How In-Office Culture Shock Stunts Company Performance
July 3, 2018
Success takes more than strategy. Even with perfectly-planned execution, a thriving company needs a strong team to bring its plans to life. However, recruiting top talent takes more than putting out a listing. Getting the best in your company’s lineup means having a dedication to building strong company culture.
Culture is the way our company goals manifest themselves. Through our values and actions, we shape what it means to be a part of our team. According to LinkedIn’s newest report, 70% of today’s professionals would leave a company before tolerating bad workplace culture –– and with a shortage of soft skills, holding onto our best employees is a must.
We’ve seen the power of workplace culture firsthand and think LinkedIn’s three suggestions for improving and retaining emerging professionals are a great place for brands to start.
Tip 1: Invest in employees
We all know –– but sometimes need reminding –– that life does exist outside the office. Asking that personal life not bleed into work and vise-versa isn’t just an unrealistic expectation, it’s a harmful one. In fact, 36% of LinkedIn’s respondents said having support from leadership that had their best interests in mind would affect whether or not they stayed at a company.
There are a number of ways our office keeps employees’ well-being in mind, such as planning monthly events, promoting professional development through organizations like Magnet and developing opportunities for remote work. Remote work, especially, is a venture we’ve started to better support our team members. This option is becoming increasingly necessary in the digital age. Plus, allowing for this flexibility has put our company on the map in Los Angeles, Detroit and Washington D.C.
Tip 2: Show What You Stand For
This new generation of professionals leads with their heart and keeps ethics and morals at the center of their work. Having an employer that shares these values and respects its employee’s has become a big pull for emerging talent. Our employees shape our values at Evoke. We fully support creative, non-traditional approaches because it is the very thing that fuels our innovative approach. We also believe in having a strong company identity that allows team members to feel the same security in who they are. By developing a clear purpose and message for our company, we answer all questions about what our team’s work is supporting and what is guiding their contributions.
Tip 3: Create a Culture of Belonging
Employees want more from their workplace than paychecks and perks (though complimentary coffee never hurt anyone). Identifying with coworkers and their company is more important to this generation than pay, perks and title –– and this connection doesn’t just affect retention, but performance too.
If you know our office, you know we’re suckers for the details. Showing our employees that we care can come in the form of a birthday card signed by the office, the opportunity for new hire presentations or our personal favorite, Evoke’s “Kudos Wall.” Here, employees are encouraged to recognize coworkers with a short “kudos,” and when we reach 50, the whole team is rewarded for their hard work and collaboration with a lunch on us. All it takes to harness the potential of belonging is valuing your team members and asking they bring their full selves to the table –– because that is exactly what strengthens your company.
Managing culture takes a company-wide commitment to establishing genuity in your office. This dedication to having a consistent culture doesn’t just improve workplace relations, but increases the efficiency of brand strategy, and although re-establishing company culture is an involved process, the results are absolutely worthwhile. Catering to the priorities of emerging professionals establishes a groundwork that retains talent for the future and provides a healthier, more enjoyable work environment for team members today.