Human Resources

Issue 4:

The Pandemic changed the way we work. Hybrid working become standard for many companies. Choice and flexibility was embraced by employees, and employers were (with some notable exceptions), usually happy to comply. But there are signs that this is changing.

Boots recently declared that office-based staff will be expected to work from the office, five days a week, from September. CEO Seb James declared he had “no doubt” that the office is the best place to work. He’s not alone. In a survey by KPMG last year, 63% of UK CEOs predicted a full return to in-office working by 2026. Some research indicates that four in ten companies have already implemented this.

The key factor in these decisions is often the negative impact of remote working on company culture. Boots CEO Seb James said, ““The informal conversations, brief catch-ups and ability to meet in groups in person has been far more effective – and better for our unique Boots culture – than the enforced formality of remote meetings. I know that has been true for me.”

Company culture can be defined as a set of shared values, goals, attitudes and practices that characterise an organisation. Your company culture is built on the same purpose and values as your brand; it’s effectively an internal version of it.

Your company culture is the experience people have when they work for your company. This experience is influenced by every aspect of their working life; the equipment your staff work with, the environment they work in, the internal processes you have in place, how much people are paid and the way staff speak to each other. Glassdoor, the job search site, allows employees to post reviews of employer businesses. There are 55 million employee reviews on the site. Over 90% of these reviews discuss some element of company culture.

It is the culture of a company that lays the foundation for the employer brand and the employee value proposition (EVP). An EVP represents everything of value that a company provides to its employees, to make it more attractive place to work. Your EVP translates your company culture into a set of specific, tangible benefits your employees will receive. As a result, understanding the factors that influence company culture is increasingly important for employers.

Despite this drive by business leaders to get their staff back into the office, studies show that hybrid working is highly valued by employees and can help companies improve job satisfaction measures and reduce attrition by up to a third. Employees rarely embrace a decision to move away from it. This presents a challenge for business leaders.

For SMEs (excluding “micro” businesses), where teams are between 10 and 250 people, having the right culture is even more important. The smaller your team, the more significant the impact of a poor company culture. In a team of 100, one unhappy member of staff gives you a problem with 1% of your team. In a workforce of ten, you have a problem with 10% of your team.

Steve Jobs recognised the importance of finding - and keeping - the best people. He said: “Go after the cream of the cream. A small team of A+ players can run circles around a giant team of B and C players.” The skills that make someone an “A+ player” will vary from company to company. It could be their ability to answer the phone, solve a problem, operate a piece of machinery, write software, talk to customers or drive a van.

Your team is responsible for delivering  your product or service - the most significant aspect of your brand experience. If you don’t have the “right” team, you won’t be able to deliver the “right” brand experience for your customers. In a survey in 2021, 34% of companies regarded a shortage of skilled staff as a barrier to growth.

It is your company culture - an internal reflection of your purpose and values - that will help you to recruit and retain the people you need to drive the success of your business. Finding the “right” people for your business will have a significant influence on your ability to achieve your business goals. As the workplace continues to evolve to meet the changing expectations of both employees and employers, building the right culture to drive success in your business, should remain a priority.

 

 

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If you’d like to read more about how to influence your company culture, take a look at page 71 of Brand in the Boardroom. You can find a copy here.

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If you would like to have a chat about what we have discussed in this post, please do get in touch.