Imagine your workplace when it was just an idea. Take a moment to wonder about the folks who were having the conversation about creating your workplace and what their inspirations might have been in developing it. Did they sit down and collectively write up a mission statement that spoke to the values that their workplace would behold? And if there is a mission statement or list of Core Values that your workplace was built upon, do you know what they are today? Or have they been buried under years of management changes and practices or perhaps they have evolved and expanded as the workplace itself has grown?
If you are wondering what Culture means to your workplace then just take a moment to reflect on what the conversations that are shared about your workplace. What is the tone of the conversations that take place in the lunch room? What kind of stories about your workplace do you think are being shared in the larger community? What do you hear yourself saying when you are talking about your workplace with your spouse/partner or friends?
The stories we share or hear can tell us a lot about the Culture of the workplace. They also speak to personal and professional values. Values, be them personal or professional, are often the foundations for how we show up in the world. As you wonder about the values of your workplace let yourself wonder about your own personal values. While you do this you might begin to notice where your personal values and workplace values are far apart from each other and where some of your values overlap each other. These separations and coming together of values are what guide the narratives of the workplace. We are not looking for right and wrong in differences, simply for clarification and understanding.
“The greatest challenges leaders face today: talent retention, employee disengagement, team performance, and remote worker satisfaction, boil down to one key asset: company culture. While many talk about the importance of leading a strong workplace culture, few resources give leaders practical steps to achieve one.” Will Scott, author of The Culture Fix®
The benefits of investing in workplace Culture can make the difference between working to live and loving your work. When employees feel fulfilled, supported, and purposeful in their work then workplaces and companies thrive.
At the end of the day ‘Everyone does better, when everyone does better’
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Funders are now invited to explore their workplace Culture and the many benefits of creating a conversation and response to Culture with us at Vancouver Island Counselling Agency.