02Creating a Positive Corporate CultureIf you’ve ever held a job, you know that how much you like that job isbased on various factors, like how rewarding the work is, whether youlike your co-workers, if you feel you’re being paid fairly, or whetheryour boss values your efforts. The difference between a positive workexperience and a negative one may be as simple as having yoursupervisor tell a co-worker about how you went the “extra mile” on aproject. Or maybe you had to ask for time off, and your boss agreed tocover a shift for you.That intangible, “hard to describe” feeling you get as an employee of aparticular business is part of itscorporate culture, the shared attitudesand behaviors of a company’s management and employees as illustratedby the interaction between them, beyond the expected interactionsrequired by their business. Companies, both big and small, know it isimportant for them to create a corporate culture that demonstrates howmanagement values their employees.A big part of that process is training managers and supervisors to bestrong leaders and role models for their employees. As important as it isto have hardworking, capable employees, it may actually be moreimportant to the overall success of the company to have managers andsupervisors who are hardworking, capable leaders. Let’s take a look athow a company can enhance its corporate culture and grow its businessby providing its employees with strong leadership.
Strong Leadership Fosters Great Teamwork“It’s just a job.” Unhappy employees utter these words all too frequentlywhen asked to describe the work they do. While it may be “just a job,”many employees want more from the work they do, often for 40 or morehours a week. Choosing the right position is definitely part of one’soverall job satisfaction; however, even a less-than-ideal job can berewarding if the company truly values its employees. Determiningwhether a company values its employees requires a careful look at themanagement style of the company’s leaders.When managers put together their staff, they hope they’ve chosendedicated, hardworking, and intelligent workers. The best way to attractthe best employees is by taking a hard look at the kind of leader, or boss,you are. Companies with a genuine commitment to their employees’well-being will periodically survey their workforce to help themrecognize areas of management where the company could improve.Let’s look at some expectations that a company should try to meetthrough its managers’ interaction with employees, as well as with thecompany’s clients and customers.Consistent, meaningful communicationNot having a clear understanding of what an employer wants from theirworkers ranks among the top complaints by employees. Furthermore,employees need to feel safe approaching their managers to ask aquestion or voice a complaint. Effective leaders open up the lines ofcommunication between themselves and their employees—and theyspeak honestly when they communicateRecognition and praise for a job well doneMoney is important, but recognition for a job well done goes a lotfurther for most employees. Any job, no matter how exciting it is, can
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