7 Tips for Building and Establishing a Good Workplace Culture

7 Tips for Building and Establishing a Good Workplace Culture Workplace culture is becoming increasingly important for attracting and keeping top tier employees. These are the key members of staff that you are going to want to hold onto, rather than losing them to rival companies. But how do you create that workplace culture that will attract the best? Here are seven tips to get you started. 1. Ask and listen First of all, start listening more to the team that you already have. What do they like about working in your company? What do they dislike? Encourage them to be open and honest, and allow them the chance to submit their thoughts anonymously if they prefer. A pattern may begin to emerge. Be mindful of the company culture you’d like to create, rather than just giving in to demands: if you’re hearing things that don’t gel with your ideals, then you might need to prune your current staff. 2. Create rewards One of the most important things an employee wants to know is what they are going to get out of working for you, particularly if they are working hard. Will they get bonuses? A company retreat? Gifts from the CEO? Extra time off? Find out what makes your people tick, and then give them a reward to work for â€" you’ll be surprised at how much better performance can be with an objective to work towards. 3. Clean it up A cluttered workspace or furniture old enough to be considered retro is not usually a sign of a good workplace culture. When was the last time you really cleaned up the office? Get rid of as much clutter as you can: old files, old furniture, things that no one is using. You can either sell them, scrap them, or put them in storage. It doesn’t have to cost the earth â€" you can easily find cheap storage on sharing sites. 4. Remodel and renew Now that the office is tidier, it’s time think about where people sit â€" and what they’re sitting on. Maybe you need to reorganise the desks, putting teams together in more cohesive ways. Maybe you should create standing desk areas, private workspaces, or even a soundproof call booth. Get new furniture which is both stylish and ergonomic, and suit your décor to your company values and branding. 5. Assess your staff Who do you have on board at the moment who isn’t adhering to the culture? If you’re trying to promote equality, tolerance, and forward-thinking, then that one employee who won’t stop making sexist ‘jokes’ might just have to go. Look at your team and bring them in for reviews to let them know their behaviour must change. If it doesn’t, replace them with someone who fits better. 6. Start hiring new Bringing in new staff can really help to build a new workplace culture. You can brief them during the interview stages on what your culture is (or will be) like, how you expect them to behave, and what they will get out of it all. When they arrive, they’ll already be in the right frame of mind. 7. Make it clear Finally, make your culture clear with signs, emails, code of conduct updates, and other clear signals that a change is happening. Your employees should get on board. It doesn’t have to be a set of rules: something as simple as a list of your company values could get them thinking. Building a culture is very much dependent on the people who are in it. Make sure that you have the right team, then give them the right environment â€" and watch them flourish. Emma Lewis is a loving mother, a devoted wife and a part of the team supporting Spacer â€" a company helping you find storage space in Sydney whenever you need it. Emma is also a staunch supporter of the sharing economy and often mentions its benefits.