I think some CEO's might scoff a bit at the notion of having good company culture thinking it's not important, there's no time for that, or it's just another ploy to make millennials happy. But listen up. I'm not talking a varying demographic of employees, I'm talking about the feel and essence of your company. How do your employees feel about working there? What value does the company add to their lives, not just the lives of your restoration and remediation customers? And ... what does the public know about your company? A company's culture reaches far beyond the office walls, and can make a big difference in the success of your business.

From the Employee Side

Have you ever read an article about what Google's offices look like? Or did you know Southwest allows their employees to go the extra mile without needing approval from upper tiers of management? Or, let's talk Twitter. They offer free meals to employees, unlimited vacation, and even yoga classes. 

No, I'm not saying you need to do those things for your employees. In fact, there are better ways to build value into your company, and give your employees a sense of pride to be part of an organization that is more about the bottom line. For example:

  • 1-800-PACK-RAT: They are encouraging their employees to support Red Nose Day. This is what social media experts mean when they say your feeds shouldn't be all ads! This campaign is a perfect way to break up the 1-800-PACK-RAT plugs by making the company more personable, and letting the employees have fun -- and add value and meaning to their job, all at once.
  • Berks Fire Water Restorations: Berks Fire Water Restorations in Reading, Penn., has major involvement in the local community. In fact, in every newsletter from the company, they talk about how they're "Out & About in the Community" and share their recent work outside the restoration world -- like sponsoring a reading day, working with a local animal rescue league, and more. Finding value in your community gives your employee and company more value than ever. Plus, a lot of incentives for employees to maintain safety records and help the company be successful as a whole. 
  • Next Gear Solutions: Check out this amazing video called "We Are Next Gear." Whoa, more than just software, huh? They actually give their employees paid time every year to do work for the charity or organization of their choice! Plus, employees at Next Gear take on projects together. And mixed in with those little peeks of office fun, I'm sure there is a lot of work going on, too. I've heard other pretty amazing things about how employees are treated at Next Gear. It's safe to say people who work there are valued by people at the top.
  • ICC Restoration & Cleaning Services: For starters, you don't win a Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Ethics without having a good internal company structure, and happy employees. This company also knows how to have a little fun at work. During a recent monthly meeting, they did a team-building activity: volley a ball back and forth while walking to a target, then sinking the ball into the basket.

Those are just a small picking of MANY restoration companies, suppliers, and manufacturers who have company culture nailed. I promise I'm not trying to leave anyone out, just want to give solid examples of what some other companies are doing to build culture. Obviously, some of those techniques are simpler than others. Plus, while some techniques might work for one company, they may not work for the next. That's the beauty of culture: it's unique to you.

Bottom line: Culture is contagious. the more your employees rave about working for you because of the value your company culture adds to their lives, the more success your company will achieve. Believe it or not, the more you let up on your employees and trust them, the more work the good employees will do for you. If someone is taking advantage of the good things your company offers, maybe it is time for them to move on.

How does your company embrace culture?