Creating a Company Culture that Attracts and Retains Great Employees

As you grow your small business, you don’t just want mediocre employees who will put in an average day’s work, right? Instead, you want exceptional staff. You want talent that is eager to come into work every day. You need employees who are invested in your organization, brand, and industry.

By utilizing these key strategies to build your company culture, you’ll be able to substantially increase the odds that you’ll be able to attract top talent and keep that talent long-term.

Strategy #1: Define and Enforce Your Core Values

What’s important to your company as a whole? What core values do you want to shape your organization? It’s critical to begin shaping these values as early as possible in your company’s life. Once you’ve created them, enforce them! Make sure that you’re encouraging honesty and creating an environment that centers around those core values.

Strategy #2: Create an Atmosphere of Trust

Trust is one of the key elements in any relationship—and that’s particularly true of the relationship between an employee and their employer. You want trustworthy employees who will bring you key information: when they’re struggling, what they need to know versus what they do know, any personal problems that might be impacting their ability to complete their job, etc.

In order to create that atmosphere of trust, you need to be trustworthy yourself! Let your employees know that they can count on you by following through on your promises and providing them with key information when it’s relevant.

Strategy #3: Build Your Team

You want engaged employees at your business. In 2015, only about 32% of employees were actively engaged at work. Disengaged employees are less productive, less interested in what’s going on around them, and more likely to cause problems at work.

To avoid these challenges, look for opportunities for team-building. Eat together, play together, and show your team that they’re appreciated. The more you build up your team, the better they will work together—and the better the odds that they’ll give you their best.

Strategy #4: Provide Continued Learning Opportunities

Today’s candidates are constantly looking for opportunities to grow personally and professionally. Which means they are looking for employers who will provide them with those opportunities.

In the early days of your business, you may not be able to provide things like tuition compensation for your employees, but you can offer key benefits that will allow them to continue to learn. This can include supporting time off for learning opportunities, offering the chance to go to seminars and events, and paying for certifications for your employees.

Strategy #5: Offer an Interesting Work Space

If you want to attract a broader range of talent, consider offering something interesting at your business. You could consider offering something like a cool workspace that will intrigue the top talent in your field. For example, provide the chance to work with cutting-edge technology or offering a room filled with retro arcade games where employees can relax during their breaks. The space you offer your employees can create a big difference in their engagement and their desire to stay with your company.

Strategy #6: Create a Safe, Inclusive Work Environment

One of the most important elements in keeping your employees is a safe work environment where everyone has equal opportunities to contribute. If your employees don’t feel safe at work, they aren’t going to stay with you long!

Create an atmosphere where harassment and threats are quickly dealt with. Offer opportunities for employees of every race and gender. Open the doors for disabled employees. By offering an inclusive environment, you’ll expand your potential employee pool and make it easier to capture the talent you need.

Even in the earliest days of your business, it’s important to choose your employees carefully. If you need more help shaping your company, including selecting the right insurance coverage for your business, contact us today to learn how we can help.