Building a Workplace Culture Everyone Loves: Insights from Shelley Johnson of Boldside

Imagine a workplace where everyone’s excited to come to work each day. Sounds amazing, right? Well, it’s totally possible! Shelley Johnson, leadership coach and HR consultant at Boldside, shared some fantastic insights on how to create a workplace culture that makes people want to show up and give their best.

What Makes a Great Culture?

A great culture is like a breath of fresh air. It’s full of positive energy, trust, and open conversations. People feel motivated and connected to the company’s mission. As the saying goes, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” meaning that a strong culture drives success even more than a solid plan can. When your team believes in the culture, they’re ready to give their best!

Avoid These Common Culture Mistakes

• Treating values as decor: Putting values on the wall and forgetting about them won’t create a strong culture. They need to be lived every day! Remember, “Actions speak louder than words.” It’s not enough to just talk about values, you need to show them in everything you do.
• Not being intentional: Culture isn’t something that happens overnight. It takes constant care. Without attention, it can shift to negativity. As the saying goes, “A stitch in time saves nine”, addressing small issues early on can prevent much bigger problems down the line.

Why Clear Values Matter

Clear values guide the way everyone behaves at work. They help everyone understand what’s expected and how they should act. Think of values as your team’s “north star”, they help guide decisions and actions, keeping everyone aligned and focused on shared goals.

From Average to Awesome

How do you know if your culture is slipping? Watch out for signs like gossip, apathy, or defensiveness. To combat this, encourage energy, trust, and curiosity. As Steve Jobs said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” When your team loves their work, they’ll do their best!

Attracting and Keeping Top Talent

Want to be the top choice for talent? Offer a sense of purpose, great leadership, and opportunities for growth. People want to know their work matters. As the saying goes, “People don’t leave jobs, they leave managers.” So, invest in great leadership to keep your team motivated and engaged.

The Power of Feedback

Feedback is the secret ingredient to a positive workplace culture. Celebrate successes with specific praise and address issues quickly. “Feedback is the breakfast of champions,” so make it a regular part of your workplace. By giving and receiving feedback, you’ll keep your culture on track and growing stronger.

Tips for Remote Onboarding and Offboarding

For remote teams, create personal user manuals to help everyone understand each other’s work styles. When someone leaves, make sure their exit is just as thoughtful as their entry. After all, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” and the same goes for the last impression!

Tackling Toxic Workplaces

Fixing a toxic culture starts with facing the truth about where things stand. Leaders need to be open and work together to make improvements. As Will McAvoy said, “The first step in solving any problem is recognising there is one.” Address the issues, and take action to turn things around.

Building a workplace culture everyone loves takes effort, but it’s absolutely worth it. By focusing on energy, trust, and growth, companies can create a culture that not only attracts top talent but also keeps everyone happy and productive.

If you prefer to watch or listen, check out the full webinar session with Shelley here.