Now that is it 2015, let’s take a look at your New Year’s resolutions.The Merriam-Webster word of the year for 2014 is culture, which is no surprise being that it is becoming more popular in the business world. When you look at your successful business, do you see a business that has an environment that engages employees and nurtures relationships while focusing on passion and provision? These aspects of business can easily be thrown on the back burner and neglected.
According to Gallup, the majority of workers worldwide are not engaged with their jobs. This decreases productivity, increases negativity in the workplace, decreases happiness and increases turnover which affects the bottom line. What can employers do? First realizing that there is a problem is crucial. Then identify what you want your company culture to be and start taking the steps now to a better business. Is this what your business needs for 2015? How do you do this?
Be Picky
When you hire people to work for your company, you focus on what assets or talents they will bring to your company right? Those are good things to look for but a lot of employers forget to think about how the new hire would fit in with their business. It can be difficult to determine when the potential hire can write whatever they want on their resume and will act accordingly during their interview. This is where probationary periods are crucial. If somebody doesn’t fit with your culture and you have modeled through example and also given them the opportunity to change the undesired behavior, then do everybody a favor and let them go immediately.
Motivate
Having a great group of employees who get along and who seem to love what they do may seem as though they don’t need any attention. But like a rose garden, water and trimming is needed to keep the flowers in bloom. By constantly motivating your employees, you are investing in the future of your company. Here at Half a Bubble Out, we are rewarded with wine, appetizers and good company with our co-workers every Friday afternoon. Does the novelty rub off? Heck no. Do we constantly feel appreciated by the owners of the company? Definitely.
Communicate Well
Open communication is crucial to the success of your business. Not only should you be able to communicate with your employees the company’s goals, needs and aspirations, but your employees should be able to communicate with you and their co-workers as well. Being a good listener is also important to being a good communicator. Your team should work like a well-oiled machine. To have that success in your business culture, you need to have clear expectations of what good communication looks like and then you must lead by example.
Build Trust
Good leaders need to have employees that they can trust. There must be trust in the workplace to have a safe environment where your employees and yourself can feel supported, can try new things etc. Trust goes beyond the day to day tasks. Can your employees trust that you will have open communication with them when making company decisions? Do you trust that your employees will go to you when they have a problem? There are many different facets of trust that are required in successful business culture.
Have Fun
If you don’t like waking up and going to work, then the chances are your employees don’t either. Having fun is a crucial step to enjoying each other’s company. Let’s face it, we spend more time at work than we do at home (well not including when we are asleep). Your team can eventually be your extended family that you get to choose. Having an appreciation meeting, telling jokes (appropriate ones), playing office games or even fun pranks (safe ones) can lighten the mood in a business setting. Laughing together is a great way to get your team on the right track to creating strong relationships.
Start implementing these tips today! The sooner your business culture gets some TLC the better. Do you need help creating a strong business culture that is full of passion and provision? Contact us today at Half a Bubble Out.
Since 2002, Half a Bubble Out has been dedicated to providing marketing, advertising and small business consulting that meet the needs of our clients. We specialize in powerfully telling stories through Inbound Marketing to grow your business filled with more passion and provision. Based in Chico California, we serve clients throughout Northern California and across the country to New York.
