If you run a small or midsize business, you know your company culture starts – and stays – with you. From the early days of leading by example to every new hire you make, your fingerprints are on the culture your team experiences every day.
But here’s the reality: as your business grows, your time and energy get stretched thin. The key isn’t to hand off your culture – it’s to protect it by surrounding yourself with people who help you amplify it.
Let’s look at why staying the driver of your company culture matters – and how building the right team helps you keep it strong as you grow.
Not too long ago, company culture was an afterthought. Workers were expected to show up, grind, and go home – and to be grateful simply for a paycheck.
As businesses have evolved, they’ve been able to step back and look at company culture with a broader perspective.
Gallup estimates that disengaged employees cost the U.S. economy up to $550 billion a year in lost productivity. And Harvard Business Review cites James Heskett’s conclusion that productivity can be improved by up to 30% with the right culture. Further, the costs and inefficiencies of constant turnover can eat away at your bottom line.
Beyond the financial impact that culture can have on your business, it’s simply a much richer experience as a business owner when you prioritize company culture. It’s one of the primary values upon which WorkBetterNow was founded – “Talent First.” I can tell you it has resulted in not only a better employee experience, but also a better client experience.
It’s also a source of pride as a business owner, and it creates an environment in which I am personally excited to work every day.
As mentioned, company culture falls on the owner’s plate in the early days of a growing business. The company’s huddles, gifts, and celebrations are yours to plan. But much more valuable than the “Instagram-worthy” moments of a business is the tone you set as a leader. You must set core values for your business that you can live by every single day. As the common phrase goes, “More is caught than taught.” Your employees will be looking to you to demonstrate exactly what your company values look like when they are lived out in the workplace.
But you can’t do it alone.
Building a thriving culture takes focus – and as the owner of your business, your attention is pulled in a thousand directions. The smartest owners don’t hand off culture. They protect it by surrounding themselves with people who help them keep it alive and growing.
Hiring a virtual assistant, and executive assistant, or an HR support professional frees you up to show up as the culture leader every day. A strong supporting team can handle planning award ceremonies, sending out appreciation gifts, organizing team-building events, or even scheduling regular check-ins to maintain alignment.
The best part? The more champions you have on your team living out your values, the stronger your culture becomes. When you hire well, your people become daily drivers of the environment you want – whether it’s the way they welcome new hires, resolve conflicts, or just set the tone in meetings.
In other words, culture doesn’t live in an org chart. It lives in people. And when your people truly believe in what you stand for, they’ll help you amplify it in every interaction.
Your company culture has the power to make or break your business. As the owner, you will always be the heartbeat of that culture – but you don’t have to do it alone.
At WorkBetterNow, we help small and midsize business owners protect and grow their company culture by providing Certified Professionals in roles such as Executive Assistants, HR Administrators, and People Operations Assistants. These professionals free up your time, handle the details, and model your values while maintaining a strong company culture as you grow.
To find out more about getting high-performing nearshore professionals on your team, start a conversation with WorkBetterNow today.
WorkBetterNow (WBN) provides outstanding remote talent to small and midsize businesses. WBN’s highly skilled and pre-vetted Latin American professionals are hand-matched for each client’s unique needs. Hundreds of growing businesses turn to WBN to unleash their potential through our exceptional talent, ease of hiring, and ongoing support. Request a consult today!