Corporate culture: the most important dynamic of high employee loyalty.
Having a strong corporate culture has a direct impact on employee loyalty. The role of learning and development teams is very important in improving, strengthening and supporting the culture throughout the organization.
But do you know how to actively engage your employees and help them develop?
First of all, what exactly is corporate culture ?
What we call corporate culture is the set of values, attitudes, and ideas that guide an organization and its employees on how they should interact with each other and with customers. It is also the story or corporate mythology of the employees, the office, and the organization. A company's culture influences decisions about its employees, the methods employed, and everything else. In summary, corporate culture determines how and why things are done in a company.
The impact of corporate culture on employee loyalty .
It is well known that a strong corporate culture leads directly to improvements in employee engagement. When corporate culture is defined and communicated correctly, behaviors and norms become clear so employees know what is expected of them and their colleagues. As a result, employees feel connected to the culture, included and supported, thus being motivated to contribute to the company. This leads to feelings of acceptance and inclusion, leading to higher employee engagement and happier employees.
Some top global companies with strong corporate culture .
REI
REI, an outdoor equipment manufacturing and retail giant , is known for its uniquely strong corporate culture . While it provides financial incentives to all employees with its employee-owner structure , it also encourages bonding and communication with its outdoor culture . Employees are not only encouraged to enjoy the outdoors and company products , but are actively supported to do so through organized wilderness adventures . When employees share a common interest in the company's products and lifestyle, they form deep bonds with each other and the company, leading to a happy, dedicated workforce .
SquareSpace
Considered one of the best places to work in New York, SquareSpace boasts a horizontal corporate culture with few layers between employees and upper management . This structure allows employees' voices to be heard without being suppressed or filtered by extra layers of management. In addition to excellent wellness and vacation amenities , office spaces that offer breakout areas, fully equipped kitchens, lunches, guest speakers and other events are an important part of the company culture. A culture of freedom, fun and employee empowerment contributes to confident employees and good morale throughout the company.
Zappos
Footwear giant Zappos is known for putting its values at the heart of the organization. He places such emphasis on hiring only employees who fit this culture that he offers to pay each new employee $2,000 to leave after a week . While this approach of the company is sincerely supported by the employees, it also ensures that those who cannot adapt can leave without embarrassment. Additionally, the company encourages all employees to think outside the box and value creativity and open communication . Dedication to excellent customer service and a fun workplace for everyone , from the first day on the job to every employeeThe company's ten core values are instilled, including
Zoom
Zoom, the video conferencing app everyone knows during the pandemic quarantine , is more than just a typical tech startup with good benefits. The company accepts employee happiness as a core value and operates on the assumption that happier employees do better work . Office events and celebrations are common . Additionally, new hires and remote workers are taught the importance of their own happiness from day one. The company cares about the growth and development of each employee , even encouraging and supporting employees' personal passions and interests . Zoom prides itself on being a great place to work, where every employee is treated like family.
Does your corporate culture meet the desired qualities ?
While you may find plenty of evidence when you look around, you need to measure real data to get an accurate view of the health of your corporate culture. You can use the following data to make measurements, usually available within most companies.
- Do your employees recommend the company to others ? In a healthy company culture, employees recommend their friends and acquaintances for open positions. The number of employee recommendations you receive during hiring can give you insight into what employees think about your culture in general.
- Employee turnover rates. How long do employees stay at your company? If new hires and high-potential talent are leaving quickly, this may be a sign that you have a toxic corporate culture. If your employees tend to stay for years, one of the main reasons is probably because you have a positive and healthy corporate culture.
- Productivity measurements. A healthy and strong corporate culture means happier and more productive employees. Are employees meeting or even exceeding their goals, or are they falling short?
- Communication measurements. The most important sign that a corporate culture is healthy is commitment. Do employees participate in corporate initiatives, training and other activities? Email open rates, read receipts, and intranet page views can give you solid information about whether employees feel part of a larger culture and their engagement rate in workplace activities.
How can learning and development strengthen corporate culture?
Here are some tips on how learning and development teams can develop and support a thriving corporate culture over the long term:
- Determine your corporate values. If your corporate values are unclear, start by discussing what values define you as a company and why. Once you identify your values, make a plan to develop them through initiatives, activities, and training. To make an impact, these values need to be intertwined with every aspect of your culture.
- Involve senior management. Leaders should be role models of corporate values. Actions are more important than words. Therefore, managers who act according to corporate values encourage and inspire all employees to adopt these values.
- Communication is key, your efforts will either work or fail . Develop a strategy to communicate and support your corporate culture through emails, meetings, trainings, workshops, and similar events. Keep your culture at the center of all your corporate communications to ensure your values are continually supported.
- Incorporate corporate culture into your training and recruiting strategies. Introduce new hires to the corporate culture and values that should guide them in their work and interactions with colleagues from day one. Reinforce these values through ongoing education, training and events.
- Reward him for setting an example . When your employees complete a project or launch an initiative that supports your culture, recognize them! They will feel good about their efforts, which will encourage other employees to act similarly.
- Make it fun! Just because you take corporate culture seriously doesn't mean supporting and strengthening it has to be serious or boring. Make it fun and inclusive with group learning activities, interactive or facilitated training, team and individual competitions, and gamification.
Conclusion
A healthy and strong corporate culture can have very positive effects on your employees, your organization and your profitability. In addition to increasing employee loyalty, it also makes a significant contribution to attracting and retaining talent. As a learning and development leader, you must put your corporate culture at the center of everything you do, including making it a key part of your training strategy. A thriving corporate culture means a thriving company, and the biggest contributors to this should be learning and development teams.
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