Boston Centerless - Precision Matters Magazine Fall 2018 | Page 13

COMPANY CULTURE
HOW TO CREATE A COHESIVE
COMPANY CULTURE
IT USED to be that having jobs that paid
well and offered growth potential were
enough to keep workers engaged and
committed. Not so anymore. Millennials
are here and expect a workplace that
contributes positively to their work-life
balance. One aspect of this is having an
environment that’s inclusive and fun.
Creating a strong company culture is not
as difficult a feat as you may think. In fact,
it’s even possible to do without affecting
the bottom line. And if having an enjoyable
workplace wasn’t enough, research suggests
that injecting fun into work can increase
productivity and reduce turnover. Sound like
a party you want to attend? Here are a few
ideas to get you started.
Ownership at Every Level
Employees that feel connected to the
business on a personal level will be far more
committed and experience greater job
satisfaction. This means management must
be able to demonstrate to each individual
how he or she fits into the bigger picture and
why the individual’s job is important.
Using dashboards and the like give
individuals the freedom to make their own
decisions and this will contribute to a sense
of ownership. Being trusted to do the job
and to work in a way that draws upon each
individual’s skills and knowledge is extremely
empowering and leads to high levels of job
satisfaction.
Lead by Example
It’s very difficult to ask employees to
demonstrate certain behaviors if, as the
leader, you’re not willing to abide by the
same rules yourself. Whether it’s offering
transparent and clear communication or
acting with integrity and respect, if you want
to create a positive culture, you have to lead
by example.
Staff will respect a management team
that is committed to the same goals and hold
themselves accountable to the same high
standards that they expect of their staff. This
creates a culture of everyone being “on the
same side” rather than an “us versus them”
mentality that can be so damaging.
Melissa Weldon
Melissa Weldon is the Director of Human
Resources at Boston Centerless. Her 10 plus
years of HR experience was gained working in
various industries, such as, Healthcare, Food
Distribution, and Technology. Prior to joining
Boston Centerless, she worked for Markem-
Imaje Corporation and C&S Wholesale Grocers,
Inc. Melissa specializes in Organizational
Development, Integrations, and Building
Positive Company Culture and Engagement.
Communicate Small and Big News
All too often, company communication
only occurs when there’s some big news
that needs to be conveyed, and this news
is often negative. Encouraging two-way
communication at all levels can help to create
a more open work culture, removing some of
the negativity.
Tools such as Slack or Google Hangouts can
help to improve communication in companies
that work across multiple locations or where
remote working is permitted. Encourage
individuals to share information about their
workloads, projects, and successes and you’ll
find the workforce will naturally become
more cohesive.
Don’t Forget to Have Fun!
While all of the above are important
aspects of creating a positive culture,
injecting fun into the workplace is the final
piece of the puzzle. Whether it’s low-level
competitions, celebrating odd holidays, small
wins, or events, finding ways to lower the
corporate facade and get to know each other
on a personal level will inspire loyalty and
respect. All this will lead to the highly sought-
after company culture that will benefit one
and all.
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