What does it feel like to step into your job, hang out in the break room, settle at your workstation, or find solace in your office or cubicle?
The atmosphere of your workplace is crucial—whether it resonates with silence or hums with conversation, if doors are ajar or shut, if team members are enthusiastic or dragging their feet as they arrive. It’s the essence of company culture that shapes this atmosphere. So, what defines yours—or what do you aspire for it to be?
Ideally, you’d envision a place that ignites motivation and drives individuals to excel, right? This extraordinary environment, or the achievement that accompanies it, doesn’t simply happen; you must dedicate yourself to transforming your workplace into the most fantastic ever.
We reached out to the Young Entrepreneur Council and asked, “What is one objective you wish to achieve relating to company culture?” Here are their aspirations… which could also become yours:
1. Foster communication and appreciation among employees.
I’ve been in various positions where communication was lackluster and hard work went unnoticed. This year is all about establishing effective communication and openly recognizing a job well done. When I feel engaged, challenged, and valued, I become unstoppable—I’m not alone in this regard.
—Sydney Owen Williams, 3Ring Media
2. Embrace teaching as a learning tool.
As a company, we consistently aim to dedicate as much time as possible to education and personal growth. Our entire weekly schedule revolves around meetings and events that prioritize learning. Our next major objective is to involve our entire team in teaching, as we’ve discovered that the best learning occurs when you teach others.
—Ross Beyeler, Growth Spark
3. Encourage interdepartmental collaboration.
A key attribute of our organization has been the interconnectedness of our various functions. Marketing frequently communicates with Tech, who regularly interacts with Sales, and so forth. This has been manageable due to our small team size, but as we expand, we prioritize maintaining this openness and collaborative spirit to ensure a holistic approach.
—Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer, AirPR
4. Promote a culture of acceptance.
A business thrives when its culture is one of acceptance towards the quirks of others. Acceptance eliminates the time-wasting behaviors associated with backbiting and competition among peers. It requires team-building experiences to nurture acceptance and self-control to refrain from dismissive reactions to outlandish ideas. Moreover, it necessitates ensuring your team is committed to uplifting one another.
—Peter Daisyme, Hostt
5. Prioritize employee development.
We aim to cultivate a culture of curiosity and the understanding that there’s always more to learn. We encourage our team members to continually invest in their growth by establishing a fund to attend conferences. By sharing their insights, they can motivate others in the office to pursue their own development.
—Kenny Nguyen, Big Fish Presentations
6. Cultivate self-awareness within the company.
For organizations to thrive and evolve, individuals need a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. They must accept and recognize their current state before plotting pathways for improvement, and the culture should enable them to embrace who they are prior to any changes.
—Christophor Jurin, Construct-Ed, Inc.
7. Enhance employee autonomy.
Effective employees inform you about their accomplishments rather than asking for instruction. Throughout the upcoming year, I plan to empower everyone in the company to make their own choices rather than relying on managers to decide for them.
—Liam Martin, Staff.com
