Building a ‘Culture of Meaning’ for Your Employees
As an employee of any company, you’ve more than likely received similar questions from friends and family – “So where do you work?” and/or “What does your company do?” It is human nature to describe the company’s services and your specific job description, but we are willing to bet you rarely, if ever, get into the “why” your company exists. When we refer to why a company exists, we don’t mean in terms of goals and revenue but rather its purpose or cause. A company’s why could be helping someone achieve a goal, solving a problem for the community or just making the world a better place. Regardless of your why, it is only possible when you build a ‘Culture of Meaning’ for your employees by giving them a sense of purpose, building bonds between each other and creating an environment of engagement. If your employees have bought into the culture, your company will succeed in providing that same culture to your clients.
Looking Internally
In the everyday sense of the word, company culture is usually defined by hours, dress code, workspace and satisfaction. For a successful company, it usually means so much more. It’s an energy that the employees bring to work every day. It requires a certain level of methodology and mindset, where employees have a sense of meaning and pride in the work they do. While culture can develop organically over time, the character and growth of that culture depends on the leadership you have in place. Some questions you as a leader in the company can ask to address culture include:
1. Do employees socialize outside of work?
2. Do employees have a best friend at the office?
3. Do employees accept responsibility or pass blame for their mistakes?
4. Do employees have consistent bad behavior?
5. Would your employees recommend your company to a friend?
Building Your Culture
It goes without saying that the culture of your company begins and ends with the people you hire. This is true for everyone from the management level down to part timers. By socializing with potential employees before hiring as well as hiring people who don’t feel the need to keep “work” and “life” separate, you’re well on your way to maintaining a successful company culture, based on the values of why your company exists. In addition to the hiring process, it is important for management to create a mission statement with clearly defined company values. This mission statement will serve as a guide for employee interaction and behaviors. Being authentic to your core values will reverberate both internally for employees and externally for clients. Lastly, host activities and outings that highlight your company’s values and recognize the employees who embody them. Incentive programs are a great way to make your employees feel valued for helping create and maintain the culture your company seeks to achieve.
Our partnership with OutlookHR aligns us with the professional knowledge and resources to help you build a culture of meaning at your organization. The need for Human Resources in organizational culture development is most apparent when evaluating and developing your most important asset – your employees. Ensuring employee engagement and creating a positive work culture will provide the organization with success and prosperity. Contact a Colony West representative today to see how we can help!