If you’re reading this, we hope that means you’ve already read part one and two of our culture building series. These posts include important context that really help to paint the full picture of what we mean when we say “culture building.” Think of this like dessert, you’ll want to have finished your soup and entrée first.

If you haven’t at least scanned them, we’ll give you a minute to catch up…

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Okay, now that everyone’s wheels are turning on ways to foster culture, let’s add a cherry on top and sink our teeth into three final ways you can create a culture worth working for.

1. REMEMBER YOUR MISSION

Ours is all about connecting our communities

At Peritus, connecting our communities is the guiding principle for everything we do. In our client work, student mentorship and advocacy, engaging community stakeholders is paramount; it’s a common thread in how we approach our relationships with each other and our partners.

Our team’s passion projects are not only encouraged but expected. We support each other in these endeavors and leverage our shared skillsets to execute our mission well beyond client work. Connecting people around a shared interest or issue is a skill we master as PR pros. It’s not about the ROI, but this approach has paid dividends for our firm and helped us serve as responsible industry stewards.

For us, this looks like robust student mentorship and bringing up the next generation of communicators with initiatives like ConnectOne. It looks like extending a pro bono offer to a nonprofit organization doing important work to move the needle on an issue close to our hearts. We recognize that our approach is robust and may not be realistic for every role or organization, but we guarantee no matter where you are you can create opportunities to impact your community.

2. ACCEPT THAT LESS IS MORE

It’s okay to say no, folks

Work smarter, not harder and let impact be your guide. We’ve come a long way, but it took a lot of trial and error. Walking the talk with intentionality is a marathon, not a sprint. We used to say yes to every opportunity that came along, and it prevented us from putting our signature on our passion projects and maximizing impact.

We recently partnered with a local nonprofit to host a book club discussion educating high school students about racism in the criminal justice system. Through one project, we mentored students, advanced an issue close to our hearts and built relationships with key players. On top of that, we were able to translate the event into digital content to continue the conversation and extend our mileage.

If you’re like us and this kind of work excites you but you’re not sure where to start…

Ask yourself, where do your team’s passions intersect with a need in the community? How can your collective skillset answer that need? Start there.

3. FIND WELLNESS THAT WORKS FOR YOU

Even in the most demanding industries

How do we disconnect in an industry where we’re always expected to be connected?

This is a communications industry challenge since all of us are constantly plugged in doing our job.

Our team does the best we can to take this head on and prioritize wellness both personally and professionally, but we aren’t perfect. No matter how regularly we audit meeting health and work-life balance, setting and protecting boundaries takes time and effort we don’t always have.

Agency life is highly associated with a grind culture, and we want to be mindful and intentional about keeping burnout at bay. Before the pandemic, we engaged in regular out-of-office excursions like team happy hours and workout classes. This approach obviously shifted when we went fully remote in March 2020, shifting our team-building and wellness efforts online. We added “wellness” days to our PTO policy, implemented weekly wellness challenges and encouraged “walk-and-talk" meetings instead of Zooms. We even had a friend of the firm lead a virtual yoga class for us.

When it comes to wellness, there are two things to keep top of mind: self-care looks different for everyone, and it can’t be forced. So, know what’s within your control as a leader and help create a culture where everyone feels empowered to explore what works for them.

Our PUBLISHED by PERITUS takeaway is this:

From soup to nuts, we hope this blog series has given you tools to put that inspiration into action. Whether you’re a one-person comms shop, you work in a larger department, or you’re at an agency, communicators are the key to strong culture building. Consider taking a page out of our book or doing your own research to find initiatives that may work for you. Whatever your next step is, know that you wield the power to choose your own adventure and create the culture you want.

The Final Three Ways to Creating a Culture Worth Working For