How to Develop a Strong Company Culture

published Mar 24, 2020
3 min read

HR professionals believe that strong company culture can attract the best talent

Companies such as Google and Apple are well-regarded for their exceptional company culture, as they have values, standards, and tactics that have helped to define their employee morale and business.

While you might not have the budget to invest in fancy offices or expensive job perks, there are various ways to attract exceptional talent and develop operations that reflect your brand. Read on to find out how to develop a strong company culture.

Find a Purpose

To attract the finest talent and create a business that your customers can relate to, aim to find a purpose when developing a company culture. Identify why you are running a business and who you are serving each day. For example, if you run an environmentally friendly brand, this purpose should be ingrained in your operations, such as encouraging company-wide recycling, reducing paper waste, and decreasing energy and water usage.

The reputation among your employees can impact your brand’s image and can ultimately determine its calibre of talent. The statistics speak for themselves, as 74% of HR professionals surveyed stated a company’s reputation is essential for successful recruitment.

Define Values and Standards

It is crucial that every member of staff speaks the same language, as all employees are responsible for maintaining a brand’s corporate standards and values. Workers have to embody the culture set, from the position of a managing director down to the cleaners. By doing so, you could create an image that will stand the test of time and attract customers to your business.

It is also likely that you will need to adjust your company culture as your business grows. While your brand’s core values should remain the same, you might need to tweak the overall culture to complement the changing times or different employees.

Be Kind to Your Employees

To improve job satisfaction and secure your staff members’ loyalty throughout the years, you must treat them well. If you don’t, it will lead to low morale, career frustration, and high employee turnover.
Thankfully, there are a variety of ways to boost morale and reward your team for all their hard work. For example, you could provide them with cash bonuses for a job well done or various employee perks, such as a free gym membership, extra vacation days, or free food.

You might also be happy to learn you can boost internal happiness without spending a penny. For example, you could play team bonding games, host a movie night after work, or even invite your staff to play fun poker games, such as 7 card stud or Texas Holdem.

Don’t forget to ask your co-workers for feedback regarding your company culture, so you can make changes in your working environment, such as introducing an employee of the month scheme or creating more opportunities for exciting poker nights. A few alterations to the environment could make your employees feel excited to come into work each day and turn each of them into brand ambassadors.


Communication is vital for reducing employee frustration and boosting morale.

Lead by Example

If you want your staff to embody the company culture, all leaders must lead by example. The CEO, members of management, and other senior employees must reflect the business’s values each day. They must exemplify passion, hard work ethic, punctuality, and a positive attitude, which could encourage other staff members to follow suit.

Look for Company Ambassadors

While it is essential to recruit employees that reflect the corporate values, there are bound to be select staff members who live, eat, and breathe the brand and business. These employees will be a business asset, as they will love the company as much as you and will become your biggest cheerleaders.

Once you have identified your brand ambassadors, you should invite them to a one-to-one meeting to discuss what they do or don’t like about the current company culture and if they have any ideas on how to improve it soon. For example, they might want greater working flexibility, or simply wish for more staff nights out, such as team dinners at high-end restaurants or glamorous casino nights including the likes of Omaha hi-lo or Texas Holdem. By understanding your loyal employees’ wants and needs, you could boost internal morale, job satisfaction, and loyalty.

Continually Communicate

According to a recent report by The Predictive Index, 70% of employees stated they were happy with their jobs, and 69% were pleased with their co-workers. However, only 60% were happy with the company, which indicates a poor company culture. If senior leaders want to avoid high employee turnover, they must work hard to improve various direct channels of communication and improve employee engagement.

For example, it is natural for staff members to become frustrated if there’s a lack of clarity in their role or much secrecy surrounding a business. Leaders must, therefore, find ways to clearly and honestly engage with their employees, which can prevent disappointment, frustration, or concern for their future.

To do so, you must be honest during times of uncertainty, open up various communication channels, create an open-door policy, and regularly organize employee performance meetings to develop an employment path at the company. The tactics could work, as a recent study found that 86% of employees at companies with a strong culture felt their leaders listened to them, but the same was true only for 70% of employees working at companies with weak company cultures.

Conclusion

Companies that want to recruit the best talent, grow their brand reputation, and attract customers in droves must work hard at creating and improving their company culture. By following the above top tips, you could transform your working environment, retain your dedicated employees, and grow your productivity levels.

It is, however, essential to bear in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to running a business. Routinely look for opportunities to boost your employees’ job satisfaction, from clearly communicating each day to hosting social events, such as poker nights or after-work drinks. You also must refine your standards and values so that you can find the right recipe for success.