A company’s culture is the backbone of the organization, defining who they are, not to the customer, but to themselves, setting the stage for everything from the company’s moral and ethical practices, to their goals, and outlining executive search and hiring procedures to the effectiveness of employee retention efforts. Taking on so many roles means that company culture must be carefully designed if it is to successfully meet these needs; and rest assured, this is far easier said than done. Also, while not impossible, it is far more difficult for a company that has been in business for a while to change its culture than it is for a brand new start-up to create one from scratch. To make this process as painless as possible, here are ten guidelines collected by executive search firms to help both new and older companies effectively customize their company’s culture.
1. Defining Goals and Making Them Functional
The most elementary starting place for the development of a company’s culture is in the definition and outline of the company’s goals. While these objectives can be worked into the organization’s mission statement, they should, at the same time, consist of loftier objectives about what company leaders hope to ultimately achieve, rather than being a simple statement of financial aims. Once these goals have been identified, the next step should be to outline a means of achieving them.
2. Outlining the Principles and Ethics Both Internally and Externally
A company’s principles and values are what will set the overall tone of their culture, defining the way both employees and customers will view the organization. It must therefore be well-defined and oriented to guide all decision making processes. Perhaps the simplest way to help guide the implementation and strengthening of the company’s moral and ethical code is in the hiring of employees who have a clear understanding of these values.
3. Strategize for Success
This point should be taken into consideration when organizing every aspect of the company’s culture and practices, from hiring to marketing, and management to sales. It may require companies to step outside those easier, traditional, methods of conducting business which, when relied on as a foundation, far too often leads to nothing more than mediocrity.
4. Hire Employees Who Will Best Fit the Idea of the Desired Culture
A company’s employees are its greatest assets, making the hiring process perhaps the most important undertaking a company must face. Since a company is really just the sum of its employees, this also means that preserving and defining the company culture rests on the shoulders of these individuals.As though executive search, candidate sourcing, interviewing, assessment, and hiring procedures are not all complicated enough, additional steps will be required if they are to ensure that candidates are a good cultural match for the company.
5. Promote Innovation and Growth
The real key for any company attempting to rise above the milieu of their competitors is innovation. Companies which stagnate in traditional business practices or fall back on old, comfortable tactics will quickly find themselves unable to grow beyond a certain point. Those companies which embrace and encourage innovation, and weave these beliefs into their culture effectively open themselves up to limitless potential.
Look for the next five cultural building tips in the next half of this article.
Published by Conselium Executive Search, the global leader in compliance search.
