How Company Culture Shapes Business Outcomes

How Company Culture

Shapes Business Outcomes

B e n n a t B e r g e r

Company culture is the essence of a business:the pervasive vision, values, and systemspulsing within employees, management,

atmosphere and more.

Even if the company starts with just one person— its founder — a culture is born from that

individual’s choices when it comes to hiring andleadership.

Even if the company starts with just one person— its founder — a culture is born from that

individual’s choices when it comes to hiring andleadership.

With each new decision and addition, the culturegrows for better or for worse.

Company Culture as Motivation

Basic needs like food, water and shelter can be metby money, yes, but a whole pyramid of needs existbeyond the staples of life — like safety, love and

belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization.

Basic needs like food, water and shelter can be metby money, yes, but a whole pyramid of needs existbeyond the staples of life — like safety, love and

belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization.

A workplace that makes employees (and clients)feel safe, welcome, proud and confident will yield

higher result than monetary value alone.

Factors like robust benefits, comfortable officespace, amenities, extracurriculars and relationshipbuilding shape the culture, which in turn motivates

employees and impacts productivity.

The Benefits of Good Culture

Research suggests that companies with strong,substantial, and adaptive cultures outperform their

counterparts when they emphasize customers,employees and investors, fit the business

environment and adapt to change.

Culture is onboarding, work-life integration, and anignition of passion that leaves workers positive

about everything from mundane tasks toadvancement opportunities.

Culture is onboarding, work-life integration, and anignition of passion that leaves workers positive

about everything from mundane tasks toadvancement opportunities.

Positive culture makes for happier employees,better business, and also leads to employee

retention, which saves time and money on hiringand training.

The Risks of Toxic Culture

There are many qualities that signify a potentiallytoxic culture, or at the very least a dysfunctional

one.

There are many qualities that signify a potentiallytoxic culture, or at the very least a dysfunctional

one.

Many of these stem from bad leadership, whichtends to trickle down into management and

employee well-being.

There are many qualities that signify a potentiallytoxic culture, or at the very least a dysfunctional

one.

Many of these stem from bad leadership, whichtends to trickle down into management and

employee well-being.

Some signs include poor health, high stress,discomfort, fear, and a host of other issues that

compromise the hierarchy of needs, as mentionedpreviously.

Bad culture costs more than just feelings —productivity is lower, communication is strained,

leading to bad business.

Turning a Culture Around

Changing a culture entirely is a daunting andpossibly impossible task. But culture can always be

improved, if those with the most influence arewilling.

Changing a culture entirely is a daunting andpossibly impossible task. But culture can always be

improved, if those with the most influence arewilling.

And there are better ways than simplyimplementing a Taco Tuesday — like engaging

employees with tasks, policies, and initiatives thatkeep them motivated and happy, or simply making

them know their input matters.

Articulating company vision and ethics, supportingworker health and wellbeing, providing

opportunities for training and development,fostering camaraderie, and encouraging healthy

work-life balance can also go a long way.

Articulating company vision and ethics, supportingworker health and wellbeing, providing

opportunities for training and development,fostering camaraderie, and encouraging healthy

work-life balance can also go a long way.

At worst, these steps will give employees a slightboost; at best, they will shape the entire business

for the better.

w w w . b e n n a t b e r g e r . n e t

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