How to create a positive team culture

By Natalie Lincolne

Do you want to improve your team's culture but don't know where to start? Following 3 simple feedback steps can go a long way in fostering a positve workplace environment.

Culture is such an airy-fairy thing that it's hard for leaders to know where to put their focus if they want to make improvements on how their team operates. After all, it's about how employees feel about each other and the organisation that drives culture. So how does a leader go about making change in this nebulous space?

The answer sounds simple enough but will strike fear in the hearts of many leaders: feedback. Yes, the simple actions of listening, acting and rewarding your team.

Let's look at each of these in turn:

Active listening:  You have to know how your team is feeling to know where to start. Annual employee surveys are great sources of information, however there's no substitute for checking in regularly to hear how employees are experiencing their unique world of work.  Being able to openly share builds feelings of psychological safety that supports making mistakes and learning from them in a way that leads to breakthroughs in products, services and processes.

Purposeful action:  Now that you know where to start focusing your efforts, the implied contract is that you take action on that feedback so your team can see you're serious about improving workplace culture.  Failing to do so can lead to disengagement. Think about some "quick wins" and longer-term initiatives that you can implement and build in a feedback loop so that the team knows their feedback is valued.

Tailor recognition and rewards:   Change isn't easy for most people, so when the team implements new ways of working that are directly attributed to improving workplace culture, it's important to recognise their efforts.  This sends a clear message that culture is important, and those that actively work to build the culture get rewarded.  Look out for the small things that make a big difference, for example mentoring new employees, stepping up to take on a challenging project, delivering beyond what was expected or doing something lovely for the team.

Don't wait until the end of the quarter or the annual get together - the closer the recognition is to the event, the more impact it will have. Remember to tailor the recognition or reward to the individual, as some people love being made a fuss of and others are quiet achievers.

The benefits of improving culture link strongly to employee retention (loyalty) and therefore have an impact on productivity, innovation and success. The ideal culture is one where people thrive, feel connected to your organisation’s purpose, and are excited to grow their career with you.