SMEs are neglecting their culture when developing their businesses. According to research conducted by Shirlaws, a business coaching firm, small and medium businesses only set aside 10 percent of their time to develop workplace culture. Yet 70 percent say a clear culture is crucial to staff recruitment and retention.
“The research reveals a major discrepancy in business owners’ understanding of culture compared to the amount of time they invest in ensuring their culture is properly managed,” says Jeff Herrick, CEO of Shirlaws.
Shirlaws recommends five steps for getting culture right:
1. Values. Business values become worthless if there are no barriers to guide them, and if staff are not involved when deciding on values. Business values should also be categorised into a list of three. For example, Shirlaws’ values list includes open, honest and fair.
2. Expression. It’s important that business values are expressed by staff behaviour, because this is seen by recruits, community members and the media.
3. Create a value sub-set. A separate list of values should be listed under each of the three key values, to make any cultural expectations clear.
4. Create required behaviour lists for each of the values that sit in the value sub-sets.
5. Manage values by listing activities under every sub-value.
