5 SIMPLE WAYS TO CREATE AN ENGAGING COMPANY CULTURE

Fun and work? Surely those two words should never be in the same sentence. 

But actually, we disagree… in fact, more companies than ever disagree. Stressful days are inevitable, but giving your employees a positive workplace where it’s easier to be engaged is crucial.

Why? Because a happy team equals a productive, collaborative, and dedicated team. The reality is that people won’t work hard, nor will they stay at a company that doesn’t invest in its culture.

WHAT DEFINES AN ENGAGING CULTURE?

For many companies, they would define a fun culture with materialistic things such as team nights, ping pong tables and a beer fridge. And of course - these things are great, but does that really make (and maintain) a good culture?

A culture should always be defined by how employees feel about it and how it supports their progression and wellbeing. As yourself the following questions to help you see whether you have an engaging culture:

• Does your day-to-day environment reflect the company’s values?

• Does your team resonate with your values?

• Is wellbeing a priority?

• Do your employees have solid sources of motivation?

• Do your employees get consistent support?

• Do employees have enough progression opportunities?

But overall, you could have all the big components figured out, but the way a company approaches their day-to-day work is what forms a culture (and helps the other things come into place). The little things matter, so here are 5 simple ways to create an engaging company culture

ENCOURAGE SHORT BREAKS

Oftentimes we see productivity as being long, focused hours, but studies show different. Science Daily reports that those who allow themselves to be distracted once an hour perform better than those who just keep at it without a break. 

A few ideas could be:

• Getting some fresh air by taking a short walk

• Having a coffee break 

• Taking the team out for lunch

• Bringing board games into the office

• If you have one – play a game of table tennis (this is our favourite)

• Encourage annual leave

Whatever it is, encourage your employees to take a break from the screen every so often.

EMBRACE INTERACTION AND COLLABORATION

There’s no better way to keep your employees engaged than by letting them build meaningful friendships. According to research, employee satisfaction skyrockets by about 50% when a worker develops a friendship with a colleague (National Business Research Institute)

Work takes up a huge part of our lives, so it’s important to work with people you get along with. Employees may avoid getting to know their coworkers because it’s not encouraged to speak about something other than work. However, by encouraging employees to get to know one another, they’ll be more inclined to collaborate, teamwork, and share ideas.

CELEBRATE SMALL WINS AND MILESTONES

Employees feel more job satisfaction when they’re being appreciated and celebrating them can be a great way to improve engagement.

Keep track of achievements, ‘workaversaries’ and birthdays, but also don’t forget general acts of recognition. These things break up the day, encourage conversations, and remind employees why they love your company.

IMPLEMENT 1-1 MEETINGS

The best way to keep track of employee engagement is through 1-1 meetings. 

You may have something in place to catch up with employees, but it may be purely focused on performance, leaving you unaware of how employees are feeling generally about their jobs. 1-1 meetings should also include conversations surrounding wellbeing, engagement, and ways you as an employer can support them. It can lead to better communication surrounding:

• Career growth

• Purpose of work (unclear or clear)

• Trust and confidence in managers

• General frustrations

• Team conflicts

This won’t just equip you to support individual employees but equip you to make changes to the overall culture, ensuring all employees feel supported and engaged.

CASUAL FRIDAYS… OR CASUAL EVERYDAY

Unless your dress code is strict for safety reasons, allowing a casual dress code once in a while can help employees feel more comfortable, which naturally results in lifting moods and productivity. 

If dress code isn’t a big deal for your company and you’re considering whether going all casual is for you, studies show 61% of employees are more productive when the dress code is relaxed (Hive).

- Written by Oliver Howson

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