Let’s Talk Company Culture
Whether a business owner is aware of it or not, every company has a culture. It’s an inevitable part of bringing human beings together to work toward a professional goal for 40 hours or more a week. And even though you might have heard that you’re supposed to leave work at work and leave home at home — that is, your two worlds should never overlap — it’s almost impossible to be completely impersonal in the workplace. Otherwise, why would a hiring manager consider a candidate’s personality when trying to decide whether they’re a good fit for a job?
The reality is that we all have personalities. We all have interests outside of work, and we have things we care about, things that motivate us, things that give us reason to go to work in the first place and earn an income.
Have you taken a step back and observed what your company culture is like? Or have you made a conscious effort to cultivate a company culture that is like what you would want it to be? If not, it’s time you do so. Taking careful consideration of what kind of culture your company has and how you’re going to create that type of culture will go a long way in building a stronger business. You’ll attract and maintain better employees, garner the respect of your customers, and build a stronger outside community where your company operates.
Our ASMM Digital Company Culture
We can start by taking a look at our own company culture here at ASMM Digital. Much of our business stemmed from our collaboration on Burgers & Bands for Suicide Prevention, our nonprofit organization dedicated to suicide prevention. Although everyone in our company might have different interests and personalities, we were united by our desire to end suicide — and that has helped shape our company culture.
We hold Burgers & Bands events throughout the year, and it’s something that everyone within our company volunteers for. Having this shared mission for something other than business operations has strengthened the relationships between our employees. Furthermore, this outlet for volunteering and charitable fundraising has honed our culture by making each of us more aware of how giving enriches our lives. Whether we’re giving our money or our time, we appreciate that helping others has a positive effect on our own lives as well.
We also embrace core values of gratitude and authenticity within Burgers & Bands and within ASMM Digital. We have so much to be thankful for, and we never want to lose sight of that. We want to remain honest and genuine in everything that we do, especially when marketing can sometimes have a reputation of telling people what they want to hear. We believe these core values are what attract our customers to us and help us build strong relationships with them.
Ways to Create a Strong Company Culture
When you’re examining your own company culture, you’ll probably find yourself wondering what you can do to improve it — even if it’s already strong, you want to identify what’s making it strong and how you can reinforce those aspects of your culture and make them even stronger.
Ask yourself the following questions:
How do you make your employees feel valued? In what ways do you support what your employees have happening outside of work?
Do you take time to recognize accomplishments? In what ways do you reward exemplary performance?
When an employee has weaknesses or shortcomings, do you focus on improvement or on admonishment? How can you stay focused on improving these weak areas in a practical way that makes your employee feel empowered?
When stress arises, how do you rise to the challenge? What do you do to quell panic and stay focused on meeting goals?
Do managers understand they have a responsibility to lead by example and understand all aspects of the job their subordinates are doing?
What accomplishments are you most proud of on a weekly, quarterly, and annual scale?
Besides the skills necessary to complete their job, what qualities do you see in your employees that you appreciate the most, and how do these qualities improve your company culture?
The Least You Need to Know
Even if your company’s culture is not what you want it to be, you can still change it and create a workplace where employees feel respected and valued (and where customers feel appreciated). Remember that a good company culture tends to have higher morale and less stress, which has the potential to make employees more satisfied (so they stick with you longer) and more collaborative (so they accomplish more than they would if they were dissatisfied).
In this way, a strong company culture is about much more than simply generating warm fuzzy feelings — it’s necessary for the growth and development of your company!
Do you want more business tips or further guidance in creating a better company culture? Reach out to our team today by emailing ann@asmmdigital.com or calling 443-679-4916.