5 ways to build positive culture for your startup

Culture is an intangible yet integral part of a company. Right now, there are more job postings than ever, and the best candidates have all the options, even ones from your competitors. Attracting and retaining top performers relies a lot on positive culture, especially when you run a startup. The key to a successful organization is its people and whether they feel connected and aligned with the company's shared vision.  

A survey conducted by Deloitte found a clear correlation between employees who feel happy, valued at work and those who believe their company has a great culture. According to Gallup's State of the American Workplace report, a good culture will increase productivity by 17% and reduce absenteeism by 41%. And happy employees are also more likely to stay. Not only does culture affect employee engagement but also its revenue. A company based on solid culture will achieve a 10% increase in client reviews and 21% more profitability.

Philosophies behind great culture

Culture is a vague concept that is hard to define. But to make company culture right is possible. The right mindset and best practices that support a strong culture include:

Acknowledging that establishing good culture begins at the top

Understand the crucial role of team leaders, pay attention to leaders’ hiring and training process

Focus on employee engagement as the strategic metric

Ensure open and effective communication

What makes a thriving culture?

If you plan to cultivate an inclusive culture that empowers all people, you should consider the initiatives below. They are all hand-picked for startups. Calculated implementation of these tactics will not fail to lift your team spirit and improve the group's connection.

1.Provide the "Why" instead of the "How"

When assigning a task, focus not only on how to do it well but also on its meaning. Let them know the answer to questions such as "What is this task for?", "Why do I need to do this?" and "How is it connected to the rest of the organization?". A sense of understanding will fuel their motivation and guide them on overcoming obstacles to achieve the final purpose.

2.Encourage social connections

Real friendship and connections are the threads that are woven into the warm sweater of company culture. If people barely know each other and interact, then there is no way you can have a great culture among them. Consider small tea breaks, casual hangouts, parties, events, and trips. These opportunities to connect are going to make your company a warm and cozy place for everyone. 

3.Empower culture leaders

That's right! It would be best if you had leaders for culture, too. The most vibrant connectors who have high EQ and are enthusiastic enough to make everyone care are the individuals we are talking about. They are excited to promote the company's aspirations and encourage everyone to do the same.

4.Cultivate your current culture

Do not think you will need to break down the entire system and then build a new one. Notice the qualities of your current culture that can be fundamental. Suppose you have a community of IT people. In that case, employee engagement can be based on respect for each others' self-taught knowledge, shared interests in technical humor, and their similar collaboration with project managers.

5.Praise and criticize in time

You need to notice the employee's strengths and weaknesses and make positive comments at the right time. Don't point out baby errors, but be sure to make it clear when a grave mistake is about to be made. Personality tests like DISC will identify a person's strong points and also qualities that need improvement. Compliment your secretary on being detailed-oriented will make her day and possibly add up to her job satisfaction. 

Being a leader, you should love getting to know everyone at your company and understanding their situations. This is to promote diversity, acceptance, and happiness in your company. Building a great culture is the best way to get your employee to come, stay, and happily invest their talent & time into your business. 

Aside from building culture, a startup will need to work on an MVP to raise funds and attract customers. If you are looking to build a digital MVP for your startup, look at Golden Owl's services and contact us for professional advice.