Three Simple Steps to Create a Culture Worth Working For
Company culture. We’ve heard these words one too many times this past year while feeling burnt out and hoping for a new approach but coming up with no more than a fresh coat of paint on the same old bag of tricks.
At Peritus, we believe the catch phrase “company culture” doesn’t have to be followed by an eye roll. It doesn’t have to be an opening hype speech followed by unmet expectations.
And regardless of your rank, company resources or remote work challenges, cultures are cultivated by the eternal optimist, the side hustlers, the creatives, the risk takers, the utility players and the dreamers. And no, it doesn’t have to include weekly happy hours, high-dollar wellness stipends or four-day work weeks. (Well, of course that’s the ultimate dream.) Your company culture is made up of small choices that have a powerful compounded interest impact.
If you haven’t read the preface to our culture series, Stepping into Confidence, we recommend starting there to set the stage. Here we dive deeper with the first three of six actionable recommendations you can take to spearhead a culture worth working for in your organization, regardless of budget or bandwidth.
Now, let’s get into tangible ways to take this culture ownership a step further.
1. REALIZE YOU'RE MORE THAN A SEAT AT THE TABLE
the missing puzzle piece
First and foremost, it’s important to note that it doesn’t matter who your employer is or what your work environment is like—even if you team is 100% virtual—you are the key to building the culture you want.
A big shift in employee ownership happened when Peritus developed internal departments that create space for each of us to use our unique gifts to pursue personal interests. Eliza is passionate about mentorship, so she leads our Student Department. Hanlon and Jennie are our resident athletes, so they help lead some of our wellness initiatives. Peritus lacked a Creative Department until Sally stepped out of her comfort zone to explore her interest in graphic design, bringing a new depth to the team.
Wherever you work, whatever your job title is—intentionally identify areas where your gifts and passions can add value to your organization. Find those opportunities to shape the role you want.
2. COMMIT TO LEARNING NEW TRICKS
the mark of a comms pro
We all know the hallmark skills found in every communications job description—writing, verbal communication, organization, media relations, digital strategy—the list goes on. But what about a thirst for knowledge? The ways we communicate are constantly shifting, and to stay one step ahead we must remain curious. (Ahem... Any TikTok experts out there looking for a side gig?)
Quenching our thirst for knowledge means constantly finding inspiring guest speakers, leveraging industry webinars (PRSA has some great ones) and simply talking with each other about current events and how they may impact our work wellness. We’re a pretty competitive bunch, so trivia and quizzes are actually considered a fun break from our day jobs. Jeopardy and crisis simulations are crowd favorites here.
We also maintain a Peritus team book club which holds us accountable to remaining lifelong learners. Often, we choose a book about a leadership or tactical topic we want to grow in. This year, we read crisis expert Helio Fred Garcia’s The Agony of Decision. We read one chapter each week and discussed takeaways and applications in our regular all-staff meetings. Taking it a step further, we reached out to Fred himself, and he agreed to do a virtual lunch and learn for our team. (Pro tip: Never hurts to ask.)
Rather than breaking the bank on one big conference for a couple team members each year, we find creative ways to layer professional development into our day-to-day. Regardless of your budget, schedule or team size, work is always more fun when you are challenging yourself to expand perspectives.
3. PLAY WELL IN THE SANDBOX
collaboration is key
We are firm believers that a rising tide floats all boats, and as communicators trying to move our industry forward, we rely on our competitors to help us strengthen our skills. As a growing agency supporting clients across a range of specialized industries, we sometimes find ourselves in uncharted territory. So, we lean on our statewide network or professional PRGN partners for helping us approach something from a refreshed lens.
During a global pandemic, this practice has become priceless. While this is a whole new ball game for everyone, we have found comfort in the ability to pick up the phone and say “Hey, what are y’all doing about this? How has it worked for you? What can we do together to find a solution for everyone?”
Through professional associations such as PRSA, client and talent referrals, and waving a red flag to ask for advice, we find comradery with other agencies and in-house professionals. And we are just getting started. Let’s find more ways together to break down barriers and make our work less stressful and more meaningful.
Our PUBLISHED by PERITUS takeaway is this:
At Peritus, culture-building is a responsibility shared by our whole crew. Not every team is this lucky, but we’re fortunate to have a bench of practitioners who are fully bought-in and willing to put in a little extra elbow grease to make this a culture worth working for.
Because we want to protect our time, mission and skillsets, we know it’s okay to change course, speak up or rethink our approach. We don’t have to do something a certain way just because it has always been done that way, and mixing things up helps us prevent some of the fatigue and burnout that can be caused by such a demanding profession.
Come back next week when we share three more culture-building insights.
Spoiler alert: it all begins and ends with our mission.