By Steph Breunig, HR Practice Leader Fine Point Consulting
Summer is here and if you are like me, you’d like to coast a bit these short few months to relax a little more, worry a little less.
I like that at Fine Point Consulting, I can allow myself a little more of this down time when it suits me and my clients. It helps me recharge and ultimately makes me a better employee. Make no mistake, this is possible because we’ve cultivated a culture in our organization to not just accommodate flexibility but CELEBRATE flexibility.
Flexibility was always important to Fine Point’s founder, Luella Schmidt and she built it into our culture. When you are thinking about how you can improve your company culture, ask yourself, “What kind of a company would I want to spend 20 years working for?
Here are some tips on finding the best possible answer.
Define what’s important to you
You have to establish what is at the heart of your company… what your core values are. You can’t just say you value curiosity as a company. You have to have a plan to back that up. Do you invest in learning opportunities? Do you provide educational stipends or sabbaticals?
Loop in the whole team
The tricky thing about company culture is that it is hard to measure and track effectiveness of your culture initiatives. That’s why it is a good practice to always involve your employees in the conversation and the process. Stay in constant communication with your staff and ask for their opinions.
Make room to grow
As you bring on new employees, make sure you are giving them room to grow. Many employees will only stay in a job long enough for them to learn everything there is to learn before moving on and taking their skills elsewhere. Mentoring programs, tuition reimbursement, lunch and learn opportunities all work to provide space for growth.
Use the right software
There are many employee engagement tools to help you on your journey. Technology makes gathering employee opinions and suggestions quick and easy.
Positive culture. Positive vibes.
Building strong company culture is easier said than done. But the work is so worth it. When employees and employers share similar values, employees are happier and more productive. And that’s good for business.