For those who visit our office, it never fails, “woah, you have a ping pong table in your office?! You must have an amazing company culture!” Wait, what? How has the ping pong table become synonymous with company culture? Don’t get me wrong, the fact that we can decompress and play a game adds to our culture. Ping pong is by no means what defines our culture. From a company that’s been nationally ranked for our culture, I wanted to share 5 important qualities that help us stand out.
It’s often difficult to pin point what makes a company’s culture stand out. We are quick to point out assets that one company has over another, such as the ping pong table or maybe a shiny new urinal (that was a claim to fame for a previous company I worked for). In my opinion, what truly builds a solid culture are the intangible items.
1) Personal development
Looking back at every boss I’ve ever had, the ones that stuck out were those who mentored me. In fact, those who were mentors in my life gave me a look of disgust when I would refer to them as my “boss.” A company that values personal development shows they value their employees. For many, feeling valued gives them the drive to excel at their job.
2) Benefits & Compensation
You can have the best job in the world, but if your needs aren’t being met (both compensation & benefits), you’re not going to stay long. JEB Commerce has set the bar for company benefits by offering their employees (both new mothers & fathers) three months of paid maternity leave. Rather than ask for the time off, employees are encouraged to take time off without fear of not receiving a paycheck.
3) Teamwork
Working together as a team has allowed us to maximize our performance and create an inviting and productive work environment. One of the advantages we have found at JEB, has been the ability to bring together differing points of view to resolve an issue. By working together, we can analyze a situation from different angles and come to a solution that is mutually agreed upon. Allowing everyone to have a voice creates the feeling of inclusion, which is essential to creating an effective team.
4) Flexibility
North Idaho just experienced one of the worst winters in a decade. The constant snowfall made driving to work treacherous. Fortunately, our team had the ability to work from home during this time. We set an unwritten rule as a company. If the schools were closed, so was the office. Of course, we were still expected to work from home, but it was peace of mind knowing we didn’t have to risk our lives to get work. On other occasions, where a child is sick or an emergency comes up, we aren’t penalized for putting family first.
5) Trust
Trust is about doing the right thing. It is a characteristic that builds respect and loyalty in the eyes of your colleagues. When it comes to building a solid company culture, trust helps lessen tension which can erode everything you’ve worked so hard to accomplish. Be honest and consistent with the decisions that you make.
In a recent survey done by the Society for Human Resource Management, millennials ranked respectful treatment of all employees as the number one contributor to their job satisfaction. Followed closely was compensation, benefits and job security. Having a solid company culture should address all of these. Achieving a good company culture has the ability to create a ripple effect in your life. From my experience, coming into work without stress and anxiety has positively impacted myself, my family and my clients. Less stress and anxiety allows me to keep a clear mind and maintain a positive outlook. There’s no secret formula to making a company’s culture work, but it does require the entire company working together to make it happen.
