Company Culture -Part 2

1. Be the First Person in and the Last One to Leave

As a rule of thumb, it is up to the leadership of a company to lead by example. If you want your employees to be punctual, or even be waiting for you to unlock the doors when you arrive, then you need to do so as well. Otherwise, if you’re always coming in late and/or leaving early, your employees could get the impression that you’re just there to get paid, and they will follow in your footsteps.

When you are the first to arrive and the last to leave, your employees notice this, and it inspires them to work harder, show up either early or on time, and even stay after hours to catch up on work they have fallen behind on.

2. Keep Things Fun and Your People Happy

It has been proven that companies that maintain a fun atmosphere where employees are allowed to openly communicate (as long as they do their work) and should be allowed to joke around as long as the jokes are appropriate for the workplace. To really get noticed and earn respect from your employees, just walk up to them and tell them a joke that is guaranteed to make them laugh. What this does is ease tension and shows your employees you’re not a stick in the mud. It will make them feel more comfortable around you, and you will find that communication between you and your teams will get better, and people will be more straightforward with you

Even though this was covered in the last segment, it is one thing that really needs to be emphasized. Creative professionals cannot be chained down and ordered around. They need to be able to think freely. That’s why it’s ok to allow them to have their fun and be themselves – as long as it isn’t disrupting the work environment. Let them take breaks to clear their minds, or allow them to listen to music through headphones.

The one thing as a leader that you should NEVER do is create an environment where your people are afraid to approach you, or cringe every time you call their name. People understand that you have bad days. We all do, but in a professional environment, you need to check your personal issues at the door and not take them out on your employees. This just causes a confusing, chaotic, and fearful culture, which is harmful to your company. Your employees lose trust and faith in you, and become afraid to approach you about things, thinking or knowing you will snap at them.

 3. Treat Employees with Dignity and Make them Feel Valuable

When you run a company of seasoned professionals, your employees expect you to know what is happening in your company. If you admit you don’t know what is happening then how can you expect your employees to have faith in you or feel secure in their jobs?

Even the lowest ranked employee needs to feel like their work is truly appreciated and that they are a valued member of your team. As a leader, it’s your job to ensure morale remains high. High morale means happier people, more productivity, less turnover, and creates a place where people are happy to wake up and go to work. You want your people to enjoy their jobs so much that they don’t want to go home at the end of the day.

 4. Keep Communication Open

Quarterly and yearly reviews are great for showing employees the progress they are either making or areas they need improvement in. However, if there is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately, it could be too late to try and fix it when the times for reviews come. Instead, companies are starting to have weekly or even daily staff meetings to go over progress reports and communicate what is happening within your company so your employees can remain aware of any upcoming changes that may affect them directly and you can address issues that need to be resolved right away.

In smaller companies leaders can afford to take the time to speak individually with their employees and make the reviews more personalized. Remember, though, never point fingers or make direct assumptions or accusations unless you have the physical evidence to back your claims up. If you upset one of your most valuable employees by blaming them for something you think they did without the evidence to back it up, not only can this cause you to lose them, but it damages your company’s culture in a severe way. With so many ways to communicate to the world, people talk, and when you build a bad reputation, you will find it harder and harder to fill positions, and this is something you absolutely need to avoid!

 5. Take a Break – You’ve Earned It!

It doesn’t matter who you are, or how much you like to work. Eventually, you are going to get burned out. If you push your employees the same way you push yourself, the same thing is going to happen to them, and you are going to end up with a disaster on your hands.

Take a day, or even a weekend, and take your team out on a field trip. Take them fishing, or to an arcade. It can even be something as simple as a nature walk or a night camping together. Spending time away from work and allowing yourself and your employees to just be themselves is an excellent way of bringing everyone together. It’s important for you to bond with your teams. It’s just another way of earning respect and creating an awesome company culture, and before you know it people will be lining up at your office door to apply for a job. Why? Again, people talk, and words spread quickly in today’s world, and soon you are one of the front runners in your niche!