What makes a great company culture?

A recent study by Workbuzz discovered that almost half (45 per cent) of UK employees and business leaders rank a “great” culture as the most important factor when looking for a new job. 

The impact of culture on your employees is enormous. We only need to look at Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter as an example which has resulted in the end of their work from home policy and a lot of uncertainty for Twitter employees who have been anonymously expressing their concerns on the future of their workplace on workplace community platform ‘Blind’.

“Used to have an amazing culture, unsure of the future”.  

“Recent changes in management are causing a lot of uncertainty and stress from people being let go or quitting.” 

“Since Elon took over, everything has been unpredictable, bad management and communication.”

This shift in company culture will result in high levels of attrition and pushing away talent. Our own research revealed that 81% of HR Leaders agree that weak communication contributes to low morale, lack of motivation, excessive rework and a disengaged workforce. But what makes a great company culture? Read on to find out! 

Types of Culture 

You need to define your company culture before introducing any internal communication initiatives. Here are the different types of culture:

• Clan Culture: Friendly and upbeat, employees have a lot in common and company culture is a top priority, usually in tandem with employee wellbeing. Leaders are hugely respected and seen as mentors where they drive team building, employee involvement and empowerment. Working environments are harmonious and tranquil and employees are given trust and freedom to thrive in their roles.  

• Adhocracy Culture: This type of culture centres around innovation, success and flexibility with a big focus on being two steps ahead and the development of new products. Office environments tend to be creative, energetic and fast paced. Risks and experimentation are highly encouraged and being able to adapt quickly to changing conditions is a prerequisite of ad hoc cultures. 
• Market Culture: Ruthless, results driven and performance orientated are the characteristics of a market culture. Employees are encouraged to achieve things well outside of their comfort zones and leaders can be tough and demanding. Profit and market share are the main priorities of the business. 
• Hierarchy Culture: Hierarchy culture's nature is in its name, it revolves around structure, control and doing things right. This is typically the culture in large corporations where there are many layers between management and leaders, policies and procedures must be adhered to so the business runs smoothly. Leaders keep a close eye on what employees do, ensuring they’re adhering to the rules

Questions to ask when it comes to company culture

Here are some questions you should be asking to define whether culture is right in your organisation…  

Does it create a safe space for employees?

Our work environments should feel like a pleasant and comfortable space for employees. A good culture will ensure employees are engaged, retention rates are high and brings out the best in everyone. Placing a high value on employee wellbeing, strong communication, support and encouragement are all signs of a positive workplace culture. You can ensure employees feel comfortable by:

• Keeping discussions open and transparent
• Show appreciation and recognition
• Understand how each-other work
• Celebrate the wins
• Show trust 
• Set boundaries and expectations
• Use anonymity where appropriate

Are employees' opinions valued? Communication is a two way street and great companies recognise and implement their employees opinions and feedback. Do you have ways of gathering employees feedback and insights on certain subjects such as polls and feedback surveys? And once you have the data, do you have procedures in place of how you’ll utilise employee feedback? 

Do you have long term employees? Employee turnover is a really strong indicator of good company culture and high employee engagement. When employees are happy, they offer development and learning opportunities and enjoy who they work with; they'll be likely to stay at an organisation for a longer period of time. 

Does it encourage participation? Good company cultures will bring employees together and organise fun ways for employees to get together for activities - personal and professional, in and out of company hours. Having good workplace relationships improves collaboration, morale and encourages everyone to share their knowledge, skills and ideas making for a creative and enjoyable workplace. 

Is communication clear? A lack of communication creates a culture of insecurity and uncertainty. When employees don’t know what’s going on in the workplace it can leave people feeling like they’re not involved and don’t belong. Workplaces with positive cultures place a high value on transparency so every team member feels involved, aligned and that they know where the company is headed. Leaders are visible and readily available to chat to. 

Are your mission and values clear? A good company culture must be articulated and communicated  to employees at all levels, your culture will come from your values and mission statement and it should be incorporated into any messaging, internally and externally. 

Want to learn more about company culture and why it’s essential to your business? Read our complete guide on company culture right here.