• Insights

There is more to finding workers than simply identifying people with the correct skills and experience. Successful companies also seek to learn more about people as individuals. After all, it’s the people who cultivate the workplace culture a business needs to be successful.

Many businesses could survey their employees and discover little consensus on the essential attributes that make up the company’s DNA. Employees in different departments within the same organization, may have varied ideas of how they would like to be treated and how to approach work. As a result, a business has to invest time and effort into communicating a clear vision and developing shared values.

The rewards are worth it. Cultivating consensus around the business’s unique culture can help with hiring and employee engagement and retention. After all, when there is a shared vision, it is easier for people to adopt the company’s values. Further, a sense of alignment with company values also fosters employee engagement, which in turn helps retention.

How to cultivate workplace culture?

Foster relationships.

You don’t need to turn into a matchmaker service for your employees. Still, the company should focus attention on how to help people build professional relationships, even across departments. Transparent communication company-wide and across all levels of the hierarchy (if there is one) can improve people’s sense of belonging to a community that cares.  Involving employees in change initiatives, soliciting input, and giving people autonomy to do their work can all help foster the feeling of respect fundamental to employee engagement.

Affirm accomplishments.

Since feeling valued is important in encouraging employees to engage in their work, recognizing successes is another way to cultivate organizational culture. Consider this finding: Feeling appreciated for work was the No. 1 factor that mattered most to employees worldwide in a Boston Consulting Group study of 200,000 employees from 189 countries.

Support development.

Company culture depends in large part on employee goodwill and loyalty to the organization. One way to engage employees is to empower learning and professional growth. Giving people deeper knowledge in their roles and greater ownership of their responsibilities can enhance productivity in the short-term. Plus, this professional development can also help employers anticipate future business needs. Effective learning and development efforts will provide for the future needs of clients, prepare for industry changes, and position individuals to fill leadership roles long-term.

 Share culture.

Everyone working for you should be able to identify, succinctly, what makes your business distinct. Don’t simply assume that your people know the company’s history or its values. Ensure that leadership has a clear idea of what makes your organization special, and then be sure they are reinforcing cultural attributes and recognizing people on their teams who embody the behaviors, attitudes, and values that are representative of your organization’s distinct DNA.

Start at the hiring stage.

Fostering a cohesive culture begins in the hiring stages. Don’t focus exclusively on the certifications or qualifications a candidate offers. Instead, consider how well someone will fit in with the culture and support the business’s values. Employers can teach skills, and employees will gain experience, but it’s much more difficult to change someone’s perspective on work and what your organization is contributing.

Considering Culture at Forrest Solutions

Forrest Solutions has a long history of connecting talented individuals with the world’s best-known brands. As a full-service business partner providing direct hire, temporary, consultant, project staffing or department outsourcing, we bring a personal touch to the staffing process. Our subject matter experts will ensure you’re matched with talented and skilled people who are not only committed to providing the highest quality work but also will fit with your company’s culture.