Good Leaders Build A Good Company Culture
Founder + Partner + CEO
Published Thursday, July 2, 2020
Great company culture comes from the top down. It’s the leaders in an organization – the bosses, supervisors, and owners - that set the expectations, norms, and environments that allow great culture to grow. I have read many theories and examples on company culture. Many raves about their video games, ping pong ball tables, number of vacation days and catered lunches on Friday. The truth is you do not need any of it and can still be the best place to work. The tangible things do not make the culture, the people do.
Leader’s actions become crucial to the creation of culture. First, the leader needs to live the culture he/or she wants others to follow. Are you a conservative organization, are you casual, are you a high stress don’t make mistakes kind of workplace? Whatever that culture may be, if the leader does something different then all employees will question the double standard. This is the easy part and most cultures tend to evolve from its founder.
Ultimately, leaders need to know about and care about their people. Caring doesn’t have to mean hugs and lots of emotions, but it should mean that they have a genuine interest in employee’s lives. I believe that people come to work every day to do good things, be happy, and ultimately support whatever it is they are passionate about. A great organizational leader will know what it is that his/her employee does that’s good, what makes them happy, and what their passions are; and they will do all they can to highlight and encourage those things.
There are lots of ways to learn about people and what makes them tick. I find out about my team at ScreenBroidery by stalking them on social media, taking them to lunch, asking questions, observing, and listening – I want to know everything about them so I can be a better leader and build a better company culture. I know when they are frustrated, I know when they are succeeding, and importantly; I know why they show up for work every day. But as a leader, I genuinely care and want to do what I can to help them better their lives which betters the company and ultimately better our customers.
At ScreenBroidery, we have a cool looking office, but we do not have a lot of fancy toys and games (other than what we sell), but regardless we have a fantastic culture. We love our jobs, love each other, and fight to make each other look good in front of our customers. We often show up to work early and stay late not to ensure our customers are taken care of and we do not let each other down. I recognize our team’s dedication, but also know the importance to disconnect every once and awhile. I genuinely care for each of my employees. I care about who they are, where they want to end up in life, and that they feel they are challenged. And I care that they look out for each other like a family and put them in positions where they can work collaboratively, challenge the status quo, and makes each other’s lives better.
Creation of culture begins with the initiation of new employees. They are already excited to be a part of a new organization, but it is important they feel accepted and connected to the company and other employees. At ScreenBroidery we send a welcome pack with logoed apparel, a bag, and some swag to each new hire. All of our existing team members follow up with a short welcome greeting card. Several of our customers do something similar. They send us the contact info of the new hire and from our fulfillment operation we drop ship a preplanned new hire kit with branded swag and treats – items that resemble the culture the leaders want to cement. Programs like this work great for companies hiring lots of people often and have a need to quickly set the tone of what it is like to work for their team.
Here are a few things you (as your organization’s leader) can do to build a stronger culture:
Have a genuine interest in your employee’s lives and know everything possible about them
Plan social times (during and outside of work) where employees can interact to share their true selves
Surprise team members with company-branded gifts like apparel, drink wear, challenge coins, computer decals, etc.
Send new hire kits to set the expectation of a culture
Build collaborative workspaces that encourage teamwork and communication
Set people up to do things they enjoy and are passionate about
Be a leader and live the culture you want to create