7 ELEMENTS OF COMPANYCULTURE

Ayoung couple, deeply in love, were lying in the grass one summer evening. The husband looked into his wife’s eyes, removed her glasses and said, “Honey, without your glasses, you are very sexy. Without your glasses, you are very beautiful.” She responded, “Without my glasses, you aren’t so bad to look at either.

Let’s put the glasses back on and take a critical look at an element of any thriving and successful business. In the hectic landscape of modern business, intertwined with innovative technology advancements and strategic planning, there exists a profoundly influential force. It is called company culture. I don’t claim to be an expert, nor do I speak with any authority on this subject. My intent is to just share, from a high level, a few of my observations.

I firmly believe that company culture defines an organization. It is the glue that binds employees together. It encourages collaboration and drives performance. Company culture is the heartbeat of any organization. It permeates through every department. It is a part of every decision that is made. It influences every interaction. Culture transforms individuals into teams—teams that can accomplish amazing things together. A positive culture is no longer just a buzzword, it’s a strategy essential for long-term success.

Sometimes we downplay the importance of company culture. Do we really understand what it means and how essential a positive culture is to an organization?

I once heard about an elderly patient in a hospital who was recovering from a medical procedure. He decided to look at his recovery room chart that was attached to the frame of his bed. He scanned through the pages, then stopped at a particular notation. He was horrified. “I know I was in a bit of a muddle,” he said, “but I didn’t realize I was that bad,” as he apologized to his nurse. “I hope I didn’t offend anyone.” She glanced at the spot where he pointed. “Don’t worry,” she said. “SOB doesn’t mean what you think. It stands for ‘short of breath.’”

Do we understand what company culture really means to our organization? Hopefully, we don’t misinterpret its value. Perhaps we should take a deeper dive. Perhaps we should explore the real benefits from having a strong and positive company culture.

RECRUITMENT

One of the most significant benefits of a strong company culture is its ability to attract talent. In today’s world, talent is scarce and skilled professionals have their pick of opportunities. More than ever before, prospective employees are scrutinizing company cultures before accepting offers. A company with a strong culture will attract high-quality talent that will want to come to work every day, engage with their work, and give it their best.

RETENTION

A positive culture isn’t just appealing to potential hires, it is also essential for retaining existing employees. A strong culture will attract the kind of talent that will stay with an organization for the long haul and not just use the company as a stepping stone. An employee is more likely to remain loyal and engaged when he or she feels valued, respected, connected to the mission of the organization, and enjoys going to work every day. Turnover is very disruptive and negatively affects productivity and morale.

JOB SATISFATION

A positive company culture cultivates happy and dedicated employees. Do we really, truly look out for the people who work for us? Happy employees, who get fulfillment from their jobs, work harder.

When a company cares for their people, their people care back. It always turns out to be a win/win. It has been said that we should care more about the people we are going to acquire than the money it will take to get them. If we hire the right people, and we have the right culture to nurture them, they will pay us back twice as much with their commitment and drive. I love the quote from Jim Goodnight that my partner Larry Stevens quoted in a previous Med One to One publication. This CEO said, “Every night 95% of my single most important business assets and the very heart of this company–our employees, drive out the gate. It is my job to bring them back the next day.” How does he do it? By having a strong positive company culture that encourages his employees to come back the next day. Employee happiness really matters.

WORK PERFORMANCE

If you create a great place to work, great work takes place. A strong company culture has been linked to higher rates of productivity. Employees are motivated to work hard and remain dedicated to their employers. A strong company culture also cultivates a sense of purpose and belonging. When an employee feels valued and part of something greater then themselves, they are more motivated to contribute their best efforts and become part of the team. This clearly helps drive the organization forward in pursuit of its goals. If we are wise, we will build a workplace where people can inspire one another to be better.

