While money is certainly not at the bottom of people’s lists when it comes to work, the most successful employers have realised that money alone doesn’t necessarily attract the best talent. There are now far more people that would rather work for a company as their values are the same as the company, at Bambu we try to push our “Bambu Vision” as much as possible, so that our team know exactly what we believe and they can tell right from the off whether or not their values align with ours. We believe this is essential to maintain a positive and productive workforce because if everyone is working towards the same overarching goal, it’s far easier to achieve.

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In the current business world, it is not only suggested to have a positive and strong working culture, it’s almost essential, as a strong company culture attracts top talent and most importantly, retains that talent for longer than someone just working from paycheck to paycheck.

Here are Bambu’s top 3 tips for creating a positive and strong work culture that people actually enjoy being a part of.

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1. Start with a purpose.

In the beginning, all that matters is building something with a clear goal. When a company first starts up, communicating your vision to the company is easy, as the numbers are so small in terms of staff. However, once your company begins to grow, you have more and more people that you have to ensure are aware of your ethics and culture, and it can sometimes get lost somewhere along the way.

To avoid that scenario, have a purpose when you establish your new company’s culture. To create that purpose, you have to understand the "why" of the operation. Who does your business serve? Whatever your answer is, it should be authentic, inspirational, and aspirational. Companies with a strong purpose are well liked because they feel different, think Apple or Google. Think about what inspires you, then execute it.

2) Lead by example.

A company’s culture can only be enforced if you, as the leader “practice what you preach.” Every leader should embody the company’s values and be its strongest advocates. This helps the team of the company better understand the reasons behind your values and will make them believe in them all the more. Leaders who have an incredible passion for what they do and have a great work ethic are the main source of inspiration for other employees and those who want to join the company.

As a leader, you need to lead by example and also be radically transparent. It won’t matter at all if you think you have a great culture, but your employees don’t trust you. Being transparent, even when that's difficult, it will go a long way to making sure your culture remains the same.

3) Identify your “mad raving fans” amongst your staff

Every company has them, employees whose values align with the company’s from the off and they help everyone else understand who you are as a company and what you stand for. These employees are your biggest fans because they love the company almost as much as you do, they are “mad raving fans”.

This type of employee can be a very valuable asset. Once you identify who your mad raving fans are, ask them what they like about the current culture, what they think could be improved and why culture matters to them as a valued member of the team. That will help you decide whether or not you should make changes or carry on as you are.

The role of these employees doesn’t fade out with time either, their role increases as your company grows and in the end, gives you a competitive advantage. Why? Because customers will remember those who are positive, passionate and knowledgeable about the company (or brand) they represent.

In summary, I believe that for a company to survive in this day and age, you need to surround yourself with winners and those with a winning mentality, the best way to accomplish this is to have a strong work culture that invites the best out of people. Having this also leads to people with more talent wanting to work for you, and that can be nothing but a boon for your company.

Written by Alex Hall