Foosball tables, sleeping pods, and drinks trolleys are among the usual suspects in the “weve got an amazing workplace culture” checklist… except none of that equals culture.
The definition of culture does not include “fads that mean nothing”, and it wouldnt because things do not create a culture, people do.
How many articles have you read about a companys amazing culture because it has a slide that takes accounting to legal, offers several (forced) fun away-days, or has a foosball table that doubles up as a coat rack and dust collector?
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Sadly, too many companies confuse how they like to socialise outside of work with workplace culture – it is simply not the same thing. Culture isnt about the things that can be bought, its about the people you hire, and the people who lead them.
In order to create a positive culture that attracts and retains talent, you need to strip back your culture strategy so it focuses on people and what they actually want, not what you think they want. It seems obvious, but in order to find out what these things are, you do need to talk to your team.
Hold workshops for the entire company to see what they want to make their working lives better. Youll likely get some fairly typical responses – unlimited holiday, flexible working, and probably an office dog.
Maybe youll discover some do want a foosball table, but its unlikely to top the list. The important message here is that theres no point organising a workshop and talking about culture if youre not willing to put your money where your mouth is.
Were implementing some of these things as we speak, because thats what our team wants. By listening to them – the force behind the company – our attrition rate since being acquired in August 2017 is 1.4 per cent. Were pretty proud of that, but it hasnt been easy creating and maintaining a culture.
In addition, misconceptions about workplace culture have now infiltrated interviewees – theyre asking the wrong questions about culture, because they dont understand what culture is or how to create it either. Instead, theres a view that going to the pub on a Friday is what a great culture looks like, and so they ask if you do this. A better question would be “how do you ensure your staff are your priority”, or even “are your staff your first priority?”.
Companies must make a conscious effort to ensure that they are people-first rather than money-driven, and if theyre going to promote this to their staff – and even the press – then they need to walk the walk.
For us, it meant ending a contract with a £1m account because eight members of staff didnt agree with the client companys morals. Weve never regretted that decision, because in doing so we showed just how seriously we care about our people.
Once you realise that the most important asset in your office is your people, you dont need to worry about buying gadgets and toys that no one uses – youve already got your culture.
A culture is people – not necessarily like-minded but always inclusive, understanding, and honest. And if you give them a little back, such as by offering flexible working, then your company will reap the rewards.
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