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Building A GREAT Company Culture

A diverse group of employees is collaborating and smiling in a modern office setting.

Building a Great Company Culture

Every company I’ve encountered wants a culture that attracts people to work for them. The issue is that many aren’t ready to put in the actual hard work needed to become that kind of company.

They concentrate too much on making more money and calculating the profit they could get without offering these benefits. Take a moment to consider it.
 
How can a really good company take care of its workers? 
 
I understand some of you might mention things like getting a personal-use vehicle, having free lunch every day, or having the flexibility to choose my work hours and earn a lot of money.
 
Actually, none of those things mentioned above define a company’s culture. In reality, they detract from the culture and let employees take advantage of the company.
 
True culture begins with the leaders and spreads all the way down. Culture is about how you treat people. One saying I really like is “Treat the janitor like the CEO,” and I follow that principle in my life.
 
It simply means you shouldn’t ever think less of anyone, no matter the reason. They might not have a fancy job title or work as many hours as you do, but everyone on the team is equally important.
 
This connects directly to being respectful. When you respect everyone around you, things begin to change.
 
We had a coworker who was really friendly and polite when the boss was present. But, oh boy, once the boss left, everything went haywire.
 
As a company, you shouldn’t allow rudeness towards customers, leaders, or team members. Instead of rewarding someone for losing their temper, address the problem.

Keep in mind that folks don’t leave lousy jobs; they leave lousy bosses, and that hurts the company. As a leader, you have to take big steps to fix these problems.
 
It doesn’t mean you should just fire everyone. It means you should sit down with each person one-on-one, let them know there’s a problem, and if it’s not fixed quickly, you may have to take other steps.
 
Training your team is really crucial for the company culture. Without training, we won’t know what’s expected or how to treat everyone.
 
In today’s world, it’s tough to find good people to work with. So, when we do find someone fantastic, we often leave them on their own because they’re such a good employee that they can figure things out.
 
That’s the quickest way to lose a great person from the team. Training is one of the essential keys to success.
 
When we spend time helping others understand more than just their job, we show that the company’s success isn’t our only focus.
 
Moreover, if we provide them with opportunities to “move up the ladder,” it demonstrates that we care about more than just making money. I’m not suggesting that if your company earns $1 million in revenue annually, you should be spending the entire $1 million on people.
 
What I mean is that you should focus on what truly helps your people grow and succeed in their roles. When we only think about money, we tend to forget the things that really matter.
 
Consider a new business owner, for instance. It’s common for them to work more than 80 hours a week to establish the business. What happens to their family during that initial “startup” phase? They often get overlooked amid all the progress.
 
Take a few moments each day to think about the people around you. When you trust your colleagues, it’s easier to be more productive. That’s where an open-door policy is really helpful. Every leader must have an open-door policy and stick to it.
 
The greatest company I’ve worked for, no doubt. The owner was always open to inviting you into his office for a chat. He’d listen to your concerns and discuss them, and by the time you left, you’d have talked about things unrelated to work. Like how your kids are doing, what you think of the new truck, or the best books to read.

What I’m saying is that, unless he was in a meeting, you could talk to him anytime. Also, he cared so much about his people that he would fight for each one of them.
 
And that connected directly to his values. He was a firm believer in Christianity and didn’t hesitate to let everyone know about it. We prayed before safety meetings, and he openly discussed his faith.
 
He consistently stuck to his values. As we go through life, we may forget what it was like to start from scratch. To create a great culture, we shouldn’t forget our roots.
 
A good saying for this is “Humble Beginnings.” Basically, it means never forget where you started. Every company began with nothing. Every person started not knowing much, except how to breathe and sleep. In fact, most of us had to be taught how to eat by our mothers.
 
Always be down-to-earth and kind.
 
In short, creating a great company culture is challenging, and it doesn’t happen just by giving the company a guide on how to build it.
In fact, it’s quite straightforward.
 
  1. Treat everyone with respect.
  2. Do not tolerate bad employees.
  3. Take time to train.
  4. Make your people a priority, not just the bottom line.
  5. Have an open-door policy.
  6. Stick to your values, even when it’s tough.
  7. Remember your early days and what you liked or disliked the most.
  8. Stay positive.
Now is a good time to pause and consider your company’s culture. How can you make it better (every company can improve)? Where are you doing well?
 
Grab a piece of paper and jot down what you think your company culture should be like.

Here, I’ll begin, so you can get an idea of what ours looks like. 
 
Here at Eclipse DOT, we’re more than just a business; we’re a family. Sure, we may have disagreements at times, but in the end, we all feel fortunate to have this family. We watch out for each other and collaborate to achieve big things. Everyone here has an open mind, and we listen to each other’s ideas without dismissing them. We appreciate that others care about our family’s growth and bring innovative ideas to the table. We listen not just to respond but to truly understand what others are saying. It’s not just about getting the job done for us; it’s about enjoying life. We all make choices, and we choose to be part of this incredible family. After work, we spend time together, and when someone needs help, we come together to support them through tough times. Our success is because we are a family. At Eclipse DOT, we are more than a business—we are a family!
 
Ready to Transform Your Leadership Approach? Delve into ‘Core Values and how to find what yours are.‘ and enhance your skills. Follow our expert insights on this transformative journey. Explore more now at eclipse dot
 

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