A healthy organisational culture is when employees love what they do and share the organisational goals, which motivates them to put their heart into their work; eventually, great results are produced. There are no steadfast rules in nourishing a company culture, one can keep an open mind to introduce certain practices which will help enhance the sense of belonging and thereby contribute to a healthy organisational culture.
Recognise Valuable Contributions: Things like ’employee of the month’ might seem cliche but they do add meaning to the employee and attach credibility to his/her work. The employee too realises that hard work is not thankless and will be appreciated. It’s not only an immensely motivating factor but also induces a positive energy across the workforce that will produce nothing but positive results.
Encourage Transparency: A company has a lot of verticals & departments and communication is key for smooth & effective functioning. Technology has, of course, enhanced our communication styles & habits and has brought about abundant clarity, but yet there are issues of people oblivious to some organisational decisions, most of which will impact them directly, and eventually when they do get to know, they develop a repelling attitude towards the company and its false ethos. Embrace transparency to the fullest and don’t isolate your workforce from certain decisions; when they are a part of the decision-making process they will feel belonged and valued.
Avoid Micromanage and Give Scope to Employee Autonomy: No one likes being micromanaged, it renders a sense of distrust & low self-esteem. Allow your employees to get involved the way they want to give them the freedom to pursue certain decisions within their capacity. You hold them with some accountability and they too act and work responsibly which only better their work. It will also instill some self-confidence in them which will not build your company but their character as well.
Acknowledge & Make time for Employees’ Personal Goals: Professional & personal aspirations need to find a balance after all work is just a part of one’s life and not life. There are other things which define each of us, be it a sport or a performing art, we need to find time to nurture those aspects as well. You will get introduced to a different side of your employees, which will help you to get to know them better and forge strong relationships which make your work environment more friendly & conducive.
Build a Team Atmosphere: Working in teams can be quite challenging, as different wavelengths need to be streamlined towards a common objective. Different temperaments, attitudes, and capacities need to come together, and there is inevitably going to be some friction or the other. Misunderstandings, ego clashes, petty politics all of which can bring the team morale down and affect productivity. You must use methods that will foster teamwork, like once a week organising some team building games, or retreats which will pep the team up with refreshing energy & zeal. They will also get a chance to bond with each other and develop a sense of unity which helps when they work together.
Timely Feedback: Annual and quarterly bonuses and appraisals are fine but an organisation must make an effort to give employees immediate and timely feedback. Apart from performance reviews which tend to be vague in nature, arrange one-to-one or team meetings where oral feedback can be given leisurely and in detail.
Organisational culture is very specific to the kind of organisation or industry, but these are some universal aspects that should be part of work ethos everywhere in the world. It not only helps in the growth of an organization but will also help in the growth of individuals.
