What are the 3 main factors we need to consider in an organizations culture?

It’s that bit of magic that helps makes the day-to-day lives of everyone in your business just that little bit better. It turns your organisation into more than ‘just a job’ for your employees; instead, it’s something that supports them and their wellbeing both at work and after they’ve gone home for the day.

If your organisation has a great workplace culture, you’ll have less and less of those days where people dread going into work. In fact, businesses that have nailed the art of positive workplace cultures will often have exceptional rates of staff retention and productivity – after all, why would you want to leave a job and company you love to work for?

But make no mistake - it’s not something you buy off the shelf, get through a few social events or gimmicks like bean bags and pool tables. It’s something that builds on what’s already there, and there are four crucial factors that you should be aware of…

1. YOUR MISSION, VISION AND VALUES

Perhaps the most crucial factor in consistently driving an organisation’s culture is its overarching values. Ask yourself: What does the business stand for, and what is it trying to achieve? What impact does it try and make on the world?

This might be basic stuff to the initiated, but it’s something that can be so easily overlooked or even forgotten! In short, businesses need step up to the plate when it comes to living its values – not just having them emblazoned on an office wall or buried in promotional brochure.

An organisation that means what it says and inspires people through its actions, will have a better workplace culture that contributes to positive staff wellbeing than one that doesn’t. It’s really that simple!

But note, these values also need to be aligned to an employee’s role – they need to understand the part they play in helping the organisation achieve its vision, and feel like they’re actively contributing to its success, which leads nicely onto…

2. YOUR PEOPLE

Of course, a workplace culture isn’t something that’s imposed upon people – it’s something that people help create. Also, think about the people you are looking to attract to the business, too: do they really fit in with your organisation’s values, or are you focusing purely on skills and experience?

Encourage dialogue across the business and engage teams to create something that will genuinely be relevant to them. This means that the senior leaders who set the tone have to give the people on the ground something relevant and meaningful to effectively buy into.

Also, don’t forget that the people the organisation hires – their personalities, skills, behaviours and backgrounds – will all play an essential role in driving that consistent, positive culture.

3. YOUR LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Do your managers support employees, empowering them to be their best and recognising their achievements? Or are they more of a hindrance?

Do your company’s leaders set a good example, and interact with the people on the ground, or are they always distant? How many people in your organisation have actually had a conversation with the MD, or met the CEO? And is there one rule for the people at the top and another for everyone else when it comes to pay, holiday and standards?

The way leaders and managers communicate with the rest of the organisation is important – as their behaviours and actions will filter down through the rest of the business. Not only that, but a business that puts the concerns of the senior leaders ahead of the rest of the team might struggle to even build a positive workplace culture at all.

4. YOUR ORGANISATION’S WORK / LIFE BALANCE

Lastly, many organisations can lose sight of the fact that employees have a life outside of work – and that the things going on outside of the four walls of the office may occasionally be a bit more important to an employee for short periods of time.

A poor work/life balance can be a massive cause of stress and poor mental health – and don’t kid yourself into thinking it’s something that more money can solve!

Giving people more control over how they make their work fit with their personal lives can be an incredibly important factor in a positive workplace culture and one that supports positive mental wellbeing – and that’s something that money really can’t buy.

Organizations must look at factors deeper than salary if they hope to attract and retain today’s top talent. High salaries can attract some employees. But if organizations lack the culture employees seek, they’ll struggle to keep employees long-term. Savvy organizations are exploring how to cultivate human-centric cultures that are healthy, values-driven, inclusive, and grounded in trust and appreciation.

6 Elements of Organizational Culture

Companies don’t “own” organizational culture, but they can influence it with strategic investments. Investments in the following six elements of organizational culture can shape strong cultures capable of attracting and retaining today’s purpose-driven talent.

1. Leadership 

Cultivating a healthier culture starts with leaders doing an honest assessment of the current culture at their organization. They must identify where the culture fails to meet employee and marketplace expectations and uncover strengths they can continue to build upon.

This honest reflection requires empathetic and relatable leaders. These attributes help leaders more effectively assess the culture and build trust and credibility across the organization. Strong organizational culture relies heavily on trust: trust in leaders, managers, and colleagues and trust that the company will do as it says.

