“What is the one thing I can do to improve my organization’s culture?” The truth is that there is not simply one thing that will improve how your employees feel about what they do and who they do it for. We define culture as the collective hearts and minds of an organization. As such, there are many things that affect employees’ attitudes about their work and the company they are working for. When we conduct culture assessments, we often find that many mechanisms, processes, and activities connected to the employees’ experience at work play a part in how they feel. We also find that the main influence on the employee experience is the employee’s direct manager. So, here are 5 tips that leaders at all levels should follow to ensure the right employee experience and improve your company’s organizational culture.
- Create and communicate meaningful values: values should be more than some philosophical BS. Values are a guide for everyone in the organization on how to act and interact with each other, customers, and the community. Leaders must communicate not only the values, but also the expected behaviors associated with each value. This helps employees understand what is expected, which reduces uncertainty and ensures everyone is aligned on how things should be done at the company. For values to have meaning, frontline employees must see their managers adhering to them daily.
- Enable and empower employee : leaders must give employees the right information, the right tools, the right amount of support, and the control and power to make decisions. Leaders must set the expectation, provide employees with what they need to succeed, and then let their employees do their jobs without micro-managing every detail. It’s important to empower employees and build trust.
- Coach employees: informal feedback helps employees understand how their behaviors measure up to what is expected. For informal feedback to be effective, it must be timely, fair, balanced (providing both positive and constructive), explain “why” the behavior is important, personal, specific, and must include a sincere thank you or gesture of appreciation.
- Communicate effectively with employees: the problem is usually not the quantity of communication, but rather the quality of communication being transmitted. To improve quality of communication, make sure to keep your words simple and to the point, consider your body language and tone of voice, and ensure the timing and setting is right.
- Show employees that you care about them and your organizational culture : show employees that you care about them as an individual and that you are dedicated to improving your company’s organizational culture. Do so by being available to support them and listen to their needs. Get to know your employees and what they care about. Last, be honest and open when communicating with employees as this is a key factor in establishing trust.
Source: https://www.achievers.com/blog/10-tips-to-improve-your-companys-organizational-culture/
