How to Build Company Culture
What is company culture? And how do you not just talk about it, but build it, live it and sustain it? How do you get prospective employees and customers so excited about it that they feel belonging beyond your workspace?
Chances are, you already have the makings of your ideal company culture.
“Nearly ten years after our company was founded, we began writing down our mission, values and philosophies,” says Debra Punke, Chief Human Resources Officer of Concord Hotels. “When we finally did, it was very natural and organic because we were already living it.”
So how do employers explore the environment that exists to adjust sails in the direction of healthy culture?
Assess, Strategize, Grow
- Total Rewards “Compensation and Benefits are important, but performance recognition and being viewed as a person are huge,” says Becky Drozdz, Catapult’s Director of Total Rewards Solutions. “Employers are competing against companies who are willing to pay more, but there are ways employers can match in opportunities that support employee personal growth and lives.”“One of our Members is helping employees save for their first house, educating them on how to pay taxes, providing mental health safety…” says Kirsten Lora, Catapult’s VP of Learning Services. “They’re looking at people as a whole, not just as employees on-site.”
- Does Opportunity Call? “So much has changed in business, including what we expect from the workforce,” says Kirsten. “Employees need upgraded skills because there are now so many more roles for a single talent to fill.”
Encourage those with multiple interests to pursue their different skillsets. Catapult surveys show that 41% of employers are filling jobs with existing staff that lack job skills but have potential to learn and grow.
Whether that means boosting certifications or supporting the exploration of cross-functional roles, employees who discover their unique paths within your organization can better set their own learning and development goals.
- Be Real About DE&I Businesses are trying to recruit and retain, but they’re also trying to appeal to a larger group of diverse employees.
“Understanding where you’re at, where you want to go, and what the plan for development is will rely on looking inward critically,” Kirsten. “Review your distributors, marketing materials and general presence for inclusivity, plus look at your staff populations. Do you give everyone a voice? How?”
Kirsten urges hard conversations with employees. “Discussions about current social best practices and involving employees in establishing standards shows them you’re thinking about and supporting their comfort.”
“With the civil unrest of 2020, Concord Hotels didn’t shy away,” says Debra. “We took a stance through an end racism campaign so our employees know exactly where we stand. Belonging takes being direct and speaking out.”
- R-E-S-P-E-C-T Equally as important as respect? Disrespect, and what you’re going to do about it. “We’ve found the third highest cited reason people left their jobs in 2020 and 2021 was ‘disrespect,’” says Becky. “No employer wants that, but they can take compliant action when inappropriate situations arise, whether they be digital, in-person, on-site, off-site.”
Kirsten says, “One of the biggest issues right now is a casualness, probably developed during the pandemic. A lot of people are forgetting that the workplace is where employees need to be held accountable for the things they say and do. How else can employees trust you?”
The workforce is rapidly changing. Are you keeping up? Catapult takes your HR impact further with on-call experts, online resources and on-demand tools. Visit letscatapult.org to learn more!
