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Corporate company culture encompasses quite a few variables ranging from the physical office environment to the fun perks communicated through your colleagues and managers. With the world at a constant state of change and fluctuation, many companies and firms today are beginning to find that success is not simply dictated or based on the overall talent, but keeping the talent at the work place. Because of this, company culture or work culture has become a prevalent theme in many businesses. The antiquated sense of cutthroat business is no longer looked as the incentive of growing and developing individuals. Instead, young professionals, especially millennials, are looking for businesses and firms that value them as professionals and people.

For company culture, the most basic way to describe and define this concept is that it is the personality and character of an overall organization. In simpler terms, it is how the office operates internally and externally for all of their employees. We have all heard the horror stories of working at the big banking firms with the 80+ hour workweeks or the classic ‘three meals at your desk.’ While this may have been seen as a red badge of courage into the business work, this systemic approach has become more problematic, especially how the world works today.

Today, one of the biggest problems many companies are facing is the grand fluctuation of turnover at every level of the business. Current consultants are fed up with living their lives at an airport terminal. Bankers are sick of pulling the long hours for a fraction of the pay that their superiors are making. And entry level positions are seen as just a six-month ‘landing pit’ until something new or better comes along. While businesses can handle the change, they have to understand that the success and health of a company comes down to its workers. Financially, hiring a new individual has been stated to be more costly than firing or releasing a current employee due to time, money, and resources needed to train and develop the new individual into that position. To go further into that, more companies are seeing the black hole of negative company culture where businesses enter the vicious cycle of hiring, training, and losing their best talent.

So how do we improve this? What can be done to keep those number one seed picks at the frontline of your business?

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First, start of by being transparent with your employees. Allow them to understand your vision and goals for the business and why you need them to do each individual task. This type of honesty can set various goals for your employees and allow them to assume responsibility of their work. In addition, keeping your employees in the loop gives them a chance to see the business grow and thrive as a whole. Usually, many dissatisfied employees are uncomfortable voicing their opinions about the company and other unwelcoming situations. This honesty talk can allow those employees to open up and set a tone for the better.

Second thing you should do is to provide a sense of autonomy and freedom for your workers at the office. As much as you want to micromanage them when performing a task, you need to be the leader and empower them to take ownership of their work. Instead of providing explicit and detailed directions, provide them with general guidelines. You will see quickly how individuals will assume that leadership role for the better.

Thirdly, make sure there is a strong sense of communication throughout the office. Many people get frustrated at their company because of the lack of communication that is coming from one end of the company to the other. Establish the operational logistics at your work place and improve on what needs to be done. Remember, there is always room for improvement. The only way to do it is by testing things out.

Last but not least, provide company perks. Many of the modern day tech-titans have provided benefits other than financial options to keep their employees happy. Whether it is a trip to a basketball game or a company paid happy hour, try and bring happiness to your employees.