How to develop your corporate culture through management?

Corporate culture is the sum of an organisation's values, behaviours, beliefs and codes. It allows a company to distinguish itself from its competitors, guides practices and strategic orientations, and has a direct influence on performance. Organisational culture is also a powerful catalyst for generating a sense of belonging, pride, cohesion and commitment among employees. To instil these values within a company, the local manager plays a central role. Here are a few tips to develop, promote and reinforce your corporate culture through management.  

Clarify the corporate culture

Corporate culture is, by nature, something intangible, implicit and evolving. In order to develop corporate culture and to transmit it effectively to teams, it is essential to formalise it and to ensure that the management, managers and employees all share a common vision. As a first step, it is wise to ask yourself a few questions to clarify the corporate culture and ensure that it is homogeneous at all levels of the organisation:

• What are the human, moral and ethical values of the company? What is its raison d'être and long-term vision?
• How is this corporate culture reflected in the way the company is organised for work, the socio-cultural codes, the working 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 line with its principles?

Once these various elements have been clarified, they can be grouped together in a charter for communication to all stakeholders (customers, employees, service providers, business partners, etc.). It may also be worth involving employees during this phase. For example, surveys and questionnaires can be a good way to find out how employees view the corporate culture. This can also be an opportunity to give employees a voice and allow them to share their opinions and possible suggestions.  

Convey 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, through close and transparent internal communication. Formal or informal meetings, individual interviews, weekly updates, training and company events are all opportunities to impregnate teams with a company's corporate culture. As soon as a new employee joins the company, the line manager should take the time to explain the codes and fundamental principles that govern the company's operations. The manager must also ensure that they relay the strategic orientations and inform employees, upstream, of any transformation project or change management.  

Set an example

As a manager, applying the values advocated by your company is one of the best ways to convey its culture. The way you work, communicate, speak, dress, interact and manage stress or conflicts are all ways of embodying corporate culture. You must therefore make sure you set a good example on a daily basis. This will enable you to be all the more legitimate when it comes to promoting your company's values and will greatly facilitate the trust and commitment of your employees. You should adopt a management style that is in line with your organisation’s corporate culture and values. A directive management style is, for example, representative of a pyramidal organisation, concerned with hierarchical codes, while a participative management style is characteristic of an agile company with a start-up mindset, focused on people and collective potential. A collaborative leadership style is particularly effective in developing corporate culture, as it allows the manager to involve employees in the decision-making process and in the different commitments of the company.  

Define a recruitment policy aligned with the corporate culture

The HR policy and recruitment processes implemented by a company must also be in line with its organisational culture. When recruiting a new employee, it is important to make sure that they share the company's values and vision, and that their personality is compatible with the company's mindset. If this is not the case, it may create tensions, differences of opinion and conflict situations that could impact the well-being of employees and the operational efficiency of teams.  

Organise corporate activities and events

Organising events is also an excellent way to convey corporate culture to teams: teambuilding activities, informal meetings, dinners, sports events, seminars, nature activities, training, social or environmental missions, etc. This will also allow employees to better understand the synergies in effect and to identify more easily with the organisational culture. If effectively developed, a strong and meaningful corporate culture can bring many benefits to the organisation. It contributes to increasing employee engagement and well-being, and brings meaning to work. It is also a powerful lever for strengthening a company's reputation, and promoting its brand image and employer brand.