Workplace culture remains a crucial method for companies to differentiate themselves from competitors. Indeed, some companies, such as Zappos, have now turned it into their USP, and as a result, sales have increased exponentially. At a more basic level, every employee wants to enjoy their work, feel motivated on Monday mornings, and feel that their contributions at work are valued.

Here are 14 ways to build a great workplace culture that can help you stand out in the market while making employees feel engaged and valued.

Leadership teams should…

1. Leadership teams should be open to feedback and, in fact, seek it out. Even the smallest actions will impact employees at all levels, and we should actively seek to understand how our actions affect others.

2. If feedback has been received and understood, don't send it, act.

3. Communicate, communicate, communicate! Regardless of whether you think your actions will impact employees, give them a chance to internalize your thinking. For an employee, nothing is worse than being held in the dark.

4. Recognize that company culture defines the organization's values. Why is this important? Because values ​​dictate how employees behave.

5. Won a contract? Hired a new hire? Met company targets? Celebrate!

6. Use company culture as a way to tell the company story. You'll have a vision of how the company will operate in six months, a year, or ten years. Sell your vision to new and current employees.

7. Recognize that culture is crucial for employee retention. Employees will leave companies with toxic workplace cultures. Interact with your employees openly and honestly and watch them grow.

8. Do you think others won't know about your culture? Think again. Whether it's partners, consumers, stakeholders, or board members, your culture will determine your interactions with them.

9. Value employee career development. They want to learn and grow, so take the time to find out what and how they want to learn. Employee development doesn't necessarily mean bankruptcy; a medium-sized business will have individuals with a multitude of skill sets. Utilize other employees for internal training and development.

10. One of the reasons Zappos has been so successful with its culture is that it cannot be replicated. Many other businesses sell shoes, but their culture is unique to them – just as your culture will be unique to you. Build a great culture and use it as a differentiator from your competitors.

11. Own it. The culture is yours to cherish and nurture, and how you care for it will determine what it looks like.

12. Cultures can be changed, but slowly and over time. Incremental steps forward are the name of the game here. Everything from employees, salaries and benefits, dress code, systems, processes, values, office layout, and more will affect the culture, so consider any changes before making them.

13. Consider the past, but remember the future is more important. What you've done in the past will serve as an indicator of how things might unfold in the future, but you have the power to change this—for better or worse. Did your past actions positively impact your team or negatively affect them?

14. Physical culture is also crucial. What does your office look like? Does it have a kitchen? A gym? What color is it? What are the countertops like? Everything in your office will impact the culture.

Many attributes make up company culture, and the above characteristics make up 14 traits that we consider outstanding. Because each company's culture is unique, you may find that some of these are more relevant than others, while there may be others that you can identify.

Source: changerecruitmentgroup.com