Happy & dedicated employees committed to the values of your organisation is the single most important factor in getting success than your products, services or your processes. Such employees ensure that the mission set upon by the organisation is met, whatever be the challenges.

Organisations where employees feel engaged and are aptly supported by the management not only help lower the attrition rates but also help in bringing new talent into the organisation. Operations and processes run smoothly and there is a high degree of collaboration amongst departments.  A positive company culture flows down from the top and is enforced at all levels of the organization.

Your organisation culture is a shared belief system where employees also have similar values through shared assumptions and group norms within the workplace. The work environment, your mission statement, core values, management style, and workplace ethics are all elements of your culture which could be deliberate or has come about naturally over the years.

The benefits of a strong culture are many and, even, your external stakeholders like your customers also prefer to deal with organisations that have a clear mission and that has positive workplace values. Better retention, good brand image, increased efficiency and great teamwork are observed in most organisations who give importance to their culture.

Regular review of practices ongoing in your organisation is essential, either by way of formal audits or having informal discussions with the various hierarchy levels. Sometimes, having a keen eye on some factors like high attrition rates can be symptoms to initiate such a review. Unwritten or unspoken norms that drive the behaviour of how people work and co-exist in your organisation have to be in line with the core values. Top Management has to show its fullest commitment towards the same else any discrepancy in stated values and the unwritten norms will harm the organisation.

Involvement of employees at various levels and having anonymous culture surveys help understand diverse perspectives and to know the gaps between your expectations and actual reality.  Resolving the gaps so identified will also require patience and soft handling. Real change will happen over a period of time.

Cultures are an amalgamation of factors: business & regulatory environment, hierarchy, type of an organisation, decision-making processes, benefits and values. What fits you is an important aspect to be decided upfront, for instance, an organisation that values work-life balance, likes the flexibility to offer work from home, etc.

The top management has to display unwavering commitment towards adherence with the stated values and inspire employees for their involvement too. Whether be it processes or external communication or internal initiatives, alignment with the core values is mandatory. Periodic review, building trust, ensure transparency and believing in your employees are some essential ingredients in creating a positive culture in the organisation.

Offering flexibility to staff in these times of pandemic, believing in them by giving them responsibilities, investing in technology and involving everyone in celebrating the success, however small or big, are catalysts to fasten the change in the culture and make it sustainable.

And finally, to keep the culture on track, the leaders within your organisation shall have to demonstrate the values you want to see in the staff members. Employee engagement, behavioural reviews, encouraging growth thru learning & mentorship programs and open communication helps cultivate a positive workplace culture where talent will want to stay.