The rapid rise of startups across the world has made them the flagbearers of modern company culture. 

With the likes of Google and Facebook redefining employee perks, such additional benefits are now being treated as the foundation of company culture. 

But perks are just perks- Period

They do not and should not define a company’s culture. 

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not against foosball tables, game nights, or bring your pet to workdays. But they shouldn’t be labelled as company culture. 

What Company Culture is NOT?

Perks

While free food, game nights, beer on tap, and a foosball table are great things to have at your workplace, the company culture cannot revolve around these external elements. 

These extras might help form an attractive image of a company, but they seldom guarantee effective, happy, well-bonded, and engaged employees. 

 Salary

At the risk of sounding cliché, money cannot buy happiness, even in the workplace. While the pay is indeed a great incentive for the employees, the relationship between happiness and income is not as strong as one would imagine. 

According to a study, 77% of the employees across four countries would consider the company’s culture before applying. More than 50% of the respondents also agreed that company culture is more important than salary when it comes to job satisfaction. 

CAUTION:

I feel like I need to mention this. While salary doesn’t guarantee a good work culture. A fair-pay is an essential part of good work culture. 

  • Substitute for Management

Lack of management, structure, and strategy is often due to the laid-back culture of the company. While the employees might continue to do the things they’re expected to do without supervision, the structure and support they need to do their best will be missing. 

While a company culture built around innovation and transparency is great, it’ll fail to deliver the expected results without guidelines and real applications.

What Company Culture Actually Is?

  • Company Vision and Values

The first step to developing company culture is clearly defining your purpose of existence. The core values and vision influence every aspect related to your company. 

  • Management Structure and Leadership

The top brass has the most significant impact on organizational culture. The leadership style and structure of the top executives and the management team influence the working, communication, and growth of the company. 

  • Work Environment

Company culture is also about the working environment you create. While it might not always be possible, try to build a workplace that aligns with your company’s vision and values. 

  • Connected Team

Your employees and partners are abundantly responsible for taking the culture forward. Having people with shared values who appreciate similar qualities is critical for the company culture. 

How to Build the Right Company Culture? 

  • Right Hiring

Employees directly influence culture and business. So, apart from the skills, it is essential to consider how someone fits into the bigger picture while hiring.  

  • Ensure Job Satisfaction

Happy and satisfied employees are an absolute must for building a great culture. Internal job satisfaction surveys can help you in this endeavor. 

  • Build Strong Relationships

Building workplace relationships is also critical to fostering a positive culture. Create opportunities that encourage social interactions at the workplace. 

  • Be a Good Listener

You cannot build a strong culture without listening to your employees. Rather than waiting for the annual review, you should actively seek employee suggestions and feedback. 

  • Retain Good Employees

Retaining good employees is as important as right hiring. Create an employee retention policy that helps the employees understand their critical role in the organization. 

It Is All in the Company Culture

Company culture is never about the free food and game nights. 

It is your company’s overall personality and how it manifests its vision, values, atmosphere, and actions into the grander scheme of things.

While building the right company culture can be challenging, it is not rocket science if you know what needs to be done. 

Figure out the critical sources leading to the disconnect between your organizational culture and the employees and what can be done to help you build an efficient, happy, engaged, and motivated workforce.  

Do share your thoughts in the comments ⤵️