There’s a reason why company culture has become such a big focus for companies both large and small. Studies show, time and time again, that culture can make or break performance, team cohesion, employee retention, and recruitment.
Is it Time to Rethink Your Company Culture? If you’re thinking about making a proactive move to enhance your company culture, that’s certainly not a bad idea — but wait. You have to be strategic, and to lay a foundation for long-lasting cultural change. Trying to implement big cultural changes overnight can backfire, causing too much tumult or simply not producing results that endure.
Therefore, what should you be thinking about as you are considering reshaping culture? Here are a few recommendations.
How to Rethink Your Company Culture
- Think about cultural visibility. Culture isn’t just a set of buzzwords you write down on a sheet of paper. Culture should be something your employees and customers can see through your daily actions and behaviors. How do you as a leader show what your culture is? And how does your team embody those same values? Think practically, not just abstractly.
- Think in terms of why. Why do you want to change your culture? What are the results you’re hoping for? What are the values you want everyone aligned with? Before making a big change to your culture, be clear with everyone about why you’re doing it, and try to get the full team on board with your decision.
- Think about the past. Not everyone likes change. In fact, some employees may be reluctant to let go of company traditions or habits. Be respectful of this, and try to recognize and affirm the good things that your company should hold on to.
- Think about emotions. A good culture should provide a space where everyone in the organization can express themselves freely, without fear or dread. As you think about cultural changes, make sure you’re leaving space for people to think and speak openly.
