Company Culture is a key factor to your success.

One thing I think is massively underrated right now is company culture. I’ve been talking about this topic for awhile and I have just got another 2 experiences of it. One was my decision, and one was another person.

I quit my current job 5 months ago and just started back up 3 days ago. And I tell you what — boy did I miss it. Do I enjoy the job yes, is it something I love with all my heart, no. But I don’t believe I’ll ever reach that point until I start something of my own. But do I have anything closely yet to that, no (so Lance if your reading this, don’t worry, I plan on being around for more then a few years). But beyond the scope of work, I love the people I work with, and the atmosphere of the people around me. It was one of the main reasons I didn’t want to leave in the first place, but I found out within 4 months that the grass isn’t always greener, and that proved to be right my first couple days back.

Now the thing that shocked me the most, who actually seemed excited that I was back. I would say easily 100 of the 160 employed all told me how excited they were or glad that was back on the team. Some gave me shit for leaving in the first place, but they understood why I left. Now, don’t get me wrong, I think I’m a pretty awesome person, but when I have four technicians (we only have 12 on staff) imidiately ask if I could be their writer. Well thats a pretty awesome feeling. And have mulitple people tell me their excited to have my back (and honestly mean it) — well that just says so much about the people who are there (wouldn’t you want to be around them too?).

Let’s take it 1 step forward, during the year and a half time of employment previously, there has been very few people who have left. And to take it even further, there has been alot of people who have came back. If you ask the people who came back, why they did — there is 1 thing in common. I enjoyed the people I work with.

Even if you ask some people, that have thought about leaving, alot of them say the reason I stay here and don’t go somewhere else (even if it is for more pay) is because I enjoy the people I work with — which is tough to find in the car business. The company I work for has such a strong feeling of being apart of something, that it really retains their own employees just from that.

Maintaining that culture

For any business, this is a huge and can really effect your company as it grows. And keeping the culture can be difficult when you have to add more employees and at the same time paying attention to each persons needs or wants. Which the culture all stems from the top, whoever the leader is, the person who is running the show. The person at the highest level. I explain alittle bit more here how caring with your employees helps the culture tremendously. And a good example of how you know that is being deployed is when you see people care at the bottom level. The amount of times we all help each other out is just so awesome, that being apart of a team where you know if you need help, you have it. Now thats a great company I want to work for.

The Bad Apple

Every now and then again, someone who is hired, doesn’t fit the culture. It happens, and when that does happen. I have to say it is deadly. It’s like cancer for the company’s culture, and you have to look for it, and find a way to change it. Now I hate firing people (as I have only done it once in my life, and its just not fun), and I am not saying to do that. But that single person you have to have a talk with them, because if it doesn’t happen, they never know their in the wrong.

We recently have had a technical quit. Now that person has been thinking about it little by little, but never made the move because he really loves everyone he works with, even the person running the company. He likes him a lot. But he has somethings going on and the shop has been alittle bit slow recently, but 1 person is what pushed him to the edge to say “I’m out”. One single person, brought someone to the point to quit.

That person is a good person from what I’ve been told, but he may have somethings going on that make it difficult to make the best decisions. I get it when it comes to the personal life. I’ve had financial difficulty for the past two years, even still, and having something effect your personal life can easily effect your life at work. It’s hard to seperate the two, very hard. So I wouldn’t take that action to be literally, but definietely make it known, that it was wrong. I honestly believe that its one of my best assets, to understand and listen the other person point of view. Now the technician had other reasons as I said, but the main reason he didn’t do it sooner was because he loves where he works, and the reason he left is because some new guy was an asshole.

The point is this (if you haven’t connected the dots already):

The culture of the company you work for is comprised of the people you work with. Each person makes that culture, its not just one. But adding 1 bad person into the mix for too long, you’ll either have the company change them and make them one (yes I believe people can change), you can force them to quit (not literally force, but if you go to a place everyday where everyone hates you, a good chance you'll quit), or you get to the point where you’ll fire the. Worst case though, they change the dynamic of the companies culture, which can be deadly. What ever the dynamic of the companies culture is, that same message gets pushed to the client. If you having caring instilled, well your employees will care about your customer. If everyone is an asshole and doesn’t care, well your customers are going to get that level of service. Your companies success is based on the culture it breeds, and molds itself to be, forever changing. Is that a good thing for where you are at?