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How to Build a Strong Corporate Culture

May 25, 2016

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Many business leaders believe that a strong organizational culture is crucial for their business’ success, yet structuring and managing a system of shared values is much easier said than done. In a world of rapid change, corporate culture isn’t static. It is continuously evolving and requires a strategy that considers how people within organizations think, feel, and behave.

Today’s smartest business leaders are using social media to create a greater sense of shared purpose within their organizations. They are also implementing a wide variety of digital tools to engage and inspire their employees, share company news and developments, and encourage internal and external storytelling efforts on social media.

Create a Feedback-Driven Culture

Business leaders who value and encourage employee feedback must learn to put strategies in place that help their organizations change for the better. However, despite the best intentions, it’s not always so easy to get employees to share their thoughts with management or their peers. While employees can be a great source for gaining insights into what is and what isn’t working within an organization, many of them are reluctant to offer feedback because they fear losing their jobs or retaliation in the workplace.

One of the top reasons employees are reluctant to share their insights is that they feel it’s a waste of time and believe that little to no action would be taken by key stakeholders. That’s why it is critical for leaders to make changes that emphasize innovation and inspire their employees to become valued members of their companies. By creating a transparent and constructive feedback-driven culture with multiple communications channels, transformational leaders will help bridge the gap between employees and their organizations.

Hire People Who Embody Your Values

Part of building a strong corporate culture is hiring employees who are the right fit. While it can be difficult to get a sense of who someone is based off of a resume, portfolio, blog post, tweet or even a face-to-face interview, recruiters and hiring managers shouldn’t only focus on a candidate’s skills and experience, but should also look at the person’s attitude and behavior. Keep in mind that new employees can always be trained and acquire new skills over time, but if they don’t embody a company’s core values from the get-go, then there’s little chance that they will have a long, sustainable future within the organization.

Use Digital Technology to Connect and Share

Business leaders who want to create a strong organizational culture must integrate technology to help employees stay connected, informed, and engaged. Thanks to intranet and social media, employees are now more connected to their work and their companies as a whole. As more business leaders create and implement social sharing guidelines into place, employees at all levels of their organizations are sharing feedback and are telling more authentic brand stories on the web.

Today, many C-Suite executives like CEOs and CMOs are also using social networks such as Twitter and LinkedIn to connect with their employees, their peers and the media. From live tweets to Vines to blog posts, social senior executives are using both micro and macro content platforms to foster better communication inside and outside of their organizations, and to establish themselves as thought leaders in the digital space.

And, while it may be impossible to change the culture of an organization overnight, through careful hiring, dedicated feedback channels, a heightened focus on social media and transformational leadership, progress is not only possible but inevitable within companies that value transparency, collaboration and innovation.