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Making a start on your workplace culture

Practising a positive and fun team culture in your workplace requires time and commitment.

Often these two little words ‘time’ and ‘commitment’ are the barriers for a company culture moving from poor or just bearable to good or even amazing.

Really who wouldn’t like to work in an organisation that has an amazing culture and where you look forward to going to work each and every day.

This blog will show you three simple activities that you can do in your workplace to make a start and commitment to impact your team culture for the better.

Before I go into my three tips, let’s have a look at the two barriers of time and commitment that face us all.

Barrier #1 – Time

We all have many and various tasks to perform in our job. Particularly in busy times, the focus can become too heavy on completing tasks, meeting deadlines, getting the job done, that we lose sight on enjoying work and operating effectively in teams.

In other words, we get too bogged down in day to day operations even though we know the value of a positive team culture.

It’s similar to exercise in many ways. We all know the benefits of being fit and healthy, yet other tasks often take priority over exercising.

The reality is if we make the time we will reap the rewards!

Barrier #2 – Commitment

Many times we are reluctant to make a commitment to a task or project because we don’t know where to start or we lack a little knowledge on the subject.

You may think “where do we start in changing the culture of our office” or “what are the steps we need to put in place to transform our team”?

Because the answer may not be immediately clear or conversely you are presented with hundreds of solutions, this can become a barrier to getting started.

It once again is similar to exercise. There are so many theories on becoming fitter or losing weight that people can become confused on which one is right for them.

The reality is if we just get started we will improve and the plan can evolve from there!

So all you need to do is make the time to get started on your culture! It will evolve!

To help you get started, here are three team activities your business can implement to practice a positive team culture.

1. Revisit your vision, mission and values as a team

Set some time for a meeting to openly discuss with your staff what you are all working towards as a business team and why you all do what you do.

The buy-in and cultural lift a session like this can provide is invaluable!

2. Create a closed Facebook group for your staff

Encourage everyone to post about the little things they do regularly to promote a positive team culture.

You will be surprised how the words, images and vision of what some do will inspire other team members!

3. Schedule a team lunch at regular intervals

It may be once a month in a meeting or lunch room or even in the great outdoors. Consider everyone bringing a plate to share and it’s ‘tools down’ for an hour.

This is another very simple and potentially creative way of team building amongst staff!

There is nothing new or even complex in those three tips – just some simple ways to get started that require a commitment to implement and a little bit of time.

Now for some even more exciting news… we are launching the inaugural Workplace Culture Month in April (yes, next month)!

We are currently planning some fun, educational and enriching content, corporate training and corporate events to put the spotlight on team culture all over New Zealand and Australia.

We all know culture is important! It’s how to put it into practice that can be the challenge! I hope this blog was a good start! Workplace Culture Month will take it to another level!

Dwain Richardson, Managing Director, Corporate Challenge Events