Do you like where you work? Do you feel like there’s a supportive environment where people are appreciated for their abilities and contributions while also respected for their differences? All that contributes to company culture, or the personality and values shared by an establishment and its employees. While company culture is usually established by management, employees have an important role to play in making their workplace a healthier, more supportive, and welcoming place. Here are a few ways to help contribute to and strengthen your company’s culture to better reflect the values and ideals you and your colleagues find important.
Ideas to Help Grow Your Company Culture!
1. Forge Relationships with Your Colleagues
You don’t need to find your new best friend at work, but it’s good to have colleagues with whom you can get along and, maybe, confide in. We spent 40 hours a week or more with our teams and our coworkers; that’s a lot of time together with people who come in as strangers but upon whom we need to rely and cooperate. Get to know them a little! Whether it’s a regular happy hour or lunch or a walking group that gets together to get some fresh air, find ways to bring people together and talk about non-work-related topics. You don’t need to pry; just be friendly and show a genuine interest in each other.
2. Celebrate the Victories
Not everyone enjoys being the center of attention, but people like knowing their work is valued, respected, and appreciated. Develop a system for praising people for their hard work, whether as a group or individually. Little compliments can go a long way toward making people feel like they’re important, and doesn’t everyone like to feel that way? And, if your team decides it’s something they want to do, this can go beyond work victories to include the personal milestones too: Birthdays, engagements, weddings, new children, etc. Each person should have the right to opt in or out of having their personal lives shared or acknowledged in this way and might prefer something smaller or less ostentatious, but it’s nice to be considered.
3. Help Out (When You Can)
We all get overwhelmed at times. If someone’s having a rough time and you’re asked and can offer a helping hand. Showing up for someone when they need you, especially if they never ask for help, is one of the kindest things you can do. It’s a sign of respect and humanity; it’s a small thing that can mean a really big deal to someone who needs help and support. If you’re overloaded, you can still say no, but if you can help, do so. Being a supportive teammate and coworker can help people feel like they have allies and friends at work, and if you’re having a bad time or are just overworked and feeling underwater, that’s a vital lifeline.
4. Be the Example
If something is going on that you don’t like, that you think can be better, do your best to make a change. Try to set things in motion that you know will make your workplace better. If someone looks lonely, be their friend, or at least start a conversation. If you’re hearing from coworkers about a problem, go to management about it and try to help form and implement a solution. If something could help people do their jobs better or more efficiently, an application or software program or some other tool, bring it up and make a case for it. Try to be proactive and do your part to help people in ways they might not even realize they need or are possible. Working can take a lot out of people; little gestures and niceties to make the work day more pleasant can go a long way toward boosting morale and keeping the good people together.
Consider what your ideal working environment looks like. What kinds of events are offered? What types of groups are available? How do coworkers support and appreciate each other? How does the organization help the community in which it exists? If anything from your list is missing, see about making a change to make it real. It might take a while, but you could make a real difference in your workplace!
Looking For a New Career Opportunity? ABLE Associates Can Help!
If you’re thinking about your current work environment and realizing that none of these things exist, or you’re frustrated about your position, it might be time to make a change. Able Associates can help! Give our recruiters a call today, or take a look at the jobs we have available and let us know what might be a good fit for you. We’ll do our best to help you find a great new position — fast!