( AND HOW YOU CAN IMPLEMENT THESE STRATEGIES IN YOUR OWN BUSINESS !)
PEOPLE
Cultivating Company Culture
( AND HOW YOU CAN IMPLEMENT THESE STRATEGIES IN YOUR OWN BUSINESS !)
BY JULIA ZIDEK , ACCOUNTABILITY COACH
IT ’ S NOT news to anyone that company culture has experienced a marked shift in the past few years , no doubt in part as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic . However , in a post-pandemic world , we ’ re now seeing many businesses embrace a mixed-location workforce — whether it be offices in varying locations or hybrid and remote teams .
Cultivating a thriving culture with a mixed-location workforce is certainly not impossible , but it does come with its own unique set of challenges . So , where should you start in your business ?
PRIORITIZING ALIGNED COMMUNICATION
By prioritizing aligned communication , you ’ re able to better keep a pulse on your business and stay in touch with what ’ s going on with your team — both personally and professionally . The primary way to achieve this is through a system of Meeting Rhythms .
Begin with Daily Huddles . These 15-minute meetings are a quick , everyday one-stop-shop to review , prioritize , and plan new or ongoing goals and tasks so that all team members are on the same page to help streamline execution . The goal of a Daily Huddle is to ensure everyone ’ s aware of any unresolved challenges , stay informed on what ’ s going on with you and your team , create a sense of alignment and accountability among colleagues , and , of course , cultivate a company culture with clear , established communication .
Another fundamental way to stay connected is by holding what we call “ Two-Weekers .” Essentially , Two-Weekers are bi-weekly , one-on-one check-ins between team members to review progress , identify any challenges or roadblocks , and highlight points of focus for the coming weeks . In other words , it helps identify the “ important ” to keep the business and team moving forward while also enabling team members to connect in a way that ’ s aligned with company values and culture .
HIGHLIGHTING A SHARED PURPOSE
A second extremely important facet of cultivating an aligned company culture is by establishing and integrating a shared purpose . At Petra Coach , our Core Purpose is to Reveal Unrealized Potential ; to expose the abilities of others to the world for a common greater good . It ’ s the “ why ” behind everything we do .
By emphasizing this higher purpose — a goal far beyond just profits or other business metrics — we ’ re able to engage our team members emotionally , which enables them to work through obstacles together , keeping the true purpose behind what we do front of mind .
HAVING SOME FUN !
We see this scenario all too often : companies are so focused on KPIs and hitting their targets that they forget about the importance of having some fun . Keeping things fun is not only great for company morale but it also helps everyone feel connected to one another — beyond just being individuals who work for the same business .
Look at incorporating a theme into your quarterly goals : a creative way to gamify a companywide objective in a way the entire team can take part in . Plus , it adds some friendly competition with an exciting reward at the end ! You may also consider hosting something outside of work hours , like a virtual happy hour or an exciting in-person event to help cultivate this sense of togetherness and unity , while incorporating engagement for hybrid and remote employees as well as teams in various locations .
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Upon implementing these strategies , our members have seen a massive uptick in productivity , communication , and , most importantly , alignment . A healthy company culture keeps their team members on the same page , working towards a unified goal , with a shared purpose top-of-mind .
So , I guess this only leaves one question : Where would you like to start ?
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