EMPLOYEE FEEDBACK

With any strong company culture, employee feedback is welcomed and embraced. Feedback is critical. Do we really care about our employees? If we do, we need to find out what they really want and what they are really thinking.

Psychiatrist Karl Menninger once said, “It is hard for a free fish to understand what is happening to a hooked one.” I have pondered this statement and thought deeply about its meaning. Sometimes, we just need to get hooked ourselves. I believe this concept is very meaningful as it pertains to our employees. We will only have employee satisfaction when we understand what is going on inside their heads. We really need to understand their needs and their desires. The only way we will find this out is to have open communication and encourage employee feedback.

Most of us have probably never heard of Eddie Rickenbacker. He was an American fighter pilot in World War 1 and a Medal of Honor recipient. He was honored as America’s most successful fighter ace in the war. He was also the Chairman of Eastern Airlines in the late 1940s.

While serving in this position, he was faced with a major problem. Eastern Airline customers were complaining because the airline was mishandling luggage way too often. Other than the customers, no one seemed to really care. Rickenbacker decided to take some action. He called a special meeting and invited the top management of the company to attend. They were all booked on a flight to Miami and were instructed to report directly to the corporate office. They were informed that their luggage would be transferred and delivered directly to their hotel. But according to Eddies plan, the luggage was not delivered. Instead, he put it on hold and stored it overnight. The day was hot and muggy, and the hotel had no air conditioning. Many of the managers showed up the next morning unshaven, teeth un-brushed, wearing wrinkled clothes and very irritated. There was no sign of the baggage the entire day. Finally, at 3:00AM, the baggage was delivered with a loud pounding on their hotel room doors.

Rickenbacker opened the next morning’s session by saying, “Now you know how the customer feels when you mishandle his luggage.” He knew his team would be ineffective until his people learned to empathize with their customers. He knew they would not understand until they had been hooked. What a powerful lesson he taught his management team.

How do we learn how our employees feel? We need to listen when our employees are talking. Sometimes our employees need more empathy than advice, sometimes they need more listening than lectures, sometimes they just need a listening ear. According to Eddie Rickenbacker, we need to get hooked. We need to learn what drives our employees and then respond accordingly. We need to foster more feedback.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

A company with a positive culture helps employees enjoy quality of life by encouraging a healthy work-life balance. They come together and do amazing work during business hours. Then, everyone leaves their work and goes home while they still have enough time and energy to enjoy the evening with their loved ones. Personal time is therapeutic and reduces stress. We all need down-time, even if it is time just “chasing flies.”

The remote, the phone, the fly swatter, whatever floats your boat. The important thing is time apart from work. This is a part of the work-life balance that is so critical for our employees. Wise leaders will respect their employees’ boundaries outside of working hours. The employee returns to the office the next day rested, refreshed, and ready to continue doing their best work. Work-life balance is a significant part of a healthy and productive work environment.

EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION

Recognition is a great motivator. An employee who feels appreciated will work much harder. In a recent survey, employees across the globe listed appreciation for my work as the number one attribute that is most important in a job. This survey validated that the deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated. Recognition turns out to be a reward in and of itself. Everybody needs a cheerleader—someone who isn’t telling them they aren’t running fast enough but someone who is telling them they have plenty of talent and they are making a significant contribution. Recognition and acknowledgement for contributions and achievements is a key element to positive culture.

Let me conclude by saying that cultivating a strong company culture doesn’t just happen. It is an ongoing journey that requires dedication and frequent improvement. Organizations gain momentum when their employees are aligned— moving in the same direction toward the same goal. Leaders play a huge role in championing company culture. They can set the tone from the top, lead out by example, and inspire employees to do the same.

We all hope that we have achieved a positive company culture. However, we cannot just put it on auto-pilot and turn our attention elsewhere. Maintaining a desired company culture requires constant care and attention. We believe we have a unique culture at Med One, but we also know there is always room for improvement. Our commitment to our employees is that we will continue to build and improve on our company culture.