It’s generally acknowledged among the business elite that your people are your most important asset. But what does that really mean?
Good business practices mean good people practices. Unfortunately, many businesses place such great focus on the customer that they routinely overlook the other party inherently involved – the employees. And before they know it, the climate and culture of their company become little more than distant theories, and employee engagement is dwindled down to periodic company-wide e-mails with broad mentions of impersonal metrics.
Doesn’t the heart and soul of your business deserve more than that?
Your Company Has a Culture
…even if it was never officially defined. Company culture is simply the atmosphere of the workplace, the intangible sense of the brand’s personality applied in real life situations. If a ‘culture’ was never intentionally laid out, chances are it developed organically, based on the personal values of your company’s leaders. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it does not always scale well; as daily interactions with leaders decline, the mood will oftentimes be determined by other sources.
The People are the Pulse of the Culture
When growing your business, remember to hire not only for skill – but also for cultural fit, especially in the early stages of a company. Those founding staff members will likely be the decisionmakers down the line, and their practices will greatly influence daily interactions among employees.
Culture Is Shaped by Values
“Respect.” “Value.” “Integrity.” These are all invaluable components, but it shouldn’t stop there. Words are just words until real, actionable meaning is put behind them.
How does your business apply ‘respect’ in daily functions and interactions? Respect, while a great value, can also be subjective and ambiguous, and therefore requires a clear and concrete definition for maximum impact.
Success Is a Journey, Not A Destination
Make professional growth an ongoing objective in your day-to-day routine. The biggest victories are the result of countless smaller achievements.
What ideas can you implement today to improve your office? It might be as simple as sending an encouraging email, or deciding to plan your next employee recognition ceremony to demonstrate your appreciation for the respect, value and integrity that your team currently brings to the table.
Whatever you decide, remember: at the heart of every business brand and company culture are the people who bring it into existence.
For more information on Employee Recognition, visit: LaneAward.com/Recognition-Ideas.
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