A lot of companies seem to have one purpose and one purpose only; to continually increase and maximise their profits – whatever the costs. I guess the theory behind this is the more money they make, the more they can invest and the faster they can grow – which from a business perspective makes perfect sense, right?
But… what happens when this ‘success’ comes at the cost of an employees happiness and wellbeing?
Unhappy employees are less productive. We all spend a stupid amount of time working, so it is only fair that we enjoy it, or at least not hate it. I know too many people that have the ‘pit of the stomach’ feeling on a Sunday night just thinking about work the next day. Surely this isn’t a healthy way to live?
Business owners wouldn’t have a business to own if it wasn’t for the employees that helped them develop it, so it is only right that employers aim to provide an environment that will encourage and inspire.
It’s not just the employees that will benefit from this, the business will too. Just as unhappy employees are less productive, you guessed it, happy employees are more productive. Employees that work for a company that invests in their happiness will respect the company and therefore be more passionate about its success; it really is a simple as that. Not only this, but developing a great company culture will ensure retention of current employees and continue to attract new talent – which is key in this competitive market.
Employees need to feel like they can be themselves, that their ideas will be valued, that they are respected and that they are an appreciated member of the team. I’m lucky enough to see this first hand everyday working for a company that puts its people first.
So, how do you create a great company culture?
Management style, incentive schemes, training programmes, mentoring and physical office surroundings all contribute to creating a great company culture; however, you need to remember that it is all about creating the right conditions for the business in hand. Every business is different and company culture isn’t something that you can just copy. The culture needs to reflect the company’s specific values and goals, not somebody else’s.
Last year, Glassdoor Career Trends said… “Company culture is among the top five factors people consider when weighing a job offer. And while salary remains firmly installed in spot number one, the importance of company culture in attracting staff is growing”. A statement which is becoming more and more evident as time moves on.
Many companies are starting to develop and promote a great company culture as part of their recruitment process and it is something that we as a recruitment consultancy use as a unique selling point to attract top candidates for our clients (providing they have a great company culture to promote!).
All in all, company culture is becoming more important and there is a chance that companies that do not embrace it will get left behind.
