Company Culture, High Trust Behaviour, Employee Recognition, Employee Pride, Employee Trust
If the idea of refining your company’s environment feels overwhelming, consider this: HR challenges present a unique opportunity to reshape and elevate the culture, ultimately leading to a more thriving business.
Article Highlights
- Approach HR Challenges with Trust: Embrace challenges confidently by focusing on trust and collaboration to build a strong company culture.
- Prioritize Culture Change: Invest in people and development to boost productivity and reduce turnover in a high-trust environment.
- Bridge Generational and Inclusive Gaps: Focus on connecting generations and fostering inclusivity to support and respect all employees.
- Commit to Trust and Flexibility: Lead with commitment to create a flexible and innovative workplace that motivates employees.
Building a positive company culture can seem like a daunting task. And there is certainly no shortage of HR challenges facing even the best organizations. The debate over return-to-work policies has created tension in many workplaces. The uncertainty and trepidation related to AI and its impact on job security and job preparedness is weighing on the minds of workers across all industries and professions. And there is a general sense of competing priorities when it comes to things like managing multiple generations, investing in inclusive practices and trying to ensure that all employees feel supported and respected.
The good news is that all of these HR challenges are manageable, especially when you start from a position of trust. Our research unequivocally shows that a great workplace is one where employees trust the people they work for, enjoy the people they work with and have pride in the work they do. Establishing and maintaining an exceptional company culture like this, begins by taking the first steps and not looking back. It means facing your HR challenges head-on collaboratively, confidently and with a solid commitment to creating a positive company culture. Here are our top five strategies that will help you pave the way toward a thriving workplace environment:
1. Invest in Culture Change
Don’t make the mistake of thinking you don’t have time to make building a positive company culture a priority. Building trust takes time and the results are worth it — for your employees and for you. Investing in people pays off in productivity and loyalty as high-trust cultures have half the turnover of their competitors and see accelerated rates of innovation.
Action: Reward new habits with praise, bonuses, and other forms of appreciation.
Powerful changes in company culture start with small shifts in habits. What HR challenges are you dealing with and what new behaviors or outcomes do you want to see? Use recognition to encourage positive change. Culture and human resource management go hand in hand, so use tools like peer to peer recognition, spot rewards and formal award programs to nudge people in the right direction. Think about daily practices that highlight when employees act in ways that elevate and promote a positive work culture. A simple thank you goes a long way toward creating strong relationships and building trust at work.
2. Learn from Others
Regardless of the exact HR challenge you are tackling, the solutions are not as unique as you many think. While a manufacturing firm may be confronting issues related to AI more pressingly than one in healthcare, the commonality is always people. And the solution is always to treat people with dignity and respect and in a way that helps each individual be their best. At the heart of building a positive company culture is ensuring your employees feel a sense of meaning, belonging, and value.
Action: Keep an open mind to new ideas and solutions.
Stay abreast of the latest HR challenges and the best practices for dealing with them. Observe and take note of companies in your community that are doing a great job of attracting and retaining their people. As you discover great companies, avoid thinking, ‘that would never work here’ and reframe your thought to, ‘how can I make that work here’? Think too about your other great source of ideas on how to tackle your HR challenges – your people! Solicit ideas from every level of your workforce to not only help solve some of your unique challenges but also foster a culture where employees feel valued and heard.
3. View all disruptions as catalysts for positive culture change
HR challenges are as inevitable as death and taxes. Rethinking your value proposition might be top of mind today as you try to retain your top talent but things like mergers, layoffs, and global events can create uncertainty in the workplace in the blink of an eye. You may think you can predict the top HR challenges facing your organization but ultimately you need to tap into the concerns of your people and stay attuned to what they are thinking and feeling. Simultaneously you need to assure them that the changes and challenges ahead will be dealt with from a basis of trust and respect.
Action: Incorporate your response to HR challenges as part of your culture strategy.
A period of disruption is not only the perfect time to reinforce company culture, it’s the right time to listen to your employees, address their fears, and outline next steps. Use tools like surveys and regular check-ins to unmask hidden concerns and decode resistance to change. Caring people leaders understand the importance of surveying employees during a time of crisis or change. Thinking that you can wait to build a positive culture until things settle down is as shortsighted as it is naïve. Your top HR challenges are the ones your people are most concerned about and they need to understand that a positive company culture is key to being able to address these challenges and emerge stronger, more productive, and more cohesive.
4. Include employees on the journey
Engagement during times of change is always a challenge. When facing HR challenges ensuring your people are involved and onboard is even more so. If you’re struggling with a team that’s disengaged, the best path forward is to re-examine your approach, and then look for creative ways to rebuild trust. Companies that respond to employee feedback and take at least one action on the most important issue build a strong sense of trust and their people then expect they will continue to to be heard.
Action: Listen to employees and help them see the value of creating a great workplace.
Employees never get tired of feeling heard and understood. Leverage employee resource groups and committees and then ensure authentic follow-up on employee feedback. Share results openly and transparently and celebrate your wins. Talk about the positive changes you see daily and encourage your people to do the same. Are you noticing less negativity in the online chats or around the office? Are you seeing more collaboration between teams and appreciation for different perspectives? Are these culture improvements translating into business results? Communicate these improvements and celebrate them with your people. The more people feel included in the successes, the stronger the trust, which then builds a more positive company culture.
5. Lead the Change from Anywhere
Unfortunately, not all leaders immediately see the value of building a positive company culture. Or if they do, they don’t see it as critical to running the business. Some get caught up in dealing with the challenge before them myopically (see #3 for why not to do that). Don’t let that stop you from starting changes in your team or your department.
Action: Focus on what you can change, not what you can’t.
HR challenges have different impacts and in every organization there are departments, divisions, and locations where some employees enjoy a great workplace experience and others are struggling. Start cultivating a pocket of greatness within your company and know that the seeds of positivity will germinate. Create a strong sense of identity in your department. Adopt a healthy mindset that treats HR challenges as issues to be overcome. Use whatever power and position you have to build a supportive environment and lead by example to influence and inspire the people around you. Stay focused on those things that you can influence — in time, your sphere of influence will increase and open doors that were once closed.
HR challenges are inevitable and they will come and go. The constant is your people. By building a positive company culture you signal that your people matter and in turn this positive culture is what will get you through the challenges. Trust the process, trust your people and make culture a priority always.
FAQs
- How do I address common HR challenges in my company?
The article provides actionable strategies for overcoming typical HR challenges by focusing on trust, collaboration, and employee engagement. - What steps can I take to improve my company culture?
By outlining specific strategies like investing in people and fostering inclusivity, the article shows how to build a positive, high-trust work environment. - How can I reduce employee turnover?
It highlights the importance of investing in employee satisfaction and trust to reduce turnover, with examples of practical actions to take. - How do I manage a multigenerational workforce?
The article explains how to bridge generational gaps and implement inclusive practices that make all employees feel valued and respected.
Tools & Resources
- Company Culture: Building a thriving company culture starts with trust, flexibility, and engaged employees. Our resources guide you in fostering an inclusive, high-performing environment that resonates with your team.
- Employee Engagement: Empower your workforce by providing flexibility and opportunities for meaningful contributions. Explore expert insights to boost engagement across your organization.
- Leadership & Development: Strong leadership drives trust and success. Our programs help you develop leaders who inspire collaboration, innovation, and employee engagement.
- Diversity and Inclusion: A diverse, inclusive workplace enhances trust and long-term success. Access our initiatives to create a more equitable, supportive work environment.
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