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Candidates seek a winning culture, particularly those with poor experiences, to avoid working in a toxic environment. Toxic environments are emotionally draining and usually result in unnecessary drama, gossip, high employee turnover, and low productivity. In this digital age, your employer brand, primarily about your culture, is paramount to building a highly productive team. Here are some critical elements of a winning culture:
Purpose
As Simon Sinek's book 'Start with Why’ teaches us, 'people don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it.' Developing a winning culture requires creating a sense of why your company exists and why the job exists within the company. It could be as straightforward as shared values and beliefs or as noble as working for a cause. Either way, a sense of purpose goes a long way in creating a culture that candidates will be attracted to, and employees will stay working for an extended period because you took the time to develop an attractive culture.
Caring
Wellness is not a word you hear much in business, which makes it all the more of a strategic advantage for those who do care. Promote wellness in the work environment. Healthy employees are happy employees. Employers who create an environment that provides opportunities for team building and physical activities and offers some flexibility for a work-life balance show that they care and are ultimately creating a more productive workforce.
Trust is Crucial in Developing an Attractive Culture
Developing trust in the workplace is about balancing the needs of the business while being considerate of your people. Employees need to know that management is on their side, not opposing or treating them like pawns. Companies too often put process and profit on a pedestal and people far below. Putting people last creates a sense of imbalance and disengagement. As leaders, much trust comes from aligning your words and deeds and remaining consistent. Building trust is hard work and requires leadership to walk the talk and even become vulnerable, admitting mistakes and failures, while at the same time working towards a brighter future.
This post is part of our more extensive annual Salary Guide.
