Building Culture

Characteristics Questions to ask

What are some of the most important character traits that you look for in a co-worker or boss? Take the time to think about what types of people you want to work around and spend countless hours with. Do you have different expectations of your co-workers than those in your personal life?

Understanding Trust

     When thinking about the relationships across our lives a common trait that continually is brought up as a key to building and sustaining relationships is trust. Trust is the foundation for many key areas of your working life.  In the simplest form an employee must trust that their employer will provide a fair salary and maintain the salary expectations. After beginning with a company an employee does not necessarily need to trust in the entire process of the company but should, at the very least, have some trust in the ability of the company to provide some benefit to consumers.

     As the workplace becomes more and more dependent on the benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) workers, especially younger workers, are looking for a company which aligns with their own values. This in turn has led companies to focusing on the beneficial social and economic contributions they can make.

     While understanding that to build trust with employees the ability to share the vision of the company, take a stand on pressing issues, and outlining standard workflow processes go hand in hand with building trust. Trust is a two-way street.  Companies hold their employees to a high standard of keeping material secure. Additional considerations include not using their platform as an employee to take on controversial subjects, or misuse social media or company property.

      The power of trust is here to stay.  Moving forward, the world will increasingly be shaped by companies utilizing cross-departmental and cross-company teams. These teams will be tasked with solving the difficult and evolving business and social problems. A recent Harvard Business School study shows the importance that trust has to the morale and productivity of a workforce.

Importance of trust quote

      “According to the study, people working in high-trust companies reported 74% less stress than those working in low-trust companies. They also report 106% more energy at work, 13% fewer sick days, 76% more engagement, 29% more satisfaction with their lives,and 40% less burnout.”

        By understanding the team that you have surrounded yourself with and giving them positive and constructive feedback the system of trust that your business has created will only grow as time progresses.

Investment of culture

Figure 7 from: PMI’s Pulse of the Profession: The Project Manager of the Future Developing Digital-Age Project Management Skills to Thrive in Disruptive Times by the Project Management Institute  

The story of  Figure 7: Investing in Culture tells

  • Wide gaps exist in the organizational culture
  • Innovative companies take the time to create a culture which supports trust and successful project management
  • Trust and information go hand in hand towards creating more innovative projects which create more value for the company
  • Trust can be harnessed to help in changes that can revolutionize and improve business processes by having team members on the same page believing in what the company is working on