Do you feel like the atmosphere in your office is not ideal? Do you feel like a two-week escape – a real vacation – is unattainable, because your employees would not work the same with you absent? Do you feel like your staff members do not care for the future of your business?
I would like to introduce you to the concept of Company Culture.
Company Culture is something that cannot be touched. It steps in where the employee handbook ends. It is the spirit in the air, developed by the leaders in the company simply by their policies, practices, and interactions with customers and employees. It influences how an employee reacts to an overwhelming workload, or to an unprecedented service request.
Those of you who belong to a PEO know that in addition to payroll services and affordable insurance rates, you also benefit from a full HR team, including safety compliance, legal counsel and sexual harassment training programs. Your dedicated HR rep can also advise you on any other HR related matter.
If your company’s culture needs a revamp, a call to your PEO’s HR team is in order. They will assess what it is you are trying to accomplish and help you devise a plan that will remedy the situation.
For those of you who have yet to join a PEO, here are a few tips that will get you started.
First and foremost, post your mission statement on the walls of your office and/or facility, and come up with 3 core values that will become part and parcel of your company’s mission.
Then, to ensure that your team is encompassing your mission statement and core values, here are three practical suggestions:
1. Be a team working toward a goal. Remember when you were a kid and you and your siblings planned a surprise birthday party for your mom? No one spilled the beans! That’s because you were all part of the same big plan, working toward the same end goal. When you enthusiastically hung up those streamers, you understood how that was an important part of the party. And your little sister knew that the glitter she so eagerly added to the Happy Birthday sign, though a minor detail, was a detail that would enhance the party.
Believe it or not, according to a Kronos Inc. report, 29% of employees see no connection between their role and the overall company game plan. Don’t we want our employees to feel the same sense of purpose as kids preparing for their mom’s birthday party? (Hey, I didn’t say they should feel the same excitement, I said they should feel the same sense of purpose.) Each person needs to feel like they are part of something big. Each person needs to feel that they are part of a team contributing toward the company’s end goal. To this end, create reasonable short-term company goals and celebrate with everyone once those objectives are met. Let everyone realize how their responsibilities lead toward those goals, with the incentive of … the party. Maybe we can create that same sense of excitement as Mom’s birthday, after all!
2. Monthly Company-wide meetings. This is something your team will look forward to. Monthly meetings, plus the donuts and milk, to discuss the direction of the business. These meetings will be a chance review the company’s successes and failures and give team members the opportunity to make suggestions. No blame here! The objective is to devise a system to prevent the failures from recurring. Now, imagine a young employee throws out an idea which gets implemented and is ultimately successful. Think about how significant they’ll feel, and how invested they will continue to be in the success of this business! That is something to aim for.
3.Reward employees that embody the company values. This one will take a bit more effort. But it will actually turn those company values from a sign on the wall into the spirit of the business. It means taking note of who goes above and beyond, such as providing exceptional customer service (if that’s one of the company’s values) or looking for better ways to do something (if constant improvement is one of the company’s values) or owning up to a mistake (if accountability is one of the company’s values). Whenever you see that an employee is delivering on your core values, share that with the team, and reward accordingly.
Good luck! A new year is the perfect time to launch new initiative. Contact ARC Consultants if you are looking for customized HR solutions that can help your company as they are helping the thousands of others that have chosen to join a PEO.
