Why Communication Is Integral to Culture

While there are so many aspects to a company’s ethos, one of the elements where culture comes to life every day is through its staff’s interactions. The way people communicate quite literally sets the tone for the employee experience. If your organization is seeking to inspire cultural shifts and strengthen its workplace climate, I invite you to start by focusing on communication.

4 Reasons to Prioritize Communication

To understand why the way individuals engage with one another is so vital, let’s consider four perspectives inspired by the Emergenetics® Thinking Attributes.

An Analytical Angle
To start with a few statistics, 80% of workers believe communication is crucial for developing trust with employers. 85% of employees say they are most motivated when they are regularly updated about company news and information. Staff who feel heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform at their best, and poor workplace interactions often result in low morale. I could quote more datapoints, and the bottom line is that whether you are trying to create a climate marked by high performance, trust, engagement, empowerment or just about anything else – the way you exchange information will make an impact.

Structural Signals
From a practical lens, we cannot avoid conversing at work. Even in a remote or hybrid setting, we still connect with our colleagues every single workday through emails, phone calls, texts, chats, meetings, project management systems and more. And each one of those messages has an effect on our employees – good, bad and anywhere in between. To ensure that the climate is authentic and positive, day-to-day interactions matter.

Social Signs
Communication also influences working relationships, which are a core part of a company’s spirit. After all, the true culture of a business comes to life in the ways that colleagues treat one another. We all know the power that words can have in building people up, breaking people down, bringing staff together or creating distance. By focusing on how individuals connect, employees can enhance relationships across the organization.

Conceptual Clues
At its essence, culture refers to the shared values, attitudes and beliefs of an organization. It is essential to articulate those commonalities and define the business’s ethos in a way that inspires and aligns individuals. Without a clear, compelling vision of what the company stands for, it’s hard to realize it in everyday work – let alone head toward the future leadership envisions.

4 Starting Points to Inspire Cultural Shifts

To begin making positive change, Human Resources leaders can utilize the following ideas, inspired by the Emergenetics Behaviors and one of our newest resources.

#1 – Amplify employee voice

If you are sensing the need to rethink your climate, one of the first places to start is to hear directly from the people who are living it. Take time to listen to your staff’s perspectives and ask specific questions about how your business’s values, norms and attitudes are or are not showing up in their interactions with colleagues, performance discussions and feedback loops.

#2 – Set the tone

While organizations spend a lot of time thinking about their brand voice outside of the company, they don’t always apply the same approach to their internal messages. Take time to reflect on what style and tone best reflects the atmosphere you are working to create. If you feel stumped, try inviting your marketers into the conversation.

#3 – Define the must do’s

As you are getting started, it can be helpful to sort through what your requirements are as well as identify areas where individuals have more freedom. For example, you could start by crafting norms around communication channel usage or company-wide updates. By setting a few baseline agreements, you can build toward a more consistent, aligned style.

#4 – Download our guide

There are many messaging challenges that may be affecting your employee experience. In our latest guide, Bridge the Gap to a Better Workplace Culture, we identify recommendations and opportunities to help Human Resources and Learning & Development professionals overcome five common communication barriers. The guide also delivers ideas and next steps to reshape your environment and inspire organizations that are interested in making changes.

No matter what you want your culture to look like, the ways your employees, managers and executives connect and converse will have a direct impact on how your corporate ethos comes to life. By spending time defining how you can create greater alignment between your everyday interactions and your desired climate, you can create positive shifts and strengthen the employee experience.

Learn more about how Emergenetics can support your company. Explore our website or fill out the form below to speak with one of our team members today!

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