My blog focuses on Organizational/Management and Workplace Discussions. When you are managing a workplace, keeping everything running smoothly isn’t a forgone conclusion, and there are many aspects that need to be optimized. The following contributed post is entitled, The Everyday Details That Shape Workplace Culture.
* * *
What comes to mind when you think of workplace culture? There’s usually loads of different things people think of when it comes to workplace cultures – company values leadership styles. Office layout etc. and these big-ticket points are all valuable and important aspects of any workplace. And they do indeed help to form the workplace culture.
But workplace culture doesn’t just live in the boardroom it lives in the small stuff. The details that are often overlooked, the tiny rituals, the shared habits, the bits that never show up in the glossy recruitment ads showing people why they need to come and work with you.
Coffee Pots and Snack Runs
In most offices across the country, the coffee pot is less of an appliance and more of a ritual. From who brews it to who always leaves it on empty, and who cleans and changes the filters, and we won’t even talk about who keeps drinking all the milk! And these days they’re less about that caffeine hit and more about the social side of things. The shared coffee runs and moaning about people’s habits or lack of consideration are what make people feel a part of something and help them bond and boost the workplace culture and environment.
Water Cooler Gathering Points
A classic staple in most workplaces. Water coolers are the gathering point and where you get all the gossip. While it might look like a place where people just go to grab a drink of water, the humble water cooler is a social hub where people stand, chat, connect, stretch and get some much-needed movement in their day. And for those who spend a lot of time working alone, it can be the only point of socialisation they get in their working day and removing it can be massively detrimental to the workplace culture.
Birthdays and Celebrations
Those collections people hold for birthdays or other celebrations help make people feel valued by their colleagues hold importance in relation to the employee culture in your workplace.
The thought that someone remembered their birthday or was kind enough to celebrate a momentous occasion in their lives cannot be underestimated. And if these types of collections occur in your office, it means relationships are building, healthy ones that help people feel less alone and more connected to each other. While they’re not necessarily about productivity, they are about the human aspect of your workforce, and it’s definitely a positive thing to embrace.
Shared Lunches and Food Traditions
Food has an uncanny way of pulling people together. Whether they’re catching up over their lunches brought in from home or they’re nipping out for a bite to eat together or even doing the lunch run, food can play a huge part in your employee culture.
Things like pizza Fridays or monthly team meals together outside of work allow people to engage and build a sense of belonging away from work. These are moments that create bonds, spark creativity and encourage collaboration and teamwork. And if you’re looking for understated ways to boost your workplace culture, you can’t go wrong with food. Because even if the food is bad, people will still bond over how awful it is.
