8 Rules For Creating a Passionate Work Culture

“For individuals, character is destiny. For organizations, culture is destiny. “

— Tony Hsieh, Delivering Happiness

If you want to get the very best out of your employees and increase productivity take a hard look at your

. A strong workplace culture not only leads to happier employees, but impressive employee retention rates, innovation, higher levels of customer satisfaction and ultimately growth.

A recent article I read in Fast Company, 8 Rules For Creating a Passionate Work Culture, outlines essential actions that can help you create a culture that reflects your company’s core values and allows your employees to flourish.

Here is my cliff note version:

1. Hire the right people – Hire to your company’s core values and put passion first. Then look at experience second and credentials third.

2. Communicate – Listen more than you speak and give people the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them. Without communication trust does not exist.

3. Tend to the weeds – Identify the toxic people in your company, the relentless whiners, and get rid of them.

4. Work hard, play hard – Set a work ethic standard and make sure employees are rewarded for their sacrifices.

5. Be ambitious – Ambition can sometimes be looked down upon. However, the strong desire to achieve is necessary to make changes and propel forward. Create a culture that supports powerful beliefs and what could be considered big steps.

6. Celebrate differences – When you bring together people from different backgrounds with varying experiences and interests you create room for collaboration and energy.

7. Create the space – Want your employees to be innovative? Make sure your space encourages interaction and connectivity. Click HERE for some work spaces that may inspire you.

8. Take the long view – The culture needs to look ahead, not just months, but years and decades.

Author: April Jennings