By Jenny Reid, founder of iFacts
As entrepreneurs, what are your thoughts on the company culture you are creating in your own business? Bottom line is that every company should promote an engaging and ethical company culture. This will not only create a happier workforce, but we know that happy employees are productive employees and will therefore give you the competitive edge.
The Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends 2016 research shows us that 86% of business leaders believe company culture is one of the most urgent talent issues. CEOs and HR leaders now recognize that culture drives people’s behavior, innovation, and customer service. Knowing that leadership behavior and reward systems directly impact organizational performance, customer service, employee engagement, and retention, leading companies are using data and behavioral information to manage and influence their culture. According to the report, while culture is widely viewed as important in companies, it is still largely not well understood; many companies find it difficult to measure and even more difficult to manage. Only 28 percent of survey respondents believe they understand their own company culture well, while only 19 percent believe they have the “right culture.” Culture can determine success or failure during times of change: Mergers, acquisitions, growth, and product cycles can either succeed or fail depending on the alignment of culture with the new business.
To ensure employees are fitting into your company culture, a personal development analysis (PDA Assessment) tool can be used to understand what is driving the employee and where they are in time. In addition to this, an annual employee satisfaction or employee engagement assessment should be done. To make these most effective the results from the previous year should be incorporated to enable the company to assess the improvement in situations.
I honestly believe that if all employees are not in sync with your company’s goals and culture, it will affect your business even more than the harsh environment we find ourselves trading in. Our people could either be the weakest link or the strongest asset. It is thus of utmost importance that we ensure we are paying attention to who we hire and how we create the right company culture for them to thrive in.
Jenny Reid is a Human Risk Expert and Professional Speaker, and the owner of iFacts based in South Africa, a specialist employee screening and vetting service. She is constantly assessing new and innovative ways to remove the people risk in any organisation. Since 2009 when she took over iFacts completely, she has seen the company double in size and hopes to continue this growth. iFacts specializes in employee Screening, risk assessments, employee wellness, investigations, and truth verification. Jenny is a past President of the Security Association of South Africa. Contact Jenni via email jenny@ifacts.co.za or visit http://www.ifacts.co.za
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