Source: Inc.
By Jessica Rovello, CEO, Arkadium
Building company culture is one of the biggest challenges we face.
We know that establishing a strong culture is critical for finding and retaining rock-star employees (especially Millennials)–but the task of culture-building can be daunting.
Where and how do you start building a great culture–and how do you fix an established culture if it needs help?
It’s a tempting thing to delay. Next quarter you’ll get a beer cart in on Fridays, start up happy hour again, and everything will fall into place, right?
But what if I told you there’s one thing you can do immediately–right now, this minute–to boost morale and productivity in your workplace, that requires no pre-planning, committee or beer? This culture hack costs nothing, takes less than one minute and will even make you feel great.
It’s the secret that all great business leaders employee on a daily basis, and once it catches on, can systematically change the culture of your company.
Here it is: When you notice someone doing a great job–tell them. It’s as simple as that.
Your words make a difference
It may sound obvious; it may even be something you think you already do. But, according to Gallup, 65 percent of Americans reported getting no recognition in the workplace.
After all, when was the last time you heard someone say, “please don’t tell me I’m doing a good job, it’s demotivating”?
When I co-founded my company, Arkadium, 15 years ago, fostering a positive workplace culture was a priority for me.
We established great company communication early, celebrated our successes and milestones as a group, and laughed and played in the office a lot (we make games, after all).
But weeks would pass between celebrations, and like almost all companies, we got into the habit of constantly assessing what needed fixing.
Five years in, I was having a weekly one-on-one with one of my direct reports when he gave me a piece of feedback that has forever changed my perspective and our culture.
“I don’t know whether you realize how much it fires me up when you tell me, ‘great job’ about something. It really lifts my spirits and sometimes I feel better for days” he confided. “You should try to do it more often, not just to me, but to everyone.”
Who knew that saying just two little words–“great job”–would be the world’s simplest and most effective culture hack?
Don’t let it become a “task”
Too often, managers (and employees) can get trapped into thinking that recognition needs to be a big thought-out “deal,” like a bonus, award, or public praise with a speech. But when giving recognition turns into a production, it becomes yet another thing on a busy manager’s to-do list that gets put into the backlog.
Most people crave encouragement–and the satisfaction that comes with knowing that their manager sees and appreciates their work. So, don’t make it a big deal. When you notice someone doing a great job, simply tell them right there, right then–and watch them try not to smile.
The best part of this easy culture hack is that it’s infectious. The more you acknowledge your directs for the little things, the more you’ll see them do it with their directs.
Soon, employees will be acknowledging their colleagues. And, over the course of a few months–especially if you’ve had real problems with culture–your workplace can transform from a chilly, unwelcoming environment to a warm, supportive place where employees actually want to be.
Think about it: who in your organization deserves recognition? She may be sitting eight feet away from you right now, or he may be an employee you have in a satellite office seven time zones away.
Take the time today to tell that person, “great job.” Not only will you make their day, you’re sowing seeds for office culture and productivity that can reap benefits for years to come.
