Introduction

What are schools without their students and their teachers? It is nothing but a hollow shell, adrift in an aimless direction. Likewise, an organization without a comprehensive employee culture is a company lost and adrift. Though many perceive an organization’s image by its brand awareness, professionals know that it is defined by how strong, and how prevailing its office culture is. 

At Talent Centric, we understand the gravity of employee culture in an organization, and the role it plays as a backbone of the corporate structure. As one of the top management consultancy firms in Dhaka, Talent Centric has evolved its work culture to empower its personnel into defining what employee culture should be. 

Before diving deep into how employee culture can positively impact your organization, let us understand what it is first.  

What Is an Employee Culture In An Organization

An employee or office culture is the atmosphere that surrounds the internal working environment. The office culture is essentially a shared value amongst the employer and employees, the belief systems, approach to work, and the set of expectations that people in the workplace share. Some of the top companies in Bangladesh have a grounded yet progressive employee culture. 

Though this practice should be molded by individual upbringing, and social and cultural framework, in a workplace, however, the strategic organizational and managerial structure influences the workplace culture to a huge degree. A positive employee culture vastly improves teamwork, and communication raises morale, increases efficiency, and drives productivity. Job satisfaction, stress reduction, collaboration, and work performance are all improved when an office culture is established to be at its peak.

What Are The Signs of A Great Employee Culture?

Each organization has a unique identity and approach as to how to create a culture that best suits its operations. Being one of the top HR consulting firms in Bangladesh, Talent Centric advises its clients, irrespective of the type of organization, that 7 core characteristics are essential in fostering a sustainable employee culture.

1. A Structured Flexibility 

At Talent Centric, we have aspired to create the best working environment by introducing a structured, flexible environment. A structured, yet flexible working environment can fuel efficiency amongst the workforce in an organization.

Structured flexibility is a shared obligation to have a plan and process while remaining flexible to efficiently drive operations, allocate resources, adapt timelines, and revisit strategies or familiarize oneself with changes in direction. But structured flexibility is more than what its definition is, something highly practiced in our office. Talent Centric understands that at the core of it all, we are human. Structured operations are pivotal to an organization as an engine running inside a car. At the same time, it is important to establish that humans are not machines, and flexible adaptability to a structured schedule is important and helps boost efficiency more. 

1. Healthy Communication & Association 

Communication is key in all aspects of life, and its role in organizational structure is vital. A management style that inspires teamwork, and open and honest communication is important in creating a positive feeling in the workplace. Healthy communication fosters internal growth, amongst all employees in the hierarchy. Directly open communication also means that there are regular opportunities for social interaction to be enabled as well.  

These can include weekly informal meetings, coffee mornings, team retreats, and family get-togethers. Such scenarios provide an opportunity for team members to foster connections outside of work. Open communication also enables learning opportunities for team members to evaluate their understanding of one another, and implicit prejudices that can impact their interactions with other employees. Most importantly, open communication will eventually lead to employees being more honest about their work, and the problems they are facing especially when faced with a task. 

1. A Safe and Comfortable Environment 

The office condition and physical environment that employees work in every day can go a long way in shaping the way people feel about their occupations and their organizations. First and foremost, a safe working environment, free of harassment and bullying, is a sign of the best employee work culture. It is widely known in the professional circle that a good number of people leave their organizations because of a toxic environment. 

Furthermore, a comfortable workplace with proper amenities and perks that employees care about can contribute greatly to boosting morale levels. An organization that lays out benefits that make their employees’ work-life easier always retains their staff. 

1. Workplace Diversity

Diversity in a workplace goes well beyond that of race or religion. Some of the best organizations embrace diversity in hiring. Workplace diversity can also be equivalent to ‘hiring outside the box.’ In other words, the best hiring process should include people who come from all walks of life, with different educational backgrounds and a diverse set of skill sets. All these things collectively combined can take organizational proficiency to new heights. 

Top HR firms in Bangladesh encourage diversity when it comes to the hiring process, as each person from a varied background can bring something new to the table. 

1. Employee Recognition 

Motivated and engaged employees can be fashioned if they are treated equally and have comprehensive goals that they can work towards. Employee recognition goes a long way in an organization. Employees that are regularly motivated and encouraged, often drive themselves to excel at their tasks beyond original expectations. 

A survey by Deloitte showed that ‘83% of executives and 84% of employees rank having engaged and motivated employees as the top aspect that substantially contributes to an organization’s success.

In addition to having an honest, transparent company policy for progression and promotion, this offers employees an opportunity to quantify their performance. A measurable performance indicates a healthy workplace competition, and a scope for all team members to grow a positive attitude. As a result, achievements will be recognized, celebrated, and rewarded, leading to employees feeling a sense of value, which in turn generates a positive feeling of loyalty towards the organization.

1. Professional Development Opportunities 

When a person is hired for a specific task, nowhere it is written that he or she cannot take the time to find the time to develop themselves. Job gratification is thoroughly tied to opportunities employees have for developing growth, advancement, and learning opportunities. 

Organizations with strong infrastructures that support professional growth, both in attitude and with actual resources and budgets, confirm their commitment to an employee’s professional development and foster a strong sense of culture within the organization. This further benefits the organization as a whole, as a more developed employee, can further add efficiency to his or her task. Almost all management consulting firms in Bangladesh relay this trait to their clients as a top priority. 

1. Transparency & Company Values 

Good company culture is built on the foundation of honest values, and transparency. A lack of communication from the hierarchy down creates an employee culture of insecurity and vagueness. Organizations that have clear directives, and values, must make it a mission to instill such goals amongst their employees. 

Workplaces with a positive culture support the idea of transparency so that every team member feels they know where they stand from the viewpoint of the organization and where the company is headed. Company values are accessible and registered in all internal and external communications, with transparent directives, creating a more goal-oriented workforce. 

How 

Does A Positive Employee Culture Benefit Your Organization?

If an organization introduces the 7 core practices of enabling a better employee culture, the benefits, in the long run, will overflow with immense returns.

A strong and unified employee culture will benefit your organization from the inside out. Firstly, which is the most important, it will help directly in employee retention, which will create a positive image of your organization to the outside world. People will prefer to work for a company with a strong culture and a clear set of goals. Also, prospective employees are more likely to be attracted to your organization which has a reputation for being a good place to work. As a result, it is an opportunity to hire a better, more talented workforce. 

In addition to a better brand image boosted by a healthy employee culture, your organization will experience efficiency to its truest potential. A better image of a company is also known to drive sales, where customers are engaged and view you with a more positive outlook. 

Conclusion

Employees are important to an organization, and a healthy office culture just naturally enhances the workforce. A strong culture is important to employees because they will be satisfied in a workplace where the values are consistent with their employers. 

If you work somewhere where the culture nurtures and helps your growth, you will undoubtedly develop a better rapport with coworkers, and managers and view the company as your own, which will drive your productivity. For better guidance on how to create and foster a healthy employee culture that will positively impact your organization, consult with a top HR firm in Bangladesh, Talent Centric.