What is Company Culture? - How to build a company people love, doing work that matters | BambooHR

BambooHR

5 Sept 201805:49

Summary

TLDRThis script explores the concept of company culture, emphasizing that it's more than just perks or benefits. It's about the shared values, behaviors, and how employees treat each other. The key is focusing on people, defining mission, vision, and values, and ensuring actions align with these principles to create a genuine, respectful work environment.

Takeaways

🤔 Life is full of questions, but not all are of equal significance in the context of company culture.
🏠 Company culture is often associated with perks and benefits, but these are not the sole defining factors.
💡 The true essence of company culture is the shared values, beliefs, and attitudes within an organization.
🔍 Defining company culture involves more than just listing values; it's about how people interact and work together.
👥 Treating each other well is central to a strong company culture, as it influences behaviors and work dynamics.
📢 Communicating company culture effectively involves defining mission, vision, and values.
🚫 'Walking the walk' is crucial; company culture is not just about what is said but also about actions and behaviors.
💼 Focusing on people and how they should be treated helps in identifying worthwhile perks and benefits.
🛂 Hiring and retention should align with the company's culture, ensuring that all employees embody its values.
🌟 The best companies prioritize people, understanding that a culture centered on respect and care leads to success.
🌱 A company culture that fosters professional and personal growth is more likely to be successful and fulfilling.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video script?
-The main theme of the video script is the exploration and definition of company culture, emphasizing its importance beyond just perks and benefits.
What are some of the initial questions mentioned in the script that are considered small?
-Small questions mentioned include 'What's that smell?', 'Where do you want to eat?', and 'Wait what did you just say?'
How does the script differentiate between small and big questions?
-Small questions are everyday, casual inquiries, while big questions, such as 'Where's grandpa now?' and 'What is company culture?', have significant implications or require deeper thought.
What is the script's stance on the association of company culture with benefits or perks?
-The script suggests that while benefits and perks can influence culture, they are not the defining elements of company culture and should not be mistaken for it.
What does the script suggest is the core of company culture?
-The script suggests that the core of company culture is how people within an organization interact with each other and work together, focusing on mutual respect and treatment.
What are the three key elements the script recommends defining to communicate company culture?
-The three key elements are mission, vision, and values. Mission defines the purpose beyond making money, vision outlines long-term goals, and values describe the fundamental beliefs guiding behavior and treatment of people.
How does the script address the importance of aligning actions with company culture talk?
-The script emphasizes that talking about company culture is useless unless it is backed by actions that reflect the culture, particularly in how people are treated within the organization.
What does the script imply about the role of perks and benefits in shaping company culture?
-The script implies that perks and benefits can be part of the culture but are not the sole determinants; they should support and align with the core values and behaviors of the organization.
What is the script's view on the relationship between company culture and employee happiness and engagement?
-The script suggests that a genuine company culture, where people are treated with respect and have opportunities to grow, contributes to employee happiness and engagement.
How does the script define company culture in terms of employee behavior and values?
-The script defines company culture as the values and behaviors that people in an organization agree on, which are reflected in how they treat each other and collaborate.
What is the final advice given in the script regarding company culture?
-The final advice is to focus on treating people well, ensuring they have opportunities for professional and personal growth, as this will likely lead to a successful and positive company culture.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 The Essence of Company Culture

This paragraph delves into the profound question of what constitutes company culture. It emphasizes that while many definitions exist, the true essence of company culture lies in how people within an organization interact and work together. The script highlights that it's not merely about perks or benefits, but rather the shared values, beliefs, and behaviors that shape the way employees treat each other. The importance of defining a company's mission, vision, and values is underscored, as these elements help communicate the culture effectively. However, the script also warns that talking about culture is futile unless it is genuinely reflected in actions, with respect being a fundamental aspect of a healthy company culture.

