How to establish best-in-class business culture in 2024

We’ve all had jobs — the good, the bad and the otherwise. And there’s a central ingredient to each workplace that makes or breaks the experience of being a part of it: culture.

To me, culture is how you feel within any particular setting. Do you feel connected, empowered and energized? Do you feel unseen, undervalued and overworked?

There’s no singular source of where these feelings come from. Rather, it is a culmination of many factors that weave together in your personal experience.

Part of leading a company is intentionally creating a culture that makes people want to be a part of it. That fosters belonging. That is magnetic and aspirational. This is one of The Agency’s core competencies for our staff, our agents and their clients.

Here are five things to do in order to elevate your business culture to best-in-class.

Provide opportunities for connection

Humans need connection. It’s hardwired. Therefore, businesses need to provide time and space for that — especially in a remote work environment.

Seeing people’s faces and getting to know your co-workers is essential to a positive culture — and it doesn’t just happen. You have to be thoughtful about how you are making space for connections to grow.

Recently, we implemented a monthly staff circle, where all employees across the company (and the globe) come together for a quick 30-minute conversation. I open with a topic, and then we break into small groups on a call so everyone gets a chance to speak, listen and be acknowledged.

They are able to forge new connections in smaller groups. People light up by the end of the meeting and carry that sense of connection with them throughout their work.

Let people bring their full selves to the workplace

The beautiful thing about creating a collaborative work environment is more ideas, better morale and true innovation. And to collaborate, you have to make space for people with different skill sets to come together.

We all bring something different to the table from our lived experience and professional expertise, so encouraging people to bring their full selves to work is one of the most impactful things you can do. Unleashing a special talent or secret passion might lead to something exceptional for the whole company.

Encourage boundaries

In fact, practice them yourself. Anyone in a management position must be aware that they are leading by example, setting the standard for how everyone else relates to and functions within the organization.

Take the vacation time. Turn off notifications. Schedule in that screen-free stretch break. Incorporate self-care best practices into your ongoing list of topics in meetings and communications.

It’s good for people, and it’s good for your bottom line. After all, self-care has been linked to workplace productivity, so it’s a win-win.

Let people be seen and heard

The worst part of working in a remote environment can often be a sense of feeling invisible. It can be hard to find a way to share your thoughts and be heard by people who are steering the ship, especially if you are a natural introvert.

One thing we’ve done that has been very productive is putting together a culture committee with members from different departments. It’s completely employee-driven. They come up with ideas on how to enhance our company culture, and they execute them.

It’s amazing to see people step into their light this way and do something they care about that positively impacts the whole company.

Ask for people’s needs so you can accurately meet them

Sometimes we think we know what needs to be shifted in our company to create a better culture — but it might be something else altogether. Unless we ask the people who work under us, our efforts may not be effective.

Send a survey out to your employees asking them about the culture, and get their feedback as well as ideas on how to improve it. If you’re putting together an all-company meeting, ask them what they want from it so you can intentionally design it to meet their needs.

Do they want opportunities to share what they’re working on? Do they want more time to connect with their peers? Do they want to feel inspired? It’s time to be meticulous with your use of time and energy, so put it in the right places.

Creating best-in-class culture is a huge undertaking that can often take years.  That’s OK — it’s not something you can rush through.

When making a choice, think about its implication on your culture. Keep trying, keep listing, keep questioning, and keep bringing your workforce into the fold. They want to be a part of something important with you — so empower them to be all-in.

This article was written by Rainy Hake Austin from Inman News and was legally licensed through the DiveMarketplace by Industry Dive. Please direct all licensing questions to [email protected].