3 elements to build a strong company culture

Company culture isn’t created by just talking about it.
Company culture is a work in progress that requires consistent care with deliberate effort.
Company culture is kinetic, it changes, and evolves constantly.

Company culture, just like any other culture, is alive.

Part of our core values at Gretel is to help build company culture by implementing a solid communication platform from which to work. It's not just about the external integrations with other applications (Google Drive, Notion, Google Analytics, etc - Check our integrations), but also geared towards establishing a strong internal line of communication between team members. Clear communication is fundamental for successful organizations.

In businesses where there is a strong culture, we can see three common and fundamental elements: 1) clearly communicated values, 2) presence of leadership, and 3) solid recruiting practices.

1) Clearly communicated values.

The values of a company, have to be clearly communicated and defined. You can start with a company vision statement and get into more specific values from there.

The values can be metaphoric as: “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (aka The Golden Rule, aka Act With Respect). They can also be more tangible, like “saying hello and goodbye to your colleagues every day," which could be interpreted as a simple form of basic respect.

Some companies opt for more of the former, where the words can be more freely interpreted. The phrase "Act With Respect" is quite ambiguous, but the point is still delivered.

A few more examples of ambiguous values are loyalty, honesty, and trustworthiness. These are all powerful words with depth, and they certainly drive the point home about what types of principles are essential to the workplace. However, it can also be effective to add some of the more visceral concepts. They provide some standards that are not as open to interpretation, and they are also easily applicable. Let’s take the example of giving proper greetings and farewells to your coworkers when arriving at and departing from the workplace.

It seems like something that shouldn’t really have to be mentioned but illustrating that simple code of conduct alone shows that there is an importance to acknowledging your teammates. It sets a tone for the rest of the day and leaves everyone on a solid note when leaving when work is done for the day.

We are not saying metaphorical values or more tangible values are necessarily better or worse than one another. Ultimately, the way you lay out your values is very much a part of the foundation of your company’s culture.

Choose your company values carefully and then express them in the words that you use to describe them with diligence.

To help illustrate this and provide ideas for inspiration, we've chosen a few examples from brand names that are known around the world.

Company values from a few recognizable, global businesses.

Nike

To complement their iconic slogan, Just Do It, Nike has an awesome and simple mission statement that is accompanied by a quick list of values. Check here.

Nike’s Mission:

Bring Inspiration and Innovation To Every Athlete* In The World.

*If You Have A Body, You Are An Athlete.

Nike’s Values:

• We dare to design the future of sport.
• A team that’s empowered, diverse and inclusive.
• The world is our community.
• A fair sustainable future for every athlete.

Google

Google has a list of values that they call 10 Things We Know To Be True (check here):

1. Focus on the user and all else will follow.
2. It’s best to do one thing really, really well.
3. Fast is better than slow.
4. Democracy on the web works.
5. You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer
6. You can make money without doing evil.
7. There’s always more information out there.
8. The need for information crosses all borders.
9. You can be serious without a suit.
10. Great just isn’t good enough.

Starbucks

Starbucks has somewhat of a mix between Google and Disney and these are coupled with their mission statement.

• With our partners, our coffee, and our customers at our core, we live these values:
• Creating a culture of warmth and belonging, where everyone is welcome.
• Delivering our very best in all we do, holding ourselves accountable for results.
• Acting with courage, challenging the status quo, and finding new ways to grow our company and each other.
• Being present, connecting with transparency, dignity, and respect.
• We are performance-driven, through the lens of humanity.

Disney

“The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to entertain, inform, and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds, and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company." Check here.

2) Presence of leadership.

Your leadership should be present. Leaders should be present and serve as guides for their team members. There is always a transition process when people enter a new community, and leaders help to make the process smoother. The presence of leaders generally sets a tone for the rest of the company, as they are ideally exemplars of the values the company upholds.

Another key element of leadership presence is tied to values. Your company leaders should set examples of the type of values the company upholds. If they don’t do that, people will see right through it as hypocritical, and this will eventually foment doubt and rip at the fabric of the culture. With leadership comes responsibility, and part of that responsibility is being an example to the rest of the company.

3) Solid recruiting & education practices.

If you have clearly defined values and a solid base of leaders, you are going to be set… but only for a while, because change is a constant, and leaders may move into other roles or even take on other responsibilities at another company. For these reasons, it is paramount to set solid recruiting practices and implement them. This is probably one of the hardest things to maintain because every new person you hire will bring their own energy and ultimately influence the culture of your company even a little bit.

This takes us back to the first point of having clearly communicated values because the values will also serve as a reference for the type of people you will hire. This also moves to the second point, where the presence of leadership will help guide new team members. These points can eventually help new team members not only uphold the values of the company but also step into leadership positions in the future and ultimately continue to fuel the flame of the company’s culture.

To help you to implement these tactics, at Gretel we create several apps that are integrated into the platform. Set clear objectives, have transparent conversations within your team and find relevant information when you need it.

Gretel can be a valuable resource for setting up and establishing a strong company culture. Discover how by joining us.