Company Culture – Write Yours!

Company Culture

 -  is what the company stands for, what values the owners have and how their company represents them.

A company culture isn’t just the amount of the profits donated to save rain forests, protect animals or preserve unique physical features in their community.

It’s also about how the company shares their values to their employees and their customers. It’s about doing that every day from the top down.

One of the early employers made their culture well known and enforced, from dress codes, promptness and attitude to keeping the store clean and being fired when you didn’t uphold those standards. There was mutual respect and expectations.

We need to return to those cultural standards.

And it starts with the first word you write in your Journal to create your company. Out of this list of words – which 5 represent what is most important to you?

Didn’t write about your company? Get started now!  Write about the company you want to create or have created that solves a problem and satisfies your WHY.

After you have your 5 words, write some sentences talking about your company and what problem you will solve using these business values. Then answer the following questions using those words.

• What does a strong company culture mean to you?
• How will you communicate your company’s values to your employees, investors, and customers?
• How can you reward success?

Strong culture helps Restaurant brands retain workers. You have to have commitment from the front line staff. They have to care. Really having people feel a part of the operation is important.

Strong business culture doesn’t happen by accident. It’s based on clear direction, clear communication, clear expectations, and clearly defied business results. Entrepreneurs need to understand, hopefully early in the development of their business, that cultivating a culture like this is intentional. It takes effort. And it’s always a work in progress.

Culture is our way of life. It includes our:

• Values                       -         language
• Beliefs                       -         traditions
• Customs

Culture is reflected in our history, our heritage and in how we express ideas and creativity Our culture measures our quality of life, our vitality and the health of our society.

As you consider your cultural values, consider those of your competition as well.  What are they? Does it matter? You are different with different values. It’s more important to focus on who you are and what your values bring to your business.

Need a sample statement?  Here’s one from a Credit Union in Oregon.(copied from their website)

"Rogue Credit Union is the largest locally-based credit union in Southern Oregon. We are a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative committed to creating the most loyal members in the nation! Over the years, Rogue has been honored with numerous awards as a direct result of our dedicated team’s hard work."

Use it as an opportunity to tell the world about your company and why your company culture drives your success.

Not sure how?  Download this Form that uses writing prompts to help you brainstorm your statement.  Courtesy of Jana's Journals where they help you #Write to Your Success.