Your tech company culture can make or break your business. Even if your company ranks highly in other areas, if your work culture is poor, you’re failing. Work culture is something even major companies struggle with.
But if you put forth the effort, investing in your company culture and your employees will create a better tech company.
So how can you create that awesome work culture? And what benefits will your company get in return?
Here’s what you need to know about improving your tech company culture.
It’s the Best Way to Find and Keep Talent
The backbone of any company is its employees. The best tech company culture does two things with talent:
- It attracts new, eager talent
- It retains current experienced and knowledgeable talent
A strong company culture gives you a major competitive advantage. People want to work for a company with a strong positive reputation. Prospective new hires put a lot of thought into the company they want to work for, and whether or not it aligns with their values and beliefs.
When people want to work for your company, the entire hiring process is easier. You are far more likely to get highly qualified, enthusiastic employees applying for each position.
Having a good culture at tech companies also ensures that they retain talent. A company that doesn’t concern itself with its employees’ personal growth or sense of belonging is apt to lose talent.
Yes, compensation (both monetary and benefits) are important, but they are no longer the only thing prospective job searchers are looking for. Flexible schedules, the ability to work remotely, and a company with appealing values are attractive to all types of employees.
Hiring, training, and integrating new employees into your tech company costs time and money. It’s in the interest of everyone to retain talent.
Turnover is of course, inevitable. However, if you build a solid company culture and incorporate succession planning, the impact will be minimized.
A Positive Culture Includes Open Communication
A positive work culture encourages open communication. Keeping your employees informed about corporate changes and business decisions encourages collaboration.
Open communication promotes a culture of inclusion. It can help break down barriers between race, gender, age, and experience.
It enhances an employee’s understanding of their role and responsibilities in the organization. It helps employees become aware of their communication styles and preferences.
When a tech company creates a policy of open communication, employees feel free to share their feedback and express their ideas with others. There’s a sense of trust between employees and management.
What open communication is not: passive, aggressive, non-verbal, or passive-aggressive. It’s not manipulative or deceptive. Employees shouldn’t be shutting themselves off and building walls around themselves.
If you’re in management, you can practice open communication by leading by example. Get to know your employees on a personal level. Be approachable and make yourself available to them.
Make sure you train other managers to do the same, so your culture of open communication is spread throughout the company.
Good Company Culture Creates Better Work Performance
If you want to be one of the tech companies with the best culture, that means you have to create a company of happy employees. By facilitating your employees’ happiness, you create a productive workplace.
Happy, engaged employees have a huge impact on productivity. They are at least 20% more productive in the workplace than their unhappy colleagues.
Why is that? For one, they are less likely to leave your company, so work projects are completed faster with fewer mistakes. A happy team is an experienced team.
Happy employees are also less likely to take sick days. With less anxiety and stress, employees are at a lower risk of burnout.
Happy employees can also provide better, more positive interactions with your customer. This, of course, can lead to repeat business.
Finally, happiness can be contagious. Happy employees can influence their coworkers by increasing morale, reducing stress, and boosting the overall energy in the room.
So how can you create a culture of happiness in your workplace?
Wellness programs can help your employees maintain their health. Popular programs include financial planning, nutritious snacks, smoking cessation programs, and employee training programs.
Having a flexible work schedule is another great way of creating happy employees. Let employees work from home or set their schedules. Plus, this can naturally lead to a casual dress code.
Assuming you are implementing the previously mentioned policy of open communication, consider your employees’ feedback. Listen to and address their needs. You may be surprised by what initiatives or programs they want to include in the workplace.
If you’re still looking for ways to add fun to your workplace, consider gamifying your business apps. Rewards can be motivating to employees, and games can either encourage cooperation or friendly competition.
Invest in Your Tech Company Culture if You Want Success
For many people, working in tech offers unique challenges and exciting projects. But there are obvious downsides to working for a tech company, and oftentimes the culture of tech companies is their greatest weakness. To attract and keep the best talent, and ensure your company is successful, you need to invest in your tech company culture.
Don’t forget to invest in software too. Well-designed software allows you to focus your time on more important tasks – like building the next great company with an awesome culture. If you’re looking for software that’s tailored to your company’s needs, send us a message.
