The Importance of a Healthy Corporate Culture

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| 2 min read

Corporate culture is a tough thing to define, but it has a huge effect on the way employees feel about a company and the work they produce. So what is it? On paper, corporate culture is an umbrella term that refers to all of the standards, attitudes, values and beliefs that characterize an organization. It determines how a company’s owners and employees think, feel and act. And it can be completely different from company to company. Some organizations try to have a structured and extremely professional culture, while others aim to be playful and relaxed. Corporate culture is the number one influencer on how employees learn, lead, envision and engage in the office. As a result, it’s one of the main factors that will determine the success—or failure—of your company. A strong culture can result in positive attitudes around the office and a high retention rate for employees. That’s because people feel like they can have open communication with their managers and that they understand their leaders’ visions and goals. A strong culture can also be a great recruiting tool because job candidates like to see that people enjoy working for a company and have the opportunity to grow. If you are unsatisfied with the current culture at your company, there are some things you can do to start changing it. The main thing is to start talking about the culture you want to create and sharing your vision with employees. Come up with phrases or slogans that sum up the culture you want. This will help everyone get on the same page. You can even go further and create a whole outline of what the culture strives to be, like what the CEO of Ford did with his “One Ford” sheet. At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the corporate culture is driven by a desire to be innovative, helpful and community-focused. Another way to improve your culture is by regularly recognizing your employees. For example, when you hold meetings, try calling out particular employees who exemplify your company’s culture, or teams who are implementing great ideas in their work that complement your organization’s vision. This recognition keeps your employees happy and motivated to continue executing strong results, plus it keeps positivity flowing. For other great ideas of how to keep a healthy culture in the workplace, check out these blogs on A Healthier Michigan:
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MI Blues Perspectives is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association