Company culture refers to the attitudes and behavior of a company and its employees. In simpler terms, it is the personality of the business. Startup company culture is different than the traditional corporate culture which has pervaded the workplace for years. Traditionally, company culture is defined as how people interact with each other, the values that they hold, and how they make decisions. While startup company culture holds these beliefs to be true, there is not the traditional hierarchical structure found in corporate culture. As a startup company ourselves, we believe that a strong culture is one of the most important facets of creating a great company. In sharing our tips with you, we hope that they help in the creation of a fantastic startup company culture.
In a startup company, the culture is usually already defined by the founders. They have an incredible influence on it. But as the founders start to bring in more people, the mission can fluctuate, and so does the culture. It is important to understand your organization's purpose. Define why your company exists and have it reflect the personalities and passions of the team members.
Concerning this, ask yourself and your team this question: what do we believe in? You must take the time to create the core values that you want to have within your company. These will be the guiding principles behind every decision you make. Your employees need to know these values inside out. By defining and documenting your mission and core values, you will have a strong foundation and sense of purpose.
Communication is vital to a startup company. There is so much happening at a fast pace that things can get lost or people will be misinformed. There is also not the specific hierarchical structure and bureaucracy that is in place within corporate culture. While this can be good, it can mean organization and communication can get way-laid. We cannot stress this enough, keep your communication channels open with your employees. Encourage them to present new ideas. You have hired them because of their passion, so actively listen to what they are presenting. As founders, you need to be aware of any discontent that may start to appear. By having an open communication line, you will be able to provide a strong sense of ideals and where the company is headed.
In some cases, you can see companies treat their employees as dispensable, that there will always be another person to fill the role. There is a constant revolving door of employees. This is worrisome in startup company culture as it means you are not investing in your employees. Employees are what makes a company fantastic. Investing in their human capital is the best decision you can make for ensuring a strong company culture.
When searching for new team members, recruit and hire carefully. Instead of being so focused on their skills and experience, look at their attitude and values. Understand what drives and motivates them and ask them to share their values with you. When doing this, you will find a candidate that meets your cultural fit. This is a better long-term payoff. Once hired, do not forget about them. Invest and reward your employees and they will bring their passion and work ethic to the company.
This is something that is usually overlooked. Just because you have a company culture does not mean that it does not need consistent review and updates especially as you onboard new people. Check in with your mission and values every few months to see if they have changed at all. Have a meeting with the entire staff to discuss any concerns or positives that are within the company. By consistently reviewing your startup company culture, you will positively shape its ethos.
Startup company culture is not all hip workplaces with arcade games and comfy couches. Startup culture is based on humans and you need to invest in that. Having clear missions and values will allow you to bring people in that align together. and can advance the company to be in its best possible position.
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