By Brigitta Poulos
No matter the business or industry, every employer wants a high-performing culture. Having a high-performance work culture means better employee engagement, increased motivation and productivity, and improved staff retention. So how can you create this in your own business? There are many ways you can start building this culture, but there are also a few key tactics that should be considered.
In this article, I share four key strategies that can help you build and foster a workplace culture that values high performance.
So, let’s get started!
1. Communication: the key to a positive workplace
Communication is one of the most vital aspects of a healthy and functioning workplace. When there’s a culture of open communication that encourages feedback from managers to employees and vice-versa, it allows a meaningful two-way support system to form. Being able to discuss professional and growth goals openly and freely to superiors not only helps to foster a positive workplace but also assists in building a culture of high-performance.
Performance reviews are a great way to set clear expectations about employee conduct and performance, they also enable employees to track their own goals and process that encourages them to strive for excellence.
2. The benefits of prioritising regular feedback
Don’t wait until something goes wrong to speak to an employee about their performance. Equally, it’s often not productive to save up feedback for a regular meeting such as monthly or quarterly reviews.
Suppose an employee has completed a great piece of work or exceeded expectations, tell them, and tell them now! Similarly, if an employee would benefit from constructive feedback about poor performance or conduct, it’s most effective to speak to them as soon as possible. Why? Because the event will be fresh in their mind so they can respond, and you’re also providing them with the opportunity to correct the issue before it’s repeated.
3. Empowering your team via collaboration and innovation
Having a workplace culture that encourages collaboration and innovation can only be viewed as positive. Employees are utilising each other’s skills and knowledge to create the best strategy, most comprehensive presentation, or most efficient solution, while learning from each other. Employees are being empowered to develop, grow, think creatively and formulate resourceful solutions for complex problems, increasing their engagement and enjoyment at work.
4. Values: the core of company culture
Strong company values are another element of having a high performing culture – they are the core and foundation on which company culture is built, therefore having employees who are aligned with the company’s values increases employee engagement and encourages everyone in the workplace to act by those values.
So, if your business is looking to enhance its culture into a high performing one, remember communication is key, always provide regular feedback, encourage team collaboration and innovation, and position your companies front and centre.
We know that managing people can be a juggle for business leaders; it’s time-consuming and challenging. If this is something you’re looking to enhance, why not talk to the team at HR Assured? From HR software that can record your employee interactions and automated performance reviews to 24/7 telephone support and legally sound templates, policies, and documents, you’ll have everything you need to ensure your business is compliant with the laws of the land, and you’ll regain your time, so you can focus on more important initiatives, like building a high-performing culture.
If this article has raised any questions about high-performing workplace culture or any other workplace matter, please get in touch with our HR and WHS experts via our 24/7 Telephone Advisory Service.
Brigitta Poulos is a Workplace Relations Adviser HR Assured who loves helping clients and businesses achieve excellent workplace compliance with their obligations and duties, by way of interpretation of relevant employment legislation and awards. She particularly enjoys researching and explaining new or ‘hot’ topics in the workplace relations and human resources fields to our clients.