How to develop your corporate culture through management

Corporate culture is the sum of an organization’s values, behaviors, beliefs, and codes. It differentiates the company from its competitors, guides practices and strategic directions, and has a direct impact on the company’s performance. Organizational culture is also a powerful catalyst for generating a sense of belonging, pride, cohesion and commitment among employees.

To instil these values within the company, the local manager plays a central role. Here are some tips for developing, promoting and strengthening your corporate culture through management.

 

 

Clarify the corporate culture

 

Corporate culture is, by nature, something intangible, implicit and evolving. In order to develop it and transmit it effectively to your teams, it is therefore essential to formalize it and ensure that management, managers and employees all share a common vision.

As a first step, it will be wise to ask yourself a few questions to clarify the corporate culture and ensure that it is homogeneous at all levels of the organization:

• What are human, moral and ethical values of the company? What are the Its raison d’être and its long-term vision?
• How is this corporate culture reflected in the way work is organized, the socio-cultural codes, the work environment, the premises, etc.?
  
• Are HR policies and management style aligned with these values?
• What about societal and environmental commitments? ? Is the company involved in a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) approach in accordance with its principles?

 

Once these various elements have been clarified, they can be grouped together in a charter to be given to stakeholders (customers, employees, service providers, business partners, etc.).

It can also be interesting to involve employees during this stage. Polls, surveys and questionnaires can be a good way to Know how employees view the corporate culture. It will also be an opportunity to give them a voice and to allow them to transmit their opinions and possible suggestions.

 

 

Transmitting the company’s values on a daily basis

 

The role of the local manager is to convey the company’s values to employees on a daily basis .

To do this, close and transparent internal communication, is essential. Formal or informal meetings, Individual interviews, weekly check-ins, training and corporate events are all opportunities to imbue the teams with the company’s culture.

As soon as a new employee arrives in the company, the line manager must also take the time to explain the codes and fundamental principles that govern the operation of the company.

The manager will also have to ensure that strategic orientations are relayed and that his employees are informed, upstream, of any transformation project or change management.

 

 

Setting an example

 

As a manager, applying the values advocated by the company is one of the best ways to transmit the culture of the organization.

The way they work, communicate, speak, dress, interact, manage stress and conflict are all ways to embody the company’s culture. The manager must therefore make sure to Leading by example every day. This will allow him to be all the more legitimate when promoting the company’s values and it will make it much easier the trust and commitment of employees.

 

 

Adopt a management style that is in line with the corporate culture

 

The management style must also be in line with the values of the organization.

For example, directive management is representative of a pyramidal organization, concerned with hierarchical codes, while participative management will be characteristic of an agile company with a startup culture, focused on people and collective potential.

A collaborative leadership style will be particularly effective in developing the corporate culture. This will allow the manager to Integrate employees into decision-making and into the company’s various commitments.

 

 

Define a recruitment policy aligned with the corporate culture

 

The HR policy and recruitment processes put in place by the company must also be in line with the organizational culture.

When recruiting a new employee, it will be important to ensure that they share the company’s values and vision, and that their personality is compatible with the company’s state of mind.

Otherwise, it risks creating tensions, differences of opinion and conflict situations that could impact the well-being of employees and the operational efficiency of teams.

 

 

Organize corporate activities and events

 

Organizing events is also an excellent way to convey the company’s culture to the teams: teambuilding activities, informal meetings, dinners, sporting events, seminars, activities in the great outdoors, training, missions with a social or environmental vocation…

It will also allow employees to better understand the synergies in force and to identify more easily with the organizational culture.

If effectively developed, a strong and meaningful corporate culture can bring many benefits to the organization. It helps to increase employee engagement, well-being, and brings meaning to work. It is also a powerful lever for Strengthen the company’s reputation, promote the brand image and the employer brand.