Building an effective leadership team and company culture is important for the success of a business. Employees will thrive in a company that provides a positive work environment and challenges them to excel in their careers. As a manager, your actions and interactions need to reflect the culture and tone of your business to your employees. Your employees then become advocates and evangelists for your business. Let’s take a look at some ways you can build a dynamic company culture.

Cross-Train Staff

Have training opportunities available for all levels of employees. First and foremost, make sure employees understand the values of your business. Kent Thiry former DaVita's Executive CEO implemented a hands-on, two-day course that included lessons on the company’s core values and the employees’ role in meeting those values. You can easily modify this for your business by offering small-group training sessions. Build cross-departmental comradery by creating learning teams from different divisions.

Have Fun

Encourage employees to enjoy their time at work. To build teamwork, incorporate monthly inter-department challenges with an inexpensive traveling trophy that rotates between the winning departments. Install a basketball court to build friendships on the court that translate to relationships in the office. Provide lunch for all employees on a monthly or quarterly basis. Discourage employees from eating at their desks by leasing tables and chairs if your office kitchen is not large enough for everyone.

Create Mentoring Programs

Asking experienced employees to mentor new staff members is a great way to encourage new employees to understand the company culture. New employees are encouraged to develop learning programs to help them improve their skills. Experienced mentors offer advice and tips on navigating the challenges of a new job. Both the mentor and the mentee benefit from individual or small-group mentoring programs and this then helps to build a dynamic company culture.

Set Goals

As with any business project, establish specific goals. All employees should know the company’s long-term objectives, not just their departmental goals. If they know that every task they perform impacts the overall profitability of the company, this helps employees see value in their work. Display your company’s core values and mission statement in gathering areas and meeting rooms.

Improve Work-Life Balance

Communicate with your employees daily, if possible. Make sure employees understand the importance of balancing their work and personal life. Pay attention to those employees that are working exceptionally long hours. Ask if they need additional tools to complete their projects faster. If an employee has a family member with a serious illness, ask how the company can help. Monitor employees for signs of burnout. Intervention is necessary to prevent losing a valued employee or negatively impacting the corporate culture.

Continue Educating

Encourage your employees to keep learning. Offer meeting rooms during lunch hour to host book clubs. Provide tuition reimbursement to employees taking continuing education courses. Invite motivational speakers or ask employees to share their experiences with the company. Incorporate team-building exercises into meetings. A well-rounded employee develops creative solutions to challenges that the company experiences.

Creating a positive and dynamic company culture is not only good for employees but also for employers. Companies that work to develop their culture have more satisfied employees and less turnover.