Companies who focus on creating a work culture that employees love have happier employees. If your employees are happy, they become more productive, more profitable, and more willing to promote your company.
It’s not easy to find the perfect balance of values, environment, benefits, and people that go into creating a workplace culture. But by recognizing why it matters, and taking steps to nurture it, you’re already making a difference.
Reasons to focus on company culture
Increased productivity
Happy employees are better employees, period. Employees who love their work encourage their fellow workers to perform at their best, and everyone wins. Happiness is contagious, and so is productivity. They tend to go hand in hand. So, if you increase happiness, you can see an increase in productivity, too.
Healthier employees
Studies have proven that healthier employees perform their jobs better. Healthy employees also tend to have lower absenteeism, fewer workplace accidents, and a lower risk of injury. Think about how much easier it is to do good work when you feel good physically. There’s a world of difference between trying to function and thriving. You definitely want your employees to thrive.
Employee retention
When employees are happy with their jobs, they tend to stick around. And when you don’t need to constantly interview and replace employees, you can focus on serving your clients. You also avoid lowered product quality or customer service while new employees come up to speed.
Better customer service
The way your employees treat your customers is a direct reflection of how you treat your employees. There’s no doubt that a happy team means happy customers. If you turn your employees into fans of your company, they will be your biggest promoters.
Wondering how to improve company culture?
Define company values and get everyone on the same page
Define what you want your company culture and values to look like. Why do you do what you do? How do you want your employees to feel about where they work? Once you understand them, “Use your culture and values to hire,” says Michael Monteiro, CEO of Buildium. “You want your employees to know what they are signing up for, and you want them to want to be a part of it. If they see the vision and understand what’s important to you, everyone can more easily row in the same direction.”
Improve the work environment
If your employees work onsite, you can make upgrades to their office space. These upgrades might include
- Standing desks or other active working areas
- Office plants, which reduce stress and improve indoor air quality
- Using color to promote energy
If your employees work remotely or in the field, you can find other ways to upgrade their environments. Whatever you can do to make their work areas more conducive to wellness and productivity is valuable, even if it’s a small change here and there.
Offer better benefits
One of the best ways to create a culture that helps you attract and retain the best talent is to offer competitive benefits. Medical, dental, and vision benefits are common offerings, so it’s good to know that when it comes to health insurance, certain benefits are dictated by state and federal rules. Which laws apply to your business depends on how many employees you have and the type of coverage you provide. Other benefits include retirement savings plans, PTO, commuter benefits, monthly health club or wellness vouchers, and student loan repayment.
By offering great benefits to your employees, you go a long way towards creating a healthy and happy work environment.
