Today, I am going to talk to you about company culture, and give you examples you can implement in your business NOW.

When I began on this adventure with A1 Garage Door Services, it came with -$50,000 in debt, no real employees, and no trucks. I have grown that company, and many more, to build what is now the Home Service Expert brand. With over 400 employees, over $10 million in annual revenue, and our own truck wrapping service (that has A1 Garage Door as its primary customer). I pride myself on creating an atmosphere that my employees love to work in and know that I genuinely have their back.

In this post, I want to share with you the 8 characteristics of great company culture and provide you with examples you can begin using in your own business.

Let’s dive right in!

Characteristics of a Great Company Culture

(and examples YOU can use)

1) Have strong principles upon which you have grown your business.

“Essential guideposts when developed, communicated, and executed in a consistent manner.”

Post them where they can be seen daily.
Communicate the company mission with new employees in their interview and orientation.
“Don’t build a team, build a tribe.”
Realize you are a team not just a bunch of individuals.
Hire people who have common beliefs relative to your company core values.
Greet new employees with the history of the company
Share how the company principles came to be

“Maintaining an effective culture is so important that it, in fact, trumps even strategy.”—Howard Stevenson

2) Create a feeling of togetherness and companionship

“Great company cultures are the result of how your employees feel when they are in the office…and out of the office.”—Zestful

Host “dress-up” and “dress-down” days
Consider some games within the company
Host events
Hold annual traditions: family day, holiday parties
Offer an in-house magazine that can be sent home

3) Celebrate employee personal victories

Provide managers with “rising star” type papers to be turned in monthly
Host small gatherings within different departments who live up to company values
Announce promotions through website, social media, at meetings, etc.
Keep track of educational milestones and baby showers
Point out when a new employee completes their “probationary” period

4) Give back as a company

Connect with the local community
Provide incentives for employees to donate time
Proudly show numbers of community hours served
Donate to charities that are near and dear to your company values
Connect with charities whose products you purchase where the money goes to a charity. Offer a catalog to circulate in your company.

5) Open all pathways for communication

Encourage formal and informal communication consistently at all levels
Hold quarterly town hall type meetings
Consider department informal chats as a morning routine
Bring lunch or food plates to meetings
Place a box in or near your office for employees to relay questions or concerns and reply daily.
Connect with employees on all levels
Participate in the “funny” days such as dress up and dress down

6) Invest in your employees showing them that you genuinely care

Send note cards, visit hospitals, and/ or call employees when there has been a death, wedding, birth, etc.
Provide behind-the-scenes financial care
Consider their salaries and if you are really paying them what they are worth.
Offer bonuses and the ability to work remotely where possible
Provide a tuition funding option that helps employees move up in the company

7) Show the importance of education and training

Host a monthly book club within departments or in the company as a whole
Subscribe to online learning programs, giving your employees access
Develop great management training courses
Provide a checklist of educational goals for each position and what to accomplish before moving up
Connect with local universities and colleges and create an affiliate program

8) When you start something new, keep it going, and be consistent

“Culture is based on traditions.”

Don’t miss a monthly meeting
Ensure your bi-monthly celebrations are held
Keep a firm calendar that contains all the company structures you will not miss
Plan with your managers and supervisors in each department and merge your schedules
Make a “public” calendar with the events on them so the employees not only know about them, they know you recognize them

Extras:

Happiness means more productivity and better performance within the work environment
Know that good decisions can come from anywhere, your employees need a voice.
Working as equals, we flourish as innovators.

Now I’d like to hear from you.

Which positive company culture characteristic are you going to focus on first? Or maybe you have AWESOME actionable examples that relate to certain characteristics and I didn’t mention them. Share your company culture examples with other readers.

Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now.

“I will create the feeling of my hand at your back, not in your face, and then you should run with it. When you’re on a level playing field, you can win what you’re capable of winning- and you deserve every single win that you get.” Ajay Banga, Mastercard President, and CEO

Diversity is a critical building block, but equality is a multiplier

My related podcast episodes:

Episode 83: Brandon Vaughn: How Getting Rid of Self-limiting Beliefs Can 3X Your Business in Five Years

Episode 82: Joe Cunningham: How Communicating with Empathy Can Help Technicians Achieve a 70% Closing Ratio

8 Awesome Traits of a Positive Company Culture (What Your Employees Really Want)