Culture is one of life’s curious intangibles. There’s no way a culture can be prescribed, purchased or planned. Yet an organisation’s culture is like a backbone, and is vitally important to the company.
Whilst you cannot plan or apply culture to your organisation, you can certainly discover it. It is an exercise well worth doing, and in the doing of it, you may well unearth some interesting insight into your business.
We recently analysed our culture and our whole ‘reason for being’, and in doing so, we discovered more about our company than we ever knew before. What we discovered was that our culture was deeply engrained in the organisation. Our culture is us, it had been so for 40 years.
Culture only happens where there are people, and can be seen in the way people interact, what they talk about, what they wear, what is on their desk, even what they eat. Every culture is a rich and fascinating mix of all the entire team’s life experiences and character, made up of each individual, but particularly influenced by the senior leaders who set the vision for the entire team.
Whatever your current office culture is, it can always be improved upon. It’s not an easy task, and it takes perseverance and knowledge of your purpose. We’re firm believers that your office space and the working environment play a very large part in keeping your culture positive and forward-looking.
Here’s the how and why:
If your office space is easy to work in and comfortable, employees will feel more positive about coming into work every day, and about working within the space once they arrive. This includes ensuring that all necessary space, furniture and technology requirements are met. For example, do you have enough meeting spaces, or are your team feeling frustrated that there’s nowhere for them to have a quick catch up without being overheard?
Increase the occurrence of chance meetings with a workspace that is designed to promote collaborative culture. Collaboration and conversations build relationships, and help to foster good working conditions. Google’s new headquarters have been specifically designed to increase chance encounters.
Your culture can be seen and felt. Over 96% of respondents to a recent survey by Management Today magazine said that they regarded their place of work as a symbol of whether or not they were valued by their employer. Your office design certainly influences your employees’ morale and reflects your company’s culture. Let your culture be one of appreciation!
Potential job applicants will get a feel of your culture from the very first interaction that they have with your company. Make sure that you are attracting talented individuals that will fit with your culture.
Take steps to align your office space and culture today. If your team are buzzing, but your furniture is sagging, isn’t it time to align the two?