Six Components of a Great Corporate Culture. The benefits of a strong corporate culture are both intuitive and supported by social science. According to James L. Heskett, culture “can account for 20-30% of the differential in corporate performance when compared with ‘culturally unremarkable’ competitors.” And HBR writers have offered advice on navigating different geographic cultures, selecting jobs based on culture, changing cultures, and offering feedback across cultures, among other topics.
But what makes a culture? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. There are other factors that influence culture. Building a Strong Company Culture, with Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky. Culture is a topic that’s discussed a lot and yet isn’t well-defined. Despite this, nearly every company says they have a good culture (which to most just means the benefits they offer) for employees. To help sort out this ambiguity, today’s post will feature two experts. Alfred Lin spent 6 years as the COO and Chairman of Zappos, working alongside Tony Hsieh.
Brian Chesky is the co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, which was recently named 2014 Company of the Year by Inc Magazine. The two of them recently gave a talk at Sam Altman’s ‘How to Start a Startup’ class at Stanford University. What is Culture? Lin likes to use this formula when describing company culture: Lin prefers to fill in the blanks with core values, actions, and mission, which makes it read: Everyday core values and actions of each member of the team in pursuit of our company mission. Lin gives us the reasons for why culture matters (hint: it allows you to move FASTER): Great companies to work for also perform better: Quotes. How to Develop a Meaningful Company Culture - Focus.
In many companies in the tech industry today, free food, games in the office, and outings on the company’s dime are becoming common perks. Some companies are upping the stakes when it comes to perks to the point that a visit to their offices can make you wonder how they get any work done in-between enjoying employee benefits of every kind imaginable. You could be forgiven for thinking perks alone are the way to build a positive company culture. After all, who doesn’t want to come to work when there are freebies available around the clock? But perks may not be the best approach to encouraging a positive, productive workplace. Research shows you’re better off betting on a sense of meaning for your employees.
Why Meaning Is More Important Than Happiness “In over 30 years of research, I’ve found that people do their most creative work when they’re motivated by the work itself.” So the first thing to look at when trying to build a positive, productive culture at your company is the work itself. Six Components of a Great Corporate Culture.