Company culture has been a very prominent focal point of popular business analysis for half a decade. From the laid back beach-side offices of Snapchat to the rigorous high-performance culture of Amazon, thousands of articles have been written about how to make company culture work for you. But the need to cultivate culture goes beyond making your organization a place where people feel good. Creating a strong, purposeful culture is the talented manager’s trusted strategy for fostering fierce employee loyalty.
“The best companies, in terms of long-term financial performance, are the ones that are able to combine profits, passion, and purpose.”
–Tony Hsieh, Delivering Happiness
Three Reasons that Company Culture Needs More of Your Attention
#1 Hedging Against Headhunting. Headhunters luring top people away are currently catching organizations and their managers off guard. The best defense is a good offense. Cultures that are tightly knit with purpose, strong social bonds, recognition, and achievement help repel external threats to your talent pool.
#2 Engaging Millennial Team Members. News for us Baby Boomer managers!—Millennials do not care about our title or the company’s organizational chart. However, Millennials are attracted to leaders who are inclusive, provide appropriate autonomy and rewarding job assignments, and give regular coaching and feedback. Creating an environment where these points are nurtured will ensure that Millennials stay on the team and develop into top performers.
#3 Company Culture Happens With or Without You. Culture is created with or without intentional leadership. All cultural elements—orientation, on-boarding, community-building events, recognition and rewards programs, and business planning sessions should promote a coherent message about the values and expectations of your enterprise. Managers who are cavalier about culture building might as well just give the keys to the business away.
Cultures that value training and leadership development are talent magnets. Whether your culture is quirky, or conservative, a clear development pathway should be integral to your organization’s employee value proposition.
Keep it simple. Keep it focused. Definitely keep it inspiring. -Steve
Want more high-impact coaching tips on company culture and managing talent? Check out my other blog posts.