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What Are the Best Tips for Creating Corporate Culture?

Geri Terzo
Geri Terzo

Employees will often follow the work ethic of a supervisor or manager in an organization. When creating corporate culture, the company's expectation should be clearly identified, and the top managers should set the precedents for what is preferred throughout the company. If this includes working early hours until a particular time in the evening, this behavior should be apparent in the senior leadership so that other employees have a standard to follow. This might be especially useful when creating a corporate culture during a period when new and potentially young employees are joining a company because there might not be any protocol for new hires to use as an example.

Before creating corporate culture at an organization, it might be useful to outline a series of expectations for the company as a whole and individual employees. The effect that an organization hopes to have on an industry and in individual lives should be declared. These expectations should be shared with members of an organization, and employee feedback should be welcome. A company's mission can be updated each year as goals and situations change.

One common method for creating a strong corporate culture is to create rules or guidelines for all employees to follow.
One common method for creating a strong corporate culture is to create rules or guidelines for all employees to follow.

Corporate culture reflects the values, beliefs and goals of an organization, all of which could be focused internally or extend beyond that to influence a community. Establishing open communication between the management and other employees supports the process of creating corporate culture. In addition to any grand goals, seemingly small practices can be part of creating corporate culture. If employees know, for instance, based on a routine meeting held by the top managers of a company, that there are recycling receptacles located in various spots of an office, these individuals are more likely to practice the desired behavior.

Corporate culture includes rules for proper attire.
Corporate culture includes rules for proper attire.

A dress code at a company might not be formally introduced even if it is part of an employees introductory package that is received when hired. This is an aspect of corporate culture and it is another facet that can be demonstrated by the individual managers of various divisions within a corporation. Different departments might have separate expectations for appropriate work attire, and when creating corporate culture, these variations should be clearly identified.

When conflicts arise between coworkers or managers and employees, the resolution of these disputes contributes to a corporate culture. Each manager should establish the way and the timing for which problems are addressed. For instance, a manager might prefer that employees work out their differences alone and not become involved until it is clear that an issue has not been resolved.

Discussion Comments

truman12

In my experience, having time outside of work to interact with your coworkers is key for creating a positive corporate culture. In general, the people you work with are people you are just thrown together with. For all you know they might be your worst enemy. If you can get people to get to know each other as people and to develop relationships that are not based entirely on work, that translates to a better culture in the office.

My company regularly does retreats, happy hours and other events that have nothing to do with work and don't happen in the office. Some of my coworkers have now become good friends and that contributes a lot to the culture inside the company.

gravois

I am still unclear on what is corporate culture? Is it the attitude of the company, or is it the environment inside the office, the interpersonal relationships and the mood around the water cooler?

backdraft

I think that transparency is the most important factor when you are trying to cultivate a corporate culture. I have worked in a number of different corporate environments and the more that you know and feel invested in the things going on around you the more you will buy into the culture. This is not the only factor of course, but it is a big one.

In closed corporate environments there is often the feeling that whatever culture is dominant is imposed or forced. You feel like part of a program rather than part of a place. It is unsettling, and disingenuous. More information is always better.

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    • One common method for creating a strong corporate culture is to create rules or guidelines for all employees to follow.
      By: Rido
      One common method for creating a strong corporate culture is to create rules or guidelines for all employees to follow.
    • Corporate culture includes rules for proper attire.
      By: Foxy_A
      Corporate culture includes rules for proper attire.