Workplace culture seems to be the buzzword around organizations these days, and its not always positive.
Getting up and going to work should not be an activity that people dread every day. People spend more than half their lives at work – it should be fun. I believe that employees should look forward to going to work. In fact, they should have a hard time leaving because they enjoy the challenges, their co-workers, and the atmosphere.
Culture matters and should be the building blocks to eliminate stress from employees. In fact, culture sustains employee enthusiasm. Here are 3 simple ways to improve your team culture.
1. Align your values
Employees that are aligned to the values and mission of an organization are dedicated to accomplishing the goal. When employees are on board with the mission, they’re engaged in the job and want to help the mission succeed, which in turn helps the company succeed. From a leadership perspective, when we align with our values on a daily basis, we find that we have more energy and feel more fulfilled because we are leading from what’s important to us – our values. If they are not aligned, we feel less authentic and become demotivated, this will reflect in our leadership ability.
“No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, If you’re playing a solo game, You will always lose out to a team” Reid Hoffman
2. Encourage Teamwork
Not many leaders have the luxury of hand picking their team, but if you do, you may want to assess their strengths and weaknesses to ensure the best combination of skills. Surround yourself with excellent people and be careful not to choose clones of yourself. Diversity is good, if the individuals are willing to work together.
Sometimes it might be challenging, especially when you’re assigned individuals who have no interest in being part of a team. Your leadership ability will be tested to create an environment whereby your employees work cooperatively and collaboratively. Develop effective teamwork and you’ll inspire productivity, quality and loyalty. This will not happen on its own. It has to be catalyzed, becoming part of workplace culture and integral to people and processes.
3. Allow Self Expression
As organizations get larger, they tend to limit employee freedom. Employees who are less involved in key decisions will feel as though their impact on the business is drowned out. This is something you will dread later on if you allow to become a part of your team culture. The best employees don’t want this. If you have milennials in your team it will only be a matter of time before they move on. Forbes found that millennials are also the most ethnically diverse generation which may translate to more prominent cultural expression in the workplace.
They want to have a voice and a meaningful impact on the company and its direction. They know they have the ability to create for the company without the need for management approval.
Did these tips help you? What other ideas do you have—and how are you implementing them?
Let us know in the comments.