Before we receive the announcement that offices and larger workplaces can open up for employees to come back to their desks, this is the time to be thinking about your workplace culture. Have you ever considered that it might need an overhaul?  That your employees may not be as content as they say they are? 

Here are my recommendations for you to start preparing for your employees to return to work and welcoming them with an improved work environment. 

1. You need to define what your company values are. 

Take some time to sit down and write down all your core values you want your business to stand for. Without a clear understanding of your values, your employees will not be able to follow through with them. You need to ask yourself these questions.

1. Why does my company exist? (your purpose)
2. What do I believe? (how do I want my team to act?)
3. Where do I want to go? (what does the future look like)

Focusing on your core values from the very beginning will assist you with a sustainable workforce. Having great perks like Friday drinks or leaving early can only sustain you for so long. But knowing exactly where your business is going and how your team fits into that vision will take you a long way and retain employees who resonate with your vision. 

2. Outline what your culture looks like now and what needs to change. 

This is where you need to be really honest with yourself. Maybe take some time to call your employees and ask them to tell you what they believe needs to change. Allow them to be honest and know that the information that you give them will remain confidential.  Without honesty, change cannot happen. 

Starting a business from scratch is the easiest way to build a positive culture but when you have an existing business in grain ideas and attitudes are difficult to shift, that’s when things get a little tricky. But like every great leader says, nothing great comes easy. 

Remember the fish rots from the head down, so take a really good look at your senior management team but most importantly your board.  Don’t discount the importance of the Board and their impact on your culture. 

“Invest in board culture as much as you do company culture: In small companies the role of the board is often more intimate and connected to the organization and has the ability to have a heavy influence on culture.”

3. Invest in hiring a people person. 

And no, I am not talking about HR.  People mistake HR as being responsible for the culture of a business, this is not correct. The most important hire you will make is someone who is professionally trained in building culture into a business.  You must not then rest all of the company’s culture responsibilities on that one person’s shoulders.  It is important that all members of the senior leadership team assists with upholding the cultural aspects of your company. Make sure you hold them accountable. 

4. Your hiring process needs to reflect your culture.

Make sure you are bringing in the right people to the fold. The hires that you make early on in your business will have a huge impact not just to your company work environment but also to the success of your business. Whatever you do, don’t hire look-alikes – having a good culture doesn’t mean hiring all the same people. You need diversity to create a harmonious workplace. 

There is so much more to building a great company culture than the perks, it’s about being innovative, inclusive and passionate about your people. Without a positive workforce your business cannot function to the highest capacity, so make sure that you have set the foundations for a workforce that are just as passionate about your business as you are.