meanwhile, Creating the Best Workplace on Earth authors Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones tell us a few benefits to highly-engaged workforces compared to the not-so-engaged:
– 50% more likely to exceed performance expectations
– 54% higher employee retention
– 89% higher customer satisfaction
– 400% more revenue growth
Take Google, for example. Some argue that their meteoritic rise from ten guys in a Palo Alto garage to the giant it is today is the product of good company culture. At TalkLocal, these three strategies have showed us that, when it comes to company culture, a little effort goes a long way:
1) SHOW EMPLOYEES THEIR VALUE
Employees will inevitably slide into “The Grind” if they lose sight of their value to the company; reminding them that they’re more than a number of hours is crucial. By holding weekly meetings where company goals are articulated in terms of how each employee fits into the picture helps instill a feeling of investment in their position. Educating employees on their roles can also improve their performance; only clear goals can be pursued.
Combining this approach with compliments and recognition of performance improvements will bring genuine positivity and an attitude of focus to your company culture.
2) NIX THE “IT’S WORK; IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FUN…” MENTALITY
This mentality can tear a business apart. We’re always at our best when enjoying ourselves, so find ways to bring a little fun into your team. It can be as easy as a game of cards for a smaller group or as big as a bowling night; take a vote on it. The other night, the TalkLocal team went bowling, scheduled right after we hired new interns – put briefly, relationships were built.
It’s no surprise that, the next morning, the TalkLocal interns were talking to their teammates. Not only did having fun increase our team’s productivity through facilitating collaboration, it contributed to the relaxed, positive atmosphere that defines a good company culture.
3) BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE
To company managers and owners: understand that to your audience and employees, you embody the company. Capitalize on this through the intimacy of a small business by keeping in frequent and meaningful contact with employees, especially new ones. Enrich your employees by allowing them to make recommendations and educating them about the business model; questions are a sign of investment, so make sure to invite them.
Overall, a positive company culture is defined by recognizing that your team is the sum of real people. Don’t wait to make them feel that way, because you’ll lose out on the most productive and satisfied force you’ve seen yet. If clock-in is starting to feel like a funeral death knell, then turn a new page on your workplace and enliven the office by showing everyone their value and your appreciation.
Of course, if getting more and higher quality jobs is the best way to lift up your team’s spirits, then check out TalkLocal; it lets you preview jobs for free by phone and opt into a live conversation with the customer you want to do business with. No more paying for leads you’ll never use. Click here to claim your profile.
