Recently, iVenture was certified as a Great Place to Work ®. It got us thinking about the role company culture had when COVID hit and we all went remote. Without that strong culture, it would’ve been much harder to still feel like a team.
To understand the role of company culture better, we sat down with Jennifer Korsun, Director of People Operations. Here’s what she had to say.
What are the building blocks of a great company culture?
Relationships are the foundation. Whether it’s employees or clients, people can make or break a culture.
To create positive relationships, there has to be:
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Two-way feedback
- Recognition
At iVenture, everyone leaves their egos at the door. We have a team mentality. That allows us to focus on the mission rather than office politics.
How can businesses make a culture that lasts?
Create a SMaC recipe. SMaC stands for Specific, Methodical and Consistent. This “recipe” includes principles and actions that don’t waver, no matter what’s happening in the world. They create a formula of sustained success
Part of our SMaC includes:
- Hiring people with a helpful people-centered attitude
- Seeking clients who value our culture, people and process.
- Developing processes to ensure standardized service delivery
Following SMaC helps everyone stay on course.
How can businesses help new hires embrace culture?
Ideally, embracing company culture starts at the interview process. Making sure the business is a good fit for the candidate and the candidate is a good fit for the position.
Once the new employee starts, there has to be a quick integration. Some tactics we use are:
- Going out to lunch with coworkers (pre-COVID) and virtual lunches (post-COVID)
- Filling out an employee passport (conversation-starter with employees across the company)
- Regular feedback check-ins (30, 60, 90 days)
Most important, employee onboarding has to be planned out. Never throw a new hire into the mix without training.
Why does company culture matter (why does it make companies successful)?
People have a choice. They can work anywhere. They can be picky. Culture is a deciding factor when people make career decisions.
People want to work with colleagues they like for a mission that’s meaningful. To be happy, you have to buy in.
iVenture Solutions is an award-winning managed service provider delivering superior IT solutions to clients across Florida.
As a leading-edge IT firm for small and medium-sized businesses, we provide a diverse range of services covering the entire scope of IT including maintenance, support, hosting and more.
Through rapid response time, reduction of chaos and the right people, our expert team of IT professionals will fulfill your technology needs. At iVenture, we give you more time to do what matters most.
