Building a Positive Workplace Culture

There are situations in an organization where people don’t know what to do, tasks are performed poorly, and departments are at odds. In such an atmosphere, productivity and goal achievement are hard to talk about. Fortunately, there is a tool that can turn this picture into a well-coordinated mechanism — corporate culture. In this article, I will explain what it is and how to build it.

What is workplace culture?

Corporate culture is the set of values, behaviors and traditions that define the atmosphere within a company. It’s not just about dress codes and lunch breaks, but about what makes a company unique and influences its image, employee engagement and, ultimately, financial performance.

Google, for example, is known for its informal atmosphere and for encouraging creativity and innovation. The company’s offices have everything you need to work and relax comfortably: game rooms, swimming pools, free food. But the secret of Google’s success is not just about material benefits. The company values diversity, openness and mutual support. At Google, it is customary to share ideas, even the boldest ones, to help each other, and not to be afraid of making mistakes.

It is almost impossible to create a corporate culture that unites everyone in a few months. It takes years for people to get used to new rules and values, and for the new company’s culture to take root.

The Importance of Workplace Culture for Success

Let me explain how a company becomes more successful by creating a corporate culture.

Attracts Talented Candidates

The labor market has become more competitive, so candidates and employees have more opportunities to find jobs with favorable conditions. People want to work for companies with a positive workplace culture. They need to feel that their work is meaningful and that they have the opportunity to develop. They want to work for a company that shares their values. 

Helping with Adaptation

HR professionals should be actively involved in the adaptation of new employees. For example, they can gather feedback and make necessary changes to the induction program and company culture. Thanks to such care from HR professionals, new employees will: 

• Feel comfortable and confident. For example, mentoring and training programs help newcomers to settle into their new roles quickly and find answers to their questions. A positive work culture and supportive atmosphere helps newcomers feel part of the team.
• Quickly acquire new skills and knowledge. A positive workplace culture focused on learning and development motivates employees to learn new things and improve their skills. Mentoring and peer support help newcomers to quickly absorb new information and put it into practice.

Increases Employee Engagement

A study by Workhuman confirms that companies with a positive workplace culture are 22% more profitable. There are several reasons for this:

• A sense of community and belonging. When employees feel part of a positive workplace culture, they are more likely to be engaged in their work.
• Clear goals and values. When employees know what the company wants from them and believe in its values, they are more likely to work hard to help the company achieve its goals.
• Opportunities for growth and development. If employees feel that the company is investing in their development, they are more likely to be engaged in their work.
• Recognition and encouragement. When people are valued for the work they do, they are more likely to feel engaged and satisfied.

Leading the Team

A positive work culture can motivate employees to work harder and achieve better results. It creates an atmosphere where people feel part of the team and value their contribution to the common cause. 

Clear standards and expectations help people to learn new tasks quickly and work more efficiently. Employees who are happy in their jobs and feel supported are generally more productive.

Signs of a Positive Workplace Culture

A positive workplace culture is not just an atmosphere in which employees feel comfortable. It is a place where everyone feels valued, supported and motivated to achieve. Here are some signs of such a culture:

A supportive environment and healthy culture. The team has a friendly atmosphere, people feel comfortable and can communicate informally.

Trust and respect. Everyone’s opinion is valued and communication is open and honest. Mistakes are seen as an opportunity to learn, not as a reason for fines and punishment.

For example, a project manager took on several tasks at the same time and realized that he couldn’t meet all the deadlines. He didn’t hide the problem and honestly told his manager, who praised him for his honesty and reassigned some tasks to other team members. In this way, the project manager completed his tasks on time and learned the valuable lesson of being realistic about his capabilities.

Collaboration, not competition. Colleagues are willing to help each other, share knowledge and work together towards a common goal. For example, a junior programmer joined an IT company and faced a problem while developing a new software module. He tried all possible solutions but came up with nothing.

The junior programmer didn’t hide his problem and asked for help from more experienced colleagues. Together they analyzed the code and found the error. They helped because they were laying the foundation for the team’s future growth. And the newcomer, having been supported and mentored, is more likely to stay with the company and become a valuable team member.

Growth and development opportunities. Regular training, development and career progression motivate employees to continually improve. For example, the company may cover the cost of attending professional conferences and events or create a career development system. Employees who perform well can expect to be promoted or receive a pay rise.

Clear goals and responsibilities. Employees understand the company’s goals, know their roles, and have the resources they need to do their jobs.

Recognition of achievements. The company praises employees’ successes and acknowledges their contribution to the common cause, thereby increasing their commitment.

Effective feedback. Leaders provide regular, constructive feedback to employees to help them grow professionally.

Work and life balance. The company offers flexible working hours, encourages healthy lifestyles and recognizes the importance of employees’ personal time. For example, it pays for gym memberships, organizes health days and sports competitions.

