It’s relatively easy to establish and maintain a vibrant culture – the principles and values that guide your team – in a startup’s early days. Within your small, close-knit team, any misalignment is easy to spot and fix, ensuring everyone stays on the same page. However, as growth takes center stage, other things demand attention, and keeping that culture intact tends to slip down the priority list.
Now, scaling shouldn't just be about the processes, people, tools, and technology; it should also include culture. Smart leaders understand the value of a strong company culture. Unfortunately, leading by example and maintaining the same level of closeness with a growing team can be tricky. Even with new managers in the mix, ensuring culture alignment among team members can be difficult, especially when they weren't part of the original team that laid the foundation.
If your startup already has an established culture, great job – you've done half the work. Now, you just need a clear plan to make sure new team members not only get it but also live by it. This article explores smart ways to maintain your startup culture while scaling.
Clearly define and communicate your startup’s core values. These are the values that truly represent your identity and will act as the compass guiding your company culture as you grow. Ensure that they don't reduce to being words on a wall – they should resonate deeply with your team.
When growing your team, prioritize culture fit during the recruitment and hiring process. Skills can always be developed, but it's much harder to get people to embody your company's culture, especially if it clashes with their personality or work ethic. Ensure your potential hires bring the enthusiasm and values that'll enable them to fully embrace your startup’s culture.
Even if you're successful at hiring people with a great culture fit, you still need to nurture them. Your onboarding process should include materials that vividly communicate your core values and culture. This shouldn't be a basic handbook; it should be a proper introduction to the essence of your company, with resources that foster a sense of belonging from day one.
Leaders set the tone for what is achievable and acceptable in an organization. That's why you need to make it clear that it's their responsibility to preserve and reinforce your company's values. This helps create a ripple effect across all levels and ensures that the culture remains intact as the company scales.
Regularly conduct internal surveys to gauge how much employees understand and resonate with your startup’s culture. This feedback loop will be a major tool, ensuring that everyone feels heard, providing insights for potential adjustments, and making it easier to keep everyone on the same page.
Cultures are meant to evolve. The important thing is that you stay adaptable while holding onto your core values. By embracing feedback and recognizing when adjustments are needed, you can ensure that your culture stays relevant and impactful, and aligns seamlessly with the dynamics of your growing organization.
Tie your rewards and recognition program directly to your company's values. Celebrate employees whose actions and accomplishments align with your culture. This approach not only reinforces the significance of your values but also serves as a powerful motivator for others to emulate and embody them.
Consider incorporating tangible perks and benefits such as bonuses or gift vouchers into your rewards system. This is a great way to appreciate employees and boost their overall job satisfaction.
To streamline the process and make it more cost-effective, leverage an employee benefits platform like Motherboard. It provides a range of customizable benefits, enabling companies to tailor packages that match your employees’ needs and reinforce the company culture. The platform also makes it easier to cater to the needs of your remote workforce.
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