Embracing Culture as Practice: Why It Matters and How to Do It
Have you ever felt that your workplace or team lacks cohesion and a sense of shared purpose? One reason for this may be a lack of emphasis on cultural practices. Embracing culture as practice can significantly impact the productivity and success of a team or organization. In this article, we will explore why it matters and how to do it.
Why Culture Matters
Culture can be defined as the shared values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that characterize a group. When these aspects are emphasized and practiced within an organization, it can foster a sense of unity and direction amongst team members. This can lead to increased morale, productivity, and employee retention.
Organizations with a strong culture also tend to have higher levels of trust and communication amongst team members. This can lead to increased innovation and the ability to adapt to changes effectively.
How to Embrace Culture as Practice
1. Define Your Culture
The first step in embracing culture as practice is to define the values, attitudes, and behaviors that you want to emphasize within your organization. This can involve identifying your mission, vision, goals, and core values. Once defined, this culture should be communicated regularly to all team members.
2. Lead by Example
Leaders within an organization play a crucial role in demonstrating and encouraging cultural practices. By modeling the values and behaviors that you want to see in your team members, you can create a work environment that consistently reinforces your culture.
3. Train and Educate
Providing regular training and education on your cultural practices can ensure that new team members understand the values you want to uphold. This can also be an opportunity to reinforce and strengthen the culture amongst long-term team members.
4. Encourage Feedback
Regularly seeking feedback from team members can help identify areas where cultural practices may not be fully realized. This feedback can be used to adjust and improve the culture within the organization.
Case studies
1. Google
Google is well-known for its emphasis on cultural practices. They define their culture as “bringing a small-company feel to a large company.” Google’s focus on innovation, transparency, and collaboration has led to a highly motivated and productive workforce.
2. Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines has built its culture on the principle of treating employees as family. Their focus on valuing employees has led to high employee retention rates and a strong sense of company loyalty. This has contributed to earning Southwest consistently high customer satisfaction ratings.
Conclusion
Embracing culture as practice can significantly impact the success of your team or organization. By defining your culture, leading by example, training and educating, and seeking feedback, you can create a work environment that fosters motivation, innovation, and productivity. Investing in your culture can also lead to increased employee retention, customer satisfaction, and overall success.