05:01

🌟 Cultivating a Fulfilling Work Environment

The second paragraph focuses on the practical implications of defining a company culture. It suggests that the key to a successful culture lies in how employees treat each other and collaborate, which in turn affects their happiness and engagement. The script encourages companies to prioritize the professional and personal growth of their employees, implying that this approach will naturally lead to a positive work environment. The paragraph ends with a humorous note, hinting at the broader, existential questions about company culture in unconventional settings, such as heaven, and the potential for misunderstandings in interpersonal relationships, even in celestial realms.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Company Culture

Company culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, and norms that characterize a workplace. It's the unwritten rules and practices that influence how employees interact and work together. In the video, it's the central theme, with various definitions provided, emphasizing that it's more than perks and benefits, but a deeper reflection of how people are treated and interact within an organization.

💡Values

Values are the fundamental principles and standards that guide behavior and decision-making within a company. They are part of the company culture and are highlighted in the script as essential to defining and understanding the organization's character. The video suggests that values should be reflected in actions, not just statements.

💡Behaviors

Behaviors in the context of the video pertain to the way people act within an organization, which is a direct manifestation of the company culture. The script points out that behaviors are more indicative of a genuine culture than the stated values or beliefs, as they reveal how employees are actually treated.

💡Mission

A mission is a statement that defines the organization's core purpose and its reason for existence beyond just making a profit. The video script suggests defining a mission as one of the steps to communicate the company's culture effectively.

💡Vision

Vision in the video refers to the long-term goals or aspirations of a company. It is part of the foundational elements that help shape and communicate the company culture, providing a direction for the organization's future.

💡Perks

Perks are special benefits or privileges offered to employees, often as part of a company's compensation package. The script mentions perks as a common association with company culture but clarifies that they are only one aspect and not the entirety of it.

💡Respect

Respect is a fundamental aspect of company culture, as highlighted in the script. It involves treating employees with dignity and consideration, which is essential for creating a positive work environment. The video emphasizes that genuine respect is a key component of a healthy company culture.

💡Interaction

Interaction refers to the way people communicate and engage with each other within an organization. The script defines company culture as the summation of these interactions, indicating that the quality of relationships among employees is a critical part of the culture.

💡Treat Each Other

This phrase from the script encapsulates the essence of company culture, emphasizing the importance of how individuals in an organization treat one another. It suggests that the way people are treated is a reflection of the organization's values and a key determinant of its culture.

💡Professional Growth

Professional growth is the development and advancement of an individual's skills and knowledge in their career. The video script implies that providing opportunities for professional growth is part of creating a positive company culture where employees can thrive.

💡Personal Growth

Personal growth refers to the self-improvement and development of an individual outside of their professional life. The script suggests that a company culture that supports personal growth, in addition to professional growth, contributes to employee satisfaction and engagement.

Highlights

Life is full of questions, emphasizing the importance of understanding different types of inquiries.

Most questions are small, highlighting the everyday nature of many inquiries.

The humorous mention of a smell introduces a light-hearted tone to the discussion.

The question 'Where do you want to eat?' represents everyday decision-making.

The phrase 'Wait what did you just say?' captures the essence of misunderstandings and the need for clarification.

Questions like 'Where's grandpa now?' are identified as significant, setting a contrast with smaller questions.

The idea of ghosts being aliens from another dimension introduces a speculative and thought-provoking question.

The question 'So, do you love me?' is highlighted as a deeply personal and impactful inquiry.

The business world's big question 'What is company culture?' sets the stage for a deeper discussion on organizational values.

Company culture is described as having many definitions, some incomplete, indicating the complexity of the concept.

Benefits and perks are associated with company culture, but it's noted that they are not the entirety of it.

The statement 'company culture exists independent of those things' emphasizes the deeper aspects of culture beyond perks.

The definition of company culture as a set of standards and attitudes is presented, suggesting a broad understanding.

Shared beliefs and purposes within an organization are identified as key components of company culture.

Values and behaviors that people agree on are highlighted as the essence of company culture.

The importance of defining mission, vision, and values is emphasized for communicating company culture.

The statement 'company culture talk is useless unless you walk the walk' underscores the need for action over words.

Focusing on how people should be treated is identified as central to building a genuine company culture.

The best companies are described as those that focus on people, indicating a people-centric approach to culture.

Defining culture and growing it should depend on people, highlighting the human element in organizational culture.

The final note on ensuring people have opportunities to grow professionally and personally is a key takeaway for a successful culture.