Setting a new culture for your company can be difficult at first. Encouraging people to leave behind old habits and to both change the way they approach their work as well as the way they see the company can seem overwhelming. Thinking about specific steps you can take will help you take your company through this culture shift.
Model Your Culture
One of the first things that you should focus on when it comes to shifting your company’s culture is modeling those values yourself. Whether you want your company to adopt a healthier culture or whether you want to create a culture of inclusion, you should make an effort to prioritize it yourself.
Maybe you could start by riding your bike to work or by choosing to attend LGBTQ+ meetings as an ally. Doing these things will demonstrate your personal commitment to these company values and will also encourage others to participate and prioritize these values.
Update your Employee Handbook
Your employee handbook is one of your most important resources when it comes to articulating your company ideals. It operates as the first real introduction to the inner workings of the company for new recruits and is referred to frequently as employees encounter policy questions.
As you consider what values you hope to make at the foundation of your company’s culture, figure out how you can weave those values into different policies. For example, if you hope to encourage employees to feel trusted, consider changing your paid time off policy to allow employees unlimited PTO. Additionally, an unlimited PTO policy can create a more laidback energy at your company.
Connect Culture and Accountability
Striving to build a strong culture in your company can only go so far if it is only reflected in the inner workings of the company and not in the way the company handles business. As you think about the way you interact with clients and especially the way your company handles big issues or situations, think about how you can show that the company is also accountable to respond to these instances in line with your culture.
Figuring out how to create a culture shift in your company can be challenging. You want to encourage employees to work hard, to work well, and to enjoy their time at work. Starting with some of these suggestions can get you headed in the right direction towards a successful culture shift.
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