The Perfect Balance

Walk into any workplace and you’ll find people with different values, beliefs and ways of thinking. Some are logical, preferring to work with data, while others adopt a more expressive and emotional approach. So what is the glue that holds us all together despite our differences?

Workplace culture – the personality, values and behaviours of a company

Creating a positive workplace culture is crucial for any business, and it’s something that big brands such as Nike, HubSpot, Netflix and Google have done successfully with a range of employee-centric methods (who hasn’t wondered how cool it would be to work for Google?). Unlimited leave, discounts, more creative freedom, trips and parties, the list goes on. But culture is more than just the perks of the job.

Why is it so important?

Positive culture in the workplace has never been more important. In a study from Deloitte, nearly 80% of executives rated employee experience very important. Millennials also rate workplace culture as meaningful as well as personal development and flexible work hours.

Here are just some of the reasons your organisation should put culture as a top priority:

• Attracts and retains staff – hold onto your key staff and attract the top talent you need. Culture can impact how people perceive an organisation from the outside, so make sure it’s positive and reflects your values and behaviours.
• Increases productivity – culture impacts engagement. Employees who feel motivated, inspired, enthusiastic and care about their workplace are more productive and want to contribute.
• Communication – everyone wants to be heard, and environments that encourage and foster open discussions give staff the confidence to share their opinions knowing they will be respected.
• Happier workplace – the happier a person is at their workplace = the better the quality the work they will produce (a study from the University of Warwick shows that as people become more happy, they’re approximately 12% more productive).

Simple changes make a big difference

The DAIS studio is comprised of many seemingly small behaviours that when combined build a strong and cohesive internal culture. Each morning the team meet to discuss what our day involves and how we can support each other on our projects. Daily rituals like this make a huge difference and keep us connected to our workplace happiness and wellbeing. Our work stations are also completely mobile, with staff encouraged to move about the studio to collaborate with others as they please. 4pm on a Friday afternoon calls us to move away from our desks to share a drink or two over some snacks to unwind from the busy week. What does your workplace do to build culture?

Culture is a difficult thing to establish and change, and although there is no such thing as a perfect balance, making continuous efforts to build a positive environment in the workplace gives everyone a reason to look forward to work each day.