Business Basics: Here’s Why You Need To Build A Strong Culture Within Your Organization

Culture eats strategy for breakfast- or so the aphorism goes. To me, culture is as important as a clear direction, and more important than strategy- less all the eating involved.

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Let’s take a moment to define what a work culture is, so we are on the same page from here onwards in this article.

Work culture is a large and an all-encompassing term that includes many things including beliefs, values, behaviors, stories, and “how we do things around here” statements. Also, a good work culture recognizes employees’ need to be valued, to belong, and to be heard, regardless of their position or background.

I know the word “culture” in organizations has become a buzzword, trendy to use and inject in communications and presentations. But when I hear that word, a story promptly pops into my head, which demonstrates how a healthy work culture benefits both employer and employees.

During a visit to the NASA Space Centre in 1962, American President John F. Kennedy noticed a janitor carrying a broom. He interrupted his tour, walked over to the man, said hello to him, and then asked him what he does there. The janitor responded, “I’m helping put a man on the moon, Mr. President.”

Now, this man knew his raison d’etre, his purpose, and he knew how to contribute to the bigger objective of his organization. You don’t get that clear purpose, shared vision, and engagement without a clear and inviting culture. A clear and well-articulated culture that is loved and modeled in any organization thus plays a pivotal role in how employees feel about the company they work for.

From my experience, people like to associate themselves with companies who are committed to looking after their employees. This, in turn, becomes a decisive factor in attracting and retaining talent. I remember that whenever I felt good about my job, I did a little extra, because I knew what I did mattered, will be appreciated. I also felt that I was given ownership of whatever I did or led.

If I was experiencing a culture (aka environment) of fear and micromanagement, I will only do what I am told to do in my job description, and nothing more, for two very simple reasons: I would be afraid to do the wrong thing and be reprimanded for it, and I would not be given any credit or appreciation for any extra work. So, why bother?

I am a firm believer of trust in any relationship. If you don’t have trust, you have a flimsy, clunky and an unsustainable relationship, and the output of which will be mediocre at best. Culture is also built on trust. “I trust that you will do the right thing,” “I trust that you will do your job to the best of your abilities,” “I trust that you will deliver the job on time,” all without all the check-ins, scrutiny and “over your shoulder” supervision. If you feel trusted, the responsibility lands on your lap to deliver, and to maintain that trust. As Andrew Mason famously said, “Hire great people, and give them freedom to be awesome.”

Now, there may be a few of you who might be thinking: what good is it to have an amazing and award-winning work culture, but a failing or stagnant business? Let me reply with this note: in order for a company to have any work culture in place, they would have to have a clear understanding of their basics- product, vision, strategy, and clients. If you don’t have that, and you just focus on creating a happy-go-lucky, inclusive, and empathetic culture, then I suggest we call it another thing, like, say, “a cultural club,” “a non-profit community club,” and not a business.

Your workplace is a business, after all; one that is supposed to make profit/money. If your workplace hasn’t established the foundation for a scalable and successful business, to be able to pay your salary on time for a long time, then I am not sure why you are there! Kill time, meet new people, or try a new hobby. More importantly, a positive work culture will take care of your customer- the dude that actually pays the bills. If you have miserable and disengaged employees, it will be immediately noticed by your customer, who will be hesitant to respect you or come back.

Finally, a work culture is built by people and for people in any organization, and the way a work culture usually comes to life is via positive stories. Stories that are told by colleagues to each other on private calls, around water coolers, or at company events, about how a manager acted in a protective and supportive way about his team in a specific situation, or how management is planning to introduce a policy that will enable employees to spend more time with their families, and the many similar stories, anecdotes, or memes that are shared within the company to keep it alive, and refuel that much desired culture.

Related: Building An Organization With A Strong Company Culture: The How-To