Cultivating a Positive Corporate Culture

Corporate culture isn't something you can define. It's intangible: a state of mind, a feeling, a collective consciousness that's infused in a business and its employees. If you ask 20 CEOs to define their corporate cultures, you'll get 20 different responses.

The important thing isn't which adjectives you choose to describe your culture; it's taking the steps to cultivate it. Your employees are your greatest assets, and when your business experiences a growth surge, you need a united front of employees that supports your company's efforts in mind, body and spirit.

Too many businesses lose sight of the importance of a coherent company culture, or they have limited knowledge about how to develop it. These companies concentrate on the business disciplines that are directly connected to their profit margins and neglect the emotional health of their team when, in fact, the two are closely related.

If you neglect your culture, you may begin to notice some of these warning signs in your employees' behavior. You may hear less laughter in the office or notice that people seem unfocused. Employees may begin working shorter days, taking longer lunches or even asking for more compensation. When employees request additional compensation, it usually means that they're reevaluating their contributions to your company's goals or mission.

Promote Culture

CEOs need to present a clearly defined company vision as well as a steady and sustainable work ethic for the company to follow. During a period of rapid growth, CEOs need to assess what they're doing to promote their culture and consider some of the following tips for maintaining it.

• On a regular basis, have lunch or coffee with randomly chosen employees and really listen to their concerns and suggestions.

  
  

  
  

• At least two days a week, walk through the office and chat with people.

  
  

  
  

• Offer training to your leadership team and provide them with the tools they need to be effective managers.

  
  

  
  

• Set a sustainable work pace and watch those who tend to work excessive hours. A well-balanced workweek will significantly reduce sick days and burnout.

Managers must consciously foster the development of the CEO's vision and should take the following steps to increase productivity and promote culture in the workplace:

• Make sure employees have clearly defined goals and understand their professional growth path in the company.

  
  

  
  

• Develop open and trusting relationships with your employees.

  
  

  
  

• Interact regularly with employees, and offer praise or clear suggestions for improvement.

  
  

  
  

• Evaluate employees by their achievement of measurable goals, not by the hours they spend in the office.

If you've got culture issues, there's no quick fix. Some companies organize after-work socials in an attempt to bolster their waning culture, but social functions often become obligations that consume employees' valuable personal time. To show your employees that they are a worthwhile investment in the overall success of the company, organize a social during work hours.

Make developing corporate culture one of the top five priorities for your business. Build your culture on clear vision, attainable goals, a genuine concern for your employees' professional growth, an appreciation of their contributions to your success and companywide rewards for successful performance.

Lana Holmes is founder and CEO of Newhouse Consulting, a San Francisco-based consulting firm that specializes in working with Internet and software startups.