4 Must-Haves for Great Company Culture

Last week, we reviewed what company culture is, and how you can start to form your own at your small business. This week, we’re covered the four “must-haves” for sustaining your newly established company culture.

Here we go!

Hire People That Fit Your Culture

Don’t try to do it the other way around, and see how new hires will eventually fit within your culture. Hire them knowing they will fit right in. Some companies have a rigorous hiring process in which they allow job candidates to work with their employees for a week, just to see how they work with “culture-approved” employees. You don’t want a new employee that doesn’t fit in to poison your established company culture and cause harm to existing employees.

Make Sure Every Employee Knows the Culture

When employees are passionate about the mission and culture of the company, they are dedicated to achieving the company’s goal. Do more than put up signs to remind customers to “put customers first.” Host meetings, seminars and activities with your employees to reinforce the mission of the company and make sure everyone knows what they are supposed to do every day.

Make Sure Every Employee Knows Good Ideas Come From Everywhere

In the best company cultures (like Zappos, Facebook, Amazon and Virgin) employees at every level (from entry level to CEO) can contribute ideas to make the company better for employees, customers and vendors. Don’t limit brainstorming sessions to the upper-level execs – welcome ideas from the busboy at your restaurant, or the the administrative assistant at your front desk.

Reinforce the “Team” Mentality Whenever You Can

You don’t want your employees to feel like they are “just another number” or time card. Make sure they know that they are an integral part of your team, and that team members work together on all related projects and help each other out when they can. Teams work best when everyone works together, not in a silo or on their own.

How does your company deal with the ideas laid out above? Let us know in the comments section below!