Latin America. Growing is one of the most important objectives for companies, so each one looks for the most appropriate way to achieve it: some invest capital, create new products, look for new markets, establish different alliances, among others.
In fact, and according to the latest SME Vision 2022 survey, conducted by Brother International Corporation, business leaders are optimistic about the current outlook for the continuity of their companies, and around seven out of 10 of the respondents expect their business to grow during this 2022.
However, it is common that in these processes, the importance of having a solid and established organizational culture is omitted, a crucial factor, because through it the shared principles within the company are defined, which ultimately shapes the values, perceptions, behaviors and builds the sense of belonging of the employees to achieve the objectives.
Astrid Encarnación*, founder of Ases Services, a consulting firm for strategic business planning, points out that "a strong organizational culture is a common denominator among the most successful companies. This implies that they have established the pillars of their culture, have communicated them to their collaborators and reinforce them with various tactics that have allowed those values not only to focus on individuals, but on the organization and its goals."
And how to achieve it? Next, this expert recommends some keys to establish, communicate and make employees properly appropriate ownership of the organizational culture.
Define it from the beginning: It is necessary that leaders are clear about the set of habits, norms and values that characterize their company, and how they define and determine its operation. "When defining these principles, which are usually synthesized in the vision and mission of the organization, it is very important to communicate them to all employees from their linkage, and communicate in a timely manner, the changes that may arise," says Astrid Encarnación.
Have leaders who are partners and allies: Work teams are usually guided and supported by a group of people, who have the mission of communicating and encouraging commitment to the company to other members. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that both the messages and the ways in which leaders transmit the values of the organizational culture are taken care of.
Provide a pleasant and productive environment: One of the best business strategies in terms of results is to have a positive work environment, which offers well-being and security to employees: an office or workplace where they feel appreciated and valued at all times; an atmosphere of cordiality and camaraderie among peers; and a real concern for the health of employees and the balance between their work and family life.
Recognize achievements and tolerate mistakes: Celebrating good performance and meeting objectives is undoubtedly a very useful motivation strategy that encourages employees to increase their productivity and maintain good practices. "Similarly, properly managing mistakes and failures not only strengthens the culture, but is an opportunity to motivate innovation and new solutions."
Promote a culture of learning: Investing in training, in different areas, is a good way to strengthen the organizational culture, as well as promote professional development, as it allows employees to acquire theoretical and practical knowledge that strengthens their response capacity, increases their productivity and encourages the creation of high performance work teams.
Having solid pillars for the organizational culture of a company, helps build an environment of productivity and well-being that, in addition to being a determining factor to achieve growth and success of business, creates a differentiator against competitors, which will finally be reflected as a competitive advantage for the company in the market.
