With many organizations initiating their return to office plans, there’s no better time to look at what office culture is. Because of the pandemic, it’s safe to assume that things have changed since people set foot in their facilities. The last two years have certainly been difficult for everyone and organizations are more than eager to restart their services. However, it’s important to remember that your business objectives are closely connected to the mental and emotional health of your different teams.
Organizations that understood the importance of office culture went to great lengths to maintain it even when the majority of their workforce operated remotely. While challenging at the start, many began to notice eventual upticks in morale and productivity amongst teammates that found their groove.
Why Cultivating Office Culture Is Important
Simply put, office culture is not an intangible, abstract concept. It should also not just be defined by how people get along in the organization. As a whole, office culture defines a company’s identity. Whether by its employees, managers or clients, they are a representation of what it priorities and cultivates to create the environment it wants. Office culture translates into how everyone in the company interacts with each other, including those outside the organization. This includes how customers are spoken to, the sincerity of upper management, to even just celebrating small wins or milestones.
In other words, a company’s core values reflect on what their office culture looks like. How everyone interacts, manages and conducts themselves in the organization are a representation of its beliefs. Here are some of the key ways it is cultivated.
Teamwork
The most successful businesses will tell you that success comes from teamwork. When teams operate on the same wavelength and act like a well-oiled machine, there is nothing they can accomplish. For this to happen, they need an environment that allows them to grow and use their talents completely. Only then can goals be clearly defined that will help everyone develop and challenge themselves to do more things.
By understanding the path you want to take, your teams can demonstrate how they can help you achieve those goals. You can even help them develop themselves further in an office culture that welcomes new challenges to raise the bar further.
Communication Will Always Be Key
Of course, all of this starts with good communication. On the surface level, one of the things people miss is the face-to-face conversations they would have in the office. Whether over some food or during board meetings, these interactions are missed. For them, hearing the words “good job!” from other people has a much bigger impact than an email saying the same thing.
To say that communication is crucial in any business would be an understatement. Success often hinges on how clearly you outline your goals and lay your expectations. Opening also more channels of communication between teams and management helps establish a good rapport between them. When both sides feel they can trust each other, office culture can turn into a positive, productive one. That’s why it is important for everyone to find time and speak face to face with the people around you. We exist in a world full of real-time reactions so take the time to develop a relationship with the people around you.
Strong office culture can be rooted and grown around people who listen, not just to each other or within the business. Keeping an open eye and ear on what’s happening in the industry also keeps them ahead of the curve. With real-time reactions and communications stronger than ever, it’s much easier now to develop relationships with other and keeping your finger on the pulse.
Celebration and Recognition
Being enthusiastic about something is contagious. It can be over big milestones or even small personal wins that seem trivial to most. But if it is something you are passionate about, it’s always a good idea to share your enthusiasm with others. Companies that value this are able to help develop deeper connections among their teams and management.
For instance, monthly huddles and gatherings not only help keep teams updated on the latest company developments. They are small events that recognize birthdays, work anniversaries and even new faces to different teams. These may seem trivial on the outset, but have a huge influence on how teams in a company operate. There’s a level of authenticity when it comes to acknowledging these victories that cannot be replicated without good communication and a thriving office culture.
How office culture can transform your business
We’ve talked a lot about what office culture means and how it affects the way businesses find success. That’s why maintaining and cultivating this culture is important. Businesses that see their teams as their greatest asset understand how pivotal they are to their success. In doing so, they know that providing them an experience that lets them grow and explore their talents will help them become long term employees down the line.
This can start with building on a clear vision with attainable goals and a genuine appreciation for their input. concern for your employees’ professional growth Cultivate an office culture that brings out the best in people together and keeps them aligned through common goals. With different perspectives working towards it, your office culture can transform into something that makes people eager to come into your offices each day.
