BUSINESS + TECH
to overlook, but when a misfit( for your business, not as person) sneaks in under the radar, before you know it you’ re dealing with a cacophony of culture clash. Two of the biggest hidden costs that will inevitably arise should the apple cart get upset are employee morale and productivity, which, when low, can spread disengagement and negativity at a contagious rate
So, now that the prospective negatives have been outed, let’ s reimagine the situation and take a look at some of the lovely ways that getting your company culture right will benefit your business.
Good retention rates Firing and rehiring is a costly process for any business no matter what size they are and seeing people come and go regularly is also unsettling for other team members. Besides keeping general morale upbeat and positive, holding onto staff reduces recruiting expenses, training costs and overall productivity.
Like attracts like Besides a good salary and a decent benefits package, culture fit is another deciding factor in whether someone accepts a job, and if a great candidate is on the fence about whether or not they’ ll fit into your business they’ re far less likely to accept the job or, frustrating further still, might accept and then leave soon after. Make sure any prospective talent knows exactly what sort of company you are and what they can expect to experience as an employee, so you know you’ re both on the same page and you won’ t let perfect matches slip through the net.
Better work This sounds incredibly simple because it is – the happier a team is at work, the better work they’ ll produce. If someone loves what they do but is unhappy in a working environment their negativity— even if they’ re desperately trying to hide it— not only creates a constant barrier between them producing their best work but will soon seep into other areas of the business, namely morale.
Increased motivation and engagement If everyone is happy, everything is better: output, atmosphere, meetings, cups of tea; everything, and employee engagement specifically is directly linked to better retention rates, achieving company-wide goals and making employees feel like they matter. How active and successful your employee engagement is boils down to having a pro-active company culture that demonstrates open communication. Be the company that sits down with a team that’ s given them some feedback and talks to them about it before taking action to put it right and watch motivation skyrocket. inDEPENDENT BUSINESSES
AS WE HIGHLIGHT KENT’ S IMPRESSIVE FOOD AND DRINK SCENE, LET’ S SHINE A LIGHT ON THE BRILLIANT SMALL BUSINESSES WHO BLEND CREATIVITY AND UNWAVERING PASSION FOR TRULY DELICIOUS RESULTS.
JACQUES ET LILIE jacquesetlilie jacquesetlilie. com
With a dedication to showcasing her creativity, Amandine Adolphe set up Jacques Et Lilie, a French bakery and mobile café from Ginette( her 1952 Citroën 2CV Fourgonnette) in 2015.“ My grandparents are my main source of inspiration; this all started as they used to have a well-renowned bakery in Bordeaux,” says Amandine.“ As my grandparents retired with no one else in the family to take over, it really meant a lot to me to carry on their legacy. Last year, my dear grandad passed away and it really renewed my desire to carry on his work. Amongst all the challenges that running a business brings, I want to make him proud and keep his creations alive because that way he lives on through them, too.” You can find Jacques Et Lilie every Friday at Faversham Market, on weekends at Faversham’ s Edible Culture and at numerous special foodie events in Kent.
CHAI WALLAH MARGATE chaiwallahmargate chaiwallahmargate. co. uk
A unique tea supplier all about small batch, hand-blended teas with an emphasis on high-quality and one-of-akind blends as well as specially selected pure teas and herbal infusions, Chai Wallah Margate was founded by the enthusiastic Toni Wood.“ It all started after falling in love with chai on a trip to India and then being unable to find a chai that I loved after returning home – primarily a green teabased version- so I blended my own,” says Toni.“ It then grew from there, playing around with flavours and developing knowledge about teas, spices, herbs and how to create beautiful and delicious blends.” Recognising that a cup of tea can be so much more than just a teabag in a mug and that quality is imperative to flavour and enjoyment, Toni is devoted to growing the community that drinking tea together creates and is excited to be expanding her production to create more glorious loose-leaf blends.
SANDGATE DELI sandgatedeli sandgatedeli. com
Founded in November 2023 by dream team, Rachel and Elle, Sandgate Deli specialises in British and continental cheese, and all the lovely things that complement it. Having been friends for over 13 years and meeting while working in the Savoie region of France, Rachel and Elle, upon their adventure back to Kent, were inspired by all the amazing artisan cheeses being produced in the UK and wanted to share them with the local community alongside the French and particularly Alpine cheeses they love so much. Soon after, Sandgate Deli was born.“ The support we’ ve received from locals has been fantastic. We have met so many wonderful and interesting people who share our love of artisan food,” says Elle. For fellow aspiring startups, the Sandgate Deli duo share an inspiring message:“ Be confident and just make a start- don’ t wait for the perfect time to come around!”
© Kate Noble
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