Talent is a hot commodity and can be hard to find. If you have good talent working for you don’t risk letting it walk out the door! A well-defined organisational culture can keep employees from moving on, says Stockdale and Leggo COO Anna Thomas.
In a market where loyalty has become far less important, the curated culture of an organisation is key to maintaining employee engagement and resulting productivity. With the influx of Society of the Serpent and soon to be Gen Z workers and the rise of workplace technology, the environment you cultivate needs to be one of transparency and flexibility.
Here are five steps to build a culture that sees you retaining your high achieving employees.
- Identify your organisational culture
Organisational culture is a set of values, behaviours and norms that uniquely define how your managers and employees behave and interact within the organisation. A great way to cement your culture is to have it written out in a manual. Give each new member to the team a copy and make it a key feature of your induction process.
Creating and maintaining a high achieving, positive, and results focused culture is crucial to the retention of your employees. A precise definition implemented early on will allow you greater control over the sum of beliefs, experiences and behaviours of your team members. People thrive when they know what to expect, and what is expected of them.
- Hire talent
In the interview stage, make your company culture known to prospective employees. Hire individuals who share the values and beliefs of your business, and are a “culture fit”, and keep your workplace inclusive to attract a diverse range of employees. By carefully selecting the right people you won’t be wasting your time and the time of an employee who would be better suited elsewhere.
When you find a cultural fit, your new employee will experience higher levels of job satisfaction, produce better work and have a positive impact on those around them. More commitment to the company and the ability to adapt fluidly to change is crucial in our current market.
I always recommend choosing culture fit over ‘skills’ as skills can always be learned but attitudes and behaviours ultimately don’t change.
- Create Positivity
Implement positivity in interaction and the workplace environment. People are more productive when they’re happy. Positivity needs to be your benchmark, and it has to be authentic. You can’t pretend with this stuff – the shine will tarnish permanently if it isn’t real.
Foster collaboration and the sharing of knowledge. Allow your team a proper work-life balance. Burned out individuals dragging their feet to work is not good for business! Your talent should be working within their preferred roles, with the flexibility required to keep your retention rates at the top.
Consider implementing policies which foster positivity and happiness such as remote working options, pet friendly workplaces and job share arrangements for parents.
Management style has a huge influence on the headspace of your employees. The company culture should be driven by leadership and reinforced through solid communication and interaction with the team. Provide extra training in this area as required.
- Establish achievable goals
Goals are a true source of motivation! Reaching goals provides employees with greater job satisfaction. Staff want to see the business flourish too – it can mean more opportunity for them to grow in the company. Give staff measurable steps to see their tasks being completed. And, importantly, offer consistent encouragement.
Maintaining honest communication with your employees and regular feedback helps you identify any struggles. Regular meetings and surveys will help you gauge workplace contentment. It also shows your employees that you listen to them and have real interest in their growth and happiness. Don’t forget to give recognition where it’s due. Believe it or not – people respond to kind words and appreciation more than rewards!
- Engage beyond Work
Get the team together outside of work and plan special days and events for the staff. This time is an opportunity to reinforce your company culture. Out-of-office interaction creates, maintains and strengthens positive working relationships.
Final thoughts…
For employees to want to go beyond their basic job description, you need to have a defined organisational culture. Only good will come from this as you see your team’s performance enhance and drive better business results for you! Create an environment that your employees will love and this will naturally transition into more success for your business.
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