Cultivate a Positive Corporate Culture

Corporate culture is hard to define. It is intangible: a state of mind, a feeling, a collective consciousness that's infused in a business and its employees. If you ask 20 entrepreneurs to define their corporate cultures, you may get 20 different responses.

The important thing isn't which adjectives you choose to describe your culture; it's taking the steps to cultivate it. Your employees are your greatest assets, and when your business experiences a growth surge, you need a united front of employees that supports your company's efforts in mind, body and spirit.

Too many businesses lose sight of the importance of a coherent company culture, or they have limited knowledge about how to develop it. These companies concentrate on the business disciplines that are directly connected to their profit margins and neglect the emotional health of their team when, in fact, the two are closely related.

If you neglect your culture, you may begin to notice some of these warning signs in your employees' behavior. You may hear less laughter in the office or notice that people seem unfocused. Employees may begin working shorter days, taking longer lunches or even asking for more compensation. When employees request additional compensation, it usually means that they're reevaluating their contributions to your company's goals or mission.

Promote Culture
CEOs need to present a clearly defined company vision as well as a steady and sustainable work ethic for the company to follow. During a period of rapid growth, CEOs need to assess what they're doing to promote their culture and consider some of the following tips for maintaining it.