The culture of a company reflects who they are and what they stand for. It is defined as “the values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that have come to be accepted as part of a particular organisation.”
Workplace culture is more than just what you do. It’s also how you approach your business and interact with your customers. Your public demeanor and how you treat coworkers are reflections of your culture. It cannot be faked or copied through training programmes or by changing your social media image. It can only be created from the ground up through deliberate efforts to create a work environment that attracts, retains, and nurtures talent.
Culture begins with the hiring process. It all starts with looking at candidates and asking yourself, “Who would be a good addition to our team?” If you don’t ask this question, you’re passing up valuable opportunities to hire someone who can help your business grow. However, asking these questions can be time-consuming and difficult because they necessitate honesty and thoughtfulness. It requires looking beyond what people say on paper and digging deeper.
This cannot be imposed on people; it must come from within them. You must pay close attention to what they say and do, and treat them as you would like to be treated. I’ve discovered that when someone shares my values and beliefs, I am more likely to treat them well than when they don’t. And I am more likely to share information with them than when they do not. As simple as that.
The most important aspect of your company is its employees and the culture they foster. Your product or service is the second most important factor. However, if you don’t have good people, your product or service will never get anywhere. If you want to build a successful business, you must be willing to invest in people above all else.
What comes to mind when you hear the word “business”? Maybe you think of a building where people work. Maybe you think of a product or service. But if you’re a startup entrepreneur, that’s not what comes to mind. The word “business” means something different.
I was recently at a conference when one of the speakers, an industry veteran, said something that really struck me: “A business, especially a startup, is not a building. It is a system of people and processes that collaborate to create value.” It’s easy to get caught up in all the things you want to build for your business — software, apps, infrastructure — but if you don’t have the right people and processes working together with those things, you’re going to fail.
The building is just a small part of the system. In fact, it should be the last thing on your mind when starting a business. Even if you don’t have any funding or other resources besides your own time and effort, you can start with nothing more than an idea and work your way up to a business that generates revenue for years to come. But first, you need to organize your mind about what it means to build something from scratch.
Image | Khairul Aming’s Instagram
We were recently bombarded with yet another piece of news from a social media influencer. He began with a solo food video production and has since grown to own his own company. Khairul Aming is best known for his production of Sambal Nyet. Personally, I believe that KA is a success story that every entrepreneur should be inspired by. As the value that he has had since day one is now what he is pouring down on his employees, I am confident that those who work with him will continually opt to stay dedicated to him.
This is due to his understanding of what it takes to get there. He’s done it before and knows how to keep doing it. Startups, in particular, cannot afford to hire new employees because they do not have enough money in their budget. The only way they can afford this is by having an old employee who has been with them for a long time. Companies like these don’t just hand out jobs; they do so as a gift because they know that if people leave, the company will lose its identity and become something entirely different.
It all comes back to the adage, “You don’t build a business! “You build people, and people build businesses.” Many people have built successful businesses, but many more have struggled and failed. And failing does not have to mean giving up and abandoning your passion. Try again, and who knows, maybe you’ll get lucky on your seventh try.
