Company culture is a term that describes the values and ethics of a company. It is manifested in several ways, but two of the most obvious are the treatment of staff and suppliers. However, despite the effects of a healthy culture being very visible, most people struggle to define what it is.
Culture influences every aspect of an organisation, from leadership styles to the physical work environment. Yet despite the effect culture has on a business's bottom line, it is often deprioritised or thought of as something that just is and cannot be changed. However, there are many ways a business can alter its culture, for better or worse. Admittedly, some factors may take longer to come into effect than others, but regardless, culture is malleable and is something that can be improved and strengthened.
Sadly, company culture is often left behind. This is because cultural changes can take a long time to come into effect and may not be immediately visible.
Instead, businesses get caught in a loop of only focusing on urgent issues. However, neglecting culture eventually impacts the workforce by causing a dip in morale or a drop in engagement.
The top 5 reasons to focus on improving your culture include:
A positive and robust organisational culture can turn your employees into your brand's biggest cheerleaders — even when times are tough. Now more than ever, people are looking for more than a steady paycheck and basic benefits. They want to feel like what they do matters, and their company wants the best for them.
LinkedIn research shows that more than half of job searchers would like to visit a business and experience its culture before committing to a role. Consequently, this is one of many reasons brand advocates are so important.
One way to encourage brand advocacy is to promote a culture of recognition and make it part of your employees' daily work routine. Celebrating individual and team successes fosters a sense of accomplishment, which makes employees feel like they're progressing and making a difference.
With Perkbox, your teams get access to a real-time recognition feed, which updates once a new recognition is sent. What's more, managers can attach points to each message of recognition they send. Employees can redeem points on thousands of rewards, ranging from discounts on days out, dining, beauty products, and much more.
The cost of employee turnover is as much as 2.5 times an employee's salary, depending on their role. So, how do you retain your top performers? The answer lies in your culture.
Employees don't want to feel like they are just a cog in the business machine. Instead, they want to feel like they are an appreciated part of the community.
A cohesive and inclusive company culture is key to building this sense of community. Ensure your employees, whether they are in the office or working remotely, feel as though they are part of something bigger than themselves.
Not forgetting, a healthy culture bolsters your teams' mental wellbeing and can even alleviate workplace stress and anxiety, which in turn reduces burnout and absences.
Company culture and wellbeing are very much intertwined. Simply put, when an organisation's culture isn't healthy, employee morale is also affected. Moreover, poor levels of engagement are also coupled with higher rates of absences.
To avoid situations like this, place employee wellbeing at the centre of company culture. This can quickly be done by encouraging employees to set boundaries, for example, by not sending out-of-hours emails, and leaving their desks at lunch to switch off.
You can also support employee health with wellbeing resources. This can include an Employee Assistance Program, discounted gym memberships, and a wellbeing platform.
Perkbox includes various wellbeing tools, including on-demand HIIT workouts, yoga flows, and guided meditations. Employees can also access webinars on health and nutrition, plus discounts on athleisure wear, wearable tech, and more. There is also the option of adding an EAP and health cash-back plans.
Perks and benefits have a significant impact on culture. Yes, some small businesses without an extensive perks package have a fantastic culture. However, the addition of discounts and freebies would undoubtedly make it stronger.
When employees have access to perks they truly value, be it saving money on the grocery shop or getting a discount on a hotel for their holiday, it's another positive employee experience with your organisation — it shows you care about them and don't think of them as just an employee number.
Perkbox includes thousands of deals, discounts, and freebies. From tiny treats, such as free coffee, to bigger discounts on courses, holidays, and more. There really is something for everyone.
A thriving corporate culture transforms your company. When your culture is purpose-driven and value-orientated, employees will have an easier time understanding your mission.
Of course, this is more difficult in an increasingly distributed working world. However, digital tools can help bridge the gap:
A healthy culture is dependent on clear and candid communication.
For communication to be effective, it has to be two-way. What we mean by this is that employees should always feel they can speak to at least someone, be it a manager or another senior staff member. Admittedly, this can be more difficult when people work from home. However, software, such as instant messaging tools, can help with this.
Perkbox includes a culture and comms platform that makes sharing updates, news, and documents easy. Think of it as a digital notice board, which you pin virtual cards to. There are plenty of card templates, but if you want to create something more unique, there are options for that too.
Each card supports numerous attachments, including PDFs, documents, photos, videos, and more. Using the cards, you can communicate when a new starter has joined or when the next social is. Other uses include sharing important company docs, such as benefits packs and HR policies.
Perkbox is an all-in-one employee experience solution that prioritises culture. It takes a holistic approach to employee experience by focusing on wellbeing, recognition, perks, and comms.
It's easy to use and is accessible from a mobile and desktop app. So it doesn't matter if your employees are in the same building, on the opposite side of the world, or travelling — both benefit from the same amazing Perkbox experience.
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