What’s your cultural superpower and how do you develop it

It takes a strong organizational culture to develop the traits required for success in the commercial world. It will show up in your financial results: companies with strong organizational cultures have a 1.5 times higher chance of seeing a 15% or more gain in sales in three years, as well as a 2.5 times higher chance of seeing significant stock growth in the same period. However, only 31 percent of HR leaders think their companies have the right organizational culture to support future business growth, and changing a company’s culture is not simple—85 percent of companies struggle to do it successfully. This blog includes all the information you need to turn the culture of your business into a valuable asset, including an explanation of what organizational culture is, why it’s important, and a methodical approach to developing an organizational culture that continuously fosters success.

Organizational culture: What is it?

The values, beliefs, and customs that make up an organization’s culture have an impact on how its personnel behave. This culture creates the image that people inside and outside the company have of the business and its brand. Remember, don’t confuse organizational culture with the company’s objectives or its mission statement, even though both can help describe the culture. Organizational culture is formed by the consistent and genuine actions of people, not just by announcements or written rules. You can observe an organizational culture by watching how a CEO handles a difficult situation, how a team adjusts to new customer needs, or how a supervisor deals with an employee’s error.

Why is organizational culture important?

• Helps attract new hires – 77% of job seekers look at an organizational culture before applying
• Keeps employees longer – 65% of workers stay at their jobs because of the organizational culture
• Enhances our brand – 38% of employees consider changing jobs if they don’t like the organizational culture
• Boosts employee involvement – companies with a good organizational culture see up to 72% more employee involvement

Organizational culture influences everything in our business, from how we run meetings to what benefits we offer. When the organizational culture matches what our employees want, they feel happier, more supported, and more appreciated. Companies that focus on culture can handle tough times and changes better and become stronger. Organizational culture is a big help in getting the best people and doing better than our competitors. 77 percent of people think about a company’s way of working before they apply for a job. If they could work somewhere with a better method of doing things, over half of the employed would quit for less money. One of the primary factors contributing to employees’ job satisfaction and the reason nearly two-thirds (65%) of workers stay in their positions is how a firm operates.

What’s your cultural superpower?

Every day, it feels like a new tech company with amazing abilities. How else can you explain how they can get millions of people to use their products in just a few months? How do they change how we talk and spend time with each other? Companies like Apple and Google have changed how people live forever. So many different companies are trying to do the same thing and shake things up. But everything starts with strong leaders who have built a broad organizational culture that supports being genuine, being curious, and being creative—read on to learn more about the key elements for becoming a highly successful company.

Finding your cultural strength

Now, let’s determine your cultural strength. It’s the special skill or talent you contribute to your organizational culture. Here are some typical cultural strengths:

1. The communicator: You’re excellent at sharing ideas, solving disagreements, and ensuring everyone is aligned.
2. The innovator: You’re creative. You constantly come up with fresh ideas and solutions.
3. The empathizer: You’re good at understanding others’ viewpoints and building strong connections.
4. The visionary: You can see the overall picture and motivate others to work towards shared objectives.
5. The problem solver: You’re skilled at recognizing problems and quickly finding effective solutions.

Consider which of these descriptions fits you best. Recognizing this is the initial step to using your cultural strengths effectively and positively enhancing your organizational culture.

How do you develop organizational culture?

Now that you understand the significance of both your company’s and your cultural assets, let’s explore how to capitalize on them and have a positive influence.

• Continue to learn and develop

No matter how much experience you have, there’s always room to get better. Look for chances to grow in your job, like taking online classes, going to seminars, or talking to advisors for help. You may impact the organizational culture of your firm more and more as you gain knowledge. If you’re very good at communicating, consider enrolling in programs on advanced communication or dispute resolution. If you’re an inventor, stay current with emerging technologies and trends in your industry.

• Establish robust connections

Your special skill works best when you have strong connections with your coworkers. Spend time getting to know your colleagues, learn about their skills and difficulties, and build trust. When you have a strong support system, you can better shape the organizational culture. The organizational culture grows from teamwork and respect for each other. You help create a more friendly and united work environment by building strong relationships. Being a positive role model is a great way to influence the atmosphere at your company. Set an example of the morals and conduct you find admirable in other people. If you have a high level of empathy, demonstrate it in your relationships. Share your vision and encourage people to follow you if you are excellent at seeing the big picture. Setting a good example helps strengthen good habits and motivates others to do the same, spreading these positive actions across the whole company.

• Promote clear communication

A good organizational culture depends on clear and honest communication. Encourage your team to express their thoughts, worries, and suggestions. Make sure everyone feels their voice is important and appreciated. If you’re good at communication, you can help manage these discussions and make sure everyone in the company can share their ideas easily.

• Encourage inclusion and diversity

An inclusive and diverse workplace is critical to a robust organizational culture. A strong organizational culture requires a diverse and inclusive workplace. Acknowledge and cherish the variety of backgrounds that make up your coworkers. Promote dissenting opinions and ensure that everyone is made to feel important and welcome.  If you have a high level of interpersonal comprehension, you can take the lead in encouraging diversity and inclusion by cultivating an environment of mutual respect and acceptance within your team.

• Stay receptive to innovation and change

Organizational culture is always changing. Be ready to adjust and accept new ideas. Encourage your team to be open to change too. If you like trying new things, your ability to adapt can help improve your organizational culture in a good way.

Tips from UNLEASH for building a robust organizational culture

You need a well-defined plan with measurable objectives to create a fantastic organizational culture. You may establish a long-lasting culture that benefits your business in the long run by following the stages listed below.

Listen to your employees

It’s important to create a culture where employees feel their opinions matter. Not doing this can result in lost money and unhappy workers. First, gather feedback by using tools that help employees share their current feelings, such as quick surveys and chatbots in the workplace. Next, look at the feedback and take steps while it’s still important. This helps improve your organizational culture and brings advantages like happier employees and better profits. A survey by Clutch shows that 68 percent of employees who get regular feedback are happy with their jobs. Gallup also found that companies with managers who get feedback about their strengths have 8.9 percent higher profits. Also, pay attention to smaller signs of feedback, like body language. Managers should see every conversation with employees as a chance to collect and react to feedback, acting like a trusted guide.

Create supporters for culture among your leaders

Creating a strong workplace culture depends on team leaders and managers. If the values that are important in your workplace are not being shown by the leaders, it can cause problems. People will notice that what is said and what is done are different. They might even start doing the wrong things if they think it will get them ahead. Your leaders can create a good work environment by making it a priority in everything they do. This means talking openly about the organizational culture and values and listening to what employees have to say about it. Even though most leaders think their company’s values are clearly explained, only a few employees feel the same way. When employees see their leaders showing the right values, they will do the same.

Follow your company’s values

Your company’s values are the base of its organizational culture. Writing a mission statement is a good beginning, but following company values means incorporating them into all parts of your business. This includes support terms, HR policies, benefits programs, and even activities outside of work like volunteering. Your employees, partners, and customers will notice and appreciate that your organization uses its values in everyday actions. You can also praise employees for actions that show your values to show that they are more than just words and encourage employees to create a culture based on values that you want to see.

Wrap Up

Finding and enhancing your unique cultural strengths can greatly improve your organizational culture. By using your special abilities to help your workplace, you can make a place where everyone succeeds. Keep in mind that a company’s culture is very important. When you use your cultural strengths, you help create a better environment that encourages teamwork, creativity, and acceptance. So, use your talents—your organizational culture will benefit from it!