The importance of company culture

Have you ever really thought about your company's culture from the perspective of your employees? As the business owner you probably don't hear when employees are unhappy or tensions rise because you're the boss. It may be advantageous to take a step back from your daily routines and observe your staff, have private conversations with a few employees and begin to get a feel for the true culture of your company. You might be surprised that what you perceive as a good culture might not be reality for those who work for you.

The recent economic issues have forced many companies to tighten budgets, freeze payrolls and in some instances take away medical benefits. Naturally, company culture in most businesses has taken a hit as everyone has had to make adjustments.

Even with all the negativity going on in our world, there are still businesses out there who have been able to maintain a positive culture, which has resulted in increased revenue - even in a bad economy. In most cases, you'll find that the companies who have survived the economy best are the ones who have used the people, product and values triangle to make up their foundation.

• People - hire and develop great people who believe in your mission and vision and who fit your company's culture
• Product - obviously there must be an emphasis on the value of the product/service your company provides in order to be successful
• Values - Create a set of values that you believe strongly in and that your employees are in alignment with

Bottom line - when your employees are happy and believe in your company, staff and product/service, they are more likely to work harder, push for results and help increase revenue.

By following these simple guidelines, your company can be on the way to creating a culture that everyone wants to be part of and something that you can be proud of establishing.