The Most Common Workplace Cultures and Their Characteristics

American researchers Kim Cameron and Robert Quinn studied company culture in the 20th century and developed a classification that is still relevant today. Their classification is based on «competing values»: flexibility versus stability, and external orientation versus internal orientation. They identified four types of corporate culture: clan, hierarchical, adhocracy and market.

Clan Culture (Family)

For companies with a clan culture, a friendly atmosphere, care for employees and dedication to the common cause are important. Employees feel like one big family, ready to help each other and solve problems together. The CEO is usually demanding in terms of results, but appreciates and supports employees. People are not in a hurry to leave such companies because they feel valued and needed.

Companies with a clan culture, for example, are known for their friendly atmosphere and care for employees. They offer many employee benefits: free meals, health insurance, paid parental leave.

Hierarchical (Bureaucratic)

This type of culture is typical of companies with a well-established structure, defined rules and interaction processes between employees, customers and partners. For example, all issues are resolved from the top down and ordinary employees have no voice. All important decisions are made by management and employees cannot influence them.

Adhocracy Culture

An adhocracy culture changes easily according to market needs and internal tasks. The company adapts quickly to changes and new challenges. 

There are no strict vertical relationships; people can interact freely with each other. Bureaucracy is minimized and decisions are made quickly. Employees are encouraged to be independent, creative and to come up with unconventional solutions.

Market Culture

The main value of such a company is to achieve goals and increase profits. The company strives for market leadership and continuous improvement. 

Employees are expected to deliver maximum effort, efficiency and productivity. Employees are judged on results rather than personal qualities or loyalty to the company. The CEO uses various methods to motivate employees — bonuses, rewards, career development.

So I have talked about the four most common types of corporate culture: 

• Clan culture creates an atmosphere of closeness and support, but can stifle innovation and individual development.
• Hierarchical culture provides structure and order, but can be bureaucratic and stifle creativity.
• Adhocracy culture encourages flexibility and adaptability, but can be chaotic and unstable.
• Market culture motivates people to achieve results but can be competitive and stressful.

Which type you choose depends on several factors: your industry, company size, values and goals. Organizational cultures can evolve over time as your business grows and changes. It is important to regularly assess your organizational culture and make any necessary changes to keep it aligned with your current needs.

How to Evaluate Your Current Workplace Culture 

I will explain how you can assess your current corporate culture. 

Observe How People Interact

You can judge a company’s culture by the way people communicate and relate to each other.

• Courtesy and openness: Do they respect colleagues? Do they welcome newcomers?
• Voice: Can everyone express themselves?
• Attitude to disagreement: How are alternative ideas received?
• The role of the leader: How does the leader communicate with people? What example do they set?
• Norms and expectations: What rules of behavior are established?

The office plays a role, but not the main one. What is more important is how the different elements are combined: the tools used, the workspace and the behavior of the employees.

Conduct Employee Surveys

Surveys are an excellent way to understand your culture and engagement levels. By analyzing the feedback, you can bridge the gap between the existing and desired culture. You can customize the survey to suit your target audience. Here are some sample questions:

• On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend this company to a friend?
• Do you feel respected by your colleagues and management?
• What would you change about the company first?
• Is the organization committed to diversity and inclusion?
• Does the company have a culture of teamwork and collaboration?
• How long do you plan to work at this company?

By observing and surveying, you can gain valuable information about your current positive company culture. For example, levels of engagement, respect and desire for change. This will help you to identify your culture’s strengths and weaknesses and to bridge the gap between your desired culture and existing company culture.

Steps for Managers and Leaders to Build a Positive Workplace Culture

To ensure that a great company culture helps rather than hinders, it needs to be designed and implemented gradually. Here is a rough plan to follow.

Highlight Key Values

These values reflect what the company believes in and how it wants to operate. They should be clear, concise and understandable to all employees.

Hold a brainstorming session: Gather a group of employees from different departments and levels and ask them to suggest words and phrases that describe the company’s strong workplace culture. Don’t limit creativity: the more ideas, the better.

Analyze the ideas received, group them by similar themes, and select the most important and universal ones. Draft key values into concise and meaningful statements.

Develop and Formalize Rules and Standards

Rules and standards are specific instructions that define how employees should behave and perform their work in accordance with the company’s core values. They help ensure consistency and predictability in the company’s work and protect the interests of employees and customers.

Write rules and standards clearly and concisely. Document them, for example, in a corporate culture code, internal work rules and work standards. Place these documents on the company’s internal website or in the company library so that employees can access them at any time.

Start Implementing Culture

Implementing a stronger culture is not just about announcing new rules and values. It is a long process that requires constant effort from management and all employees.

It is important to be consistent in your actions. Encourage employee behavior that is consistent with the company’s values, and punish inappropriate behavior. Do not make exceptions for anyone.

Company events, gym memberships or break rooms where employees can play video games during their breaks are great ways to unite employees and increase their commitment to a positive company culture. The important thing is that these are all linked to the company’s values and encourage the desired behavior.