You Want a Healthy Work Culture, but How Do You Get One?
Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash
Before we start, it has to matter to you what kind of organization you have.
It does not take a great work culture to succeed in business. As much as I have read about Elon Musk and his businesses, there has never been a mention of how great it is to work there or what a wonderful culture they have. Yet Tesla became our biggest carmaker and Elon the world’s richest guy.
The nature of your business has to matter to you. How you are known has to matter to you. An organization that focuses on people – with the people proud to be part of it – can also be highly successful and a leader in performance.
Before we get to how, here are a few Gallup Engagement Survey statistics that frame the conversation.
Three main things people want from work:
To feel valued
To feel listened to
To know there is room for growth and advancement
Top reasons people quit:
The culture is not nurturing or, worse, toxic
They do not feel challenged
They are uninspired
They do not feel valued
They want better management (50 percent leave because of their manager.)
In conversations with several thousand workers, Kim Seely Smith, CEO of Global Ignite, identified nine critical things that motivated and engaged people at work. She calls these “currencies of choice.”
This brings us back to The Economics of Decency.
Here are the benefits of a focus on people and making them feel valued and heard, according to Seely Smith:
73 percent more engaged
50 percent lower turnover
38 percent higher productivity
44 percent higher customer satisfaction
A business model built on decency and engagement is not for everyone, in spite of the significant benefits such a culture provides. It takes an unusual level of commitment, similar to a startup, to succeed. If you think it is important to have that kind of a culture, here is what it takes.
It starts with a mental shift. You have to give up what you think you are doing already. Your people must become as important and valuable to you as your customers.
If you find your people happy and engaged and you have high performance, then you are probably there. If not, find out from your people; ask them.
Determine what kind of organization you want to be.
How do you want to be seen and thought of, both publicly and with your people? Determine your purpose; is it just to succeed and make money, or is it something higher? If you are not creating your business around a higher purpose, there is not much to which your people can anchor emotionally.
Studies suggest it takes about 60 percent of a person's effort to do their job, the rest is discretionary. If you want some of that discretionary effort, your people need an emotional anchor.
Once you have a vision of the kind of organization you want to build and a purpose to strive for…
Decide what behaviors would give you these things.
How would your people need to behave to create a high-performing, purpose-driven organization of engaged, dedicated people? You may now start to see why we say this takes a high level of dedication.
Now you have vision, purpose, and a codified set of behaviors consistent with achieving your purpose. The critical next action: institute those behaviors in the fabric, the very DNA, of your organization.
It becomes the “way we work here.” The rest is modeling, teaching and educating your people. It extends to attracting and hiring only people who are a fit for the organization. It is no easy task, but the potential rewards are commensurate with the effort. Remember:
73 percent more engaged
50 percent lower turnover
38 percent higher productivity
44 percent higher customer satisfaction
Organizations of up 2,000 people, with focus and dedication, can accomplish this in a couple of years. It is not for the faint of heart! It is for true leaders. But maybe you do not hold the reins of your organization; this does take commitment from the top. However, the same principles can be adapted to a team or a project.
If this strikes a chord for you, you are welcome to download our STRATEGIC MAP FOR TRANSFORMING AN ORGANIZATION. Just hit the link, our gift.
If you want to talk about how all this applies to your specific situation, give us a call. We are happy to walk you through it. Also, our gift.
Have a fruitful November and a Thanksgiving rife with gratitude.
Cheers and Blessings,
Fundamental of the Week #1: ACT WITH INTEGRITY
Integrity is the core of everything. Tell the truth, acknowledge and own your mistakes and clean them up with appropriate corrections. Do the right thing even when no one is looking.
Momentum Consulting offers executive business coaching, top-level executive consulting, team trainings and team off-sites to build and transform your business to the next level. Inquire about business consulting and leadership coaching today.