Leaders must also:

• Be accessible, authentic, open and transparent
• Have strong communication and listening skills
• Prioritize two-way communication by listening to employees and opening the door for an honest back-and-forth dialogue
• Consistently reinforce the organization’s purpose, mission and values through both words and actions

2. Purpose and values

Sixty-five percent of employees surveyed by Gartner said the COVID-19 pandemic made them reassess work’s place in their life. People aren’t willing to stay in unfulfilling roles. They want their work to mean something.

Purpose, mission and values should authentically reflect how the organization operates and what it aims to achieve. Employees will quickly call out an employer who says one thing but acts another way. However, when employees believe in the organization’s purpose, they’re more likely to be engaged, motivated and retained — and more capable of helping the organization achieve its purpose or mission.

Shaping a purpose-driven culture that more deeply connects employees to their work requires organizations to:

• Get clear about their reason for being (purpose/mission)
• Adopt a framework for bringing their purpose or mission to life through actions and behaviors (values)
• Clearly communicate the purpose, mission, and values and act accordingly
• Regularly share tangible examples of employees’ roles in the organization’s success

3. Employee empowerment

Employees want to contribute and make an impact. They want their employers to trust and appreciate them and give them the space they need to work when, where and how it works best for them. Organizations empower employees when they provide them with flexibility, autonomy and respect. Empowered employees are more creative and innovative. The organizational culture is stronger as a result.

Organizations can build a culture of empowerment by:

• Providing flexible work arrangements, including location flexibility (e.g., remote, hybrid and work from anywhere) and schedule flexibility (e.g., flextime, compressed work week, shifted start-stop times, part-time schedules, job sharing and more)
• Demonstrating appreciation for employee contributions through rewards, recognition, compensation and benefits
• Encouraging managers and peers to provide employees with frequent and meaningful feedback

4. Holistic and inclusive well-being

Employees are burnt out, and employers play a significant role in helping them return to a stronger state of well-being. Employers must invest in employees’ holistic well-being—particularly the well-being of diverse employee groups who too often face discrimination and experience a disproportionate amount of workplace stress.

Organizations can make holistic and inclusive well-being foundational and authentic to their culture by:

• Investing in resources and tools that support employees’ physical, emotional and mental health
• Reinforcing business norms that promote healthy culture, including regular business hours, meeting-free days, recommended daily breaks, PTO usage and ideas for connecting informally with colleagues
• Evaluating diversity, equity and inclusion programs to assess whether all employees feel supported to be their authentic selves at work regardless of whether they work on-site, remotely or a combination of the two
• Ensuring equity and inclusion is not just touted in hiring practices, but is also ingrained throughout all business practices and reflected in the culture

5. Professional development & growth opportunities

Employees are often leaving jobs if they don’t see professional growth and advancement opportunities in an organization. Employers that provide clarity on advancement paths and support professional development and growth are more likely to retain their employees. Growth cultures also contribute to higher rates of innovation because employees feel encouraged to learn new things, take risks and explore new ways to solve problems.

Organizations can shape a growth culture by:

• Activating professional development frameworks that include financial support and time allocations
• Offering coaching and internal advancement programs
• Intentionally developing young talent by encouraging mentorship connections and strong onboarding programs
• Rethinking how they create growth and connection opportunities in today’s hybrid and remote work environments, especially for young talent who may need more hands-on mentorship

6. Communication

Communication is foundational to a strong organizational culture. Communication is how organizations engage employees, keep a pulse on the employee experience, and activate new programs and offerings that ultimately influence the culture (including the five other elements of organizational culture listed in this article). Communication also helps employers build trust with employees. When employers communicate well, employees have the clarity necessary to be informed, confident and engaged.

Organizations can build a trusting and healthy culture with communication by:

• Having an internal communication strategy aligned to the organization’s purpose and values
• Investing in communication training for leaders and managers and identifying employee influencers capable of championing the culture and values
• Listening to employees by asking them questions, providing space for employee input, and taking time to reflect on what they have to say
• Adopting the tools and channels necessary to frequently reach out, listen to and engage all employees, regardless of when, where and how they work

Businesses today face complex challenges. Amid constant change, one thing prevails: The ability to attract and retain top talent is the most critical factor influencing an organization’s success or failure. Businesses that invest in these six

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