“To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace.” Doug Conant, CEO, Campbells Soup
The answer is quite simple – culture is important because it is directly related to employee engagement, it drives business decisions and ultimately affects the overall performance of the organization. A negative culture can:
- cause great employees to leave
- cause employees to become unmotivated and less productive
- and can cause an organization to lose clients or make for sub-par work
There are a few warning signs of a negative corporate culture, including:
- Office Gossip
- Poor internal communication
- Low employee engagement
- Poor leadership – micromanagement
- Lack of discipline
- Turnover
Employee engagement is a direct result of a strong company culture. This refers to how employees feel about workplace and their jobs. Engaged employees are more likely to stay happy, motivated, and committed to your company. And let’s not forget, engaged employees create exceptional customer experiences, helping you grow. Overall, engaged employees are:
- Connected to the vision and mission of the organization
- Highly engaged teams are 21% more productive [source: Gallup]
- Motivated to exceed their goals
- Positive about their work
- Creative in solving problems
- Committed to staying with the organization, learning more and developing their careers
What is your current company culture? Often it is different than the management/executive team may think or even wish it was. Maybe it is time to consider a culture survey for your workplace. A culture survey will measure if an organization’s behavior matches its expressed values/mission. Survey results can then be used to determine if changes are in order [changes in strategy, leadership, or overall organizational changes].
One important thing to remember when conducting a culture survey . . . don’t ask the questions unless you are prepared for the answers and willing to address your findings. Are you ready for a culture survey at your organization? If so, call ILG Strategic Services for more information 720-506-1956.