Who is your business?

You’re right to feel like that’s a big question, because it is. Products and services aside, your business is defined by the company culture you create. And that’s no small thing.

Company culture directly influences a business’s success – it touches just about every corner of its operation. An intentional company culture with strong ethics attracts employees, customers and business partners you can work with on a mutual basis of trust. Allowing a poor culture to take hold of your company quickly pushes them away.

There are several good reasons why small business owners should focus on building an ethical company culture:

It defines your values.

Your company culture is your values in action. The things you believe are important about running your business should be reflected in the actual running of your business. This can include where you source your products and raw materials, how you treat your customers, and your employment practices.

It activates your mission.

If your business doesn’t already have a mission statement prepared, you might want to consider writing one. Mission statements clearly define the core reasons why your company does what it does. Once that purpose is established, your company culture is the key to activating your mission across your entire company, including all your employees. Your company's best practices and customer service guidelines should support your mission statement and help create a company culture that embodies it.

It gives your employees a sense of belonging.

People work better when they feel like they belong. A robust company culture attracts potential employees who share your vision and values. Hiring people with the same passion for customer service as yours, or who feel that your mission statement reflects their personal views, means you have enthusiastic employees who will do their best to carry out your company’s mission. Employees who embrace the company’s culture tend to perform better, as they have an incentive above their paycheck. People who enjoy where they work generally work harder and provide better customer service.

It sparks adaptability and innovation.

In a small business, a collaborative and open culture encourages innovation and adaptability. Gathering great ideas from your whole team helps you respond to market changes or challenges faster and makes your business stronger in the long term. A culture that promotes open dialogue allows employees to share ideas freely without fear of criticism. Additionally, regular feedback from your staff can help identify issues quickly and solve them creatively.

It enriches your brand.

A distinct company culture can help you develop a personality for your business that increases your authenticity among customers, an increasingly essential quality for reaching some key demographics. Building your brand through your values and company culture can help attract new customers as they discover that your culture and mission statement align with things that are important to them.

It involves your customers.

Your employees aren't the only ones who benefit from a strong company culture. When you create an environment that consistently reflects your values and mission statement, you invite your customers to participate. This is important since your business should have the goal of meeting people's needs through the products it offers or services it provides. Make your company culture visible through your website, blog posts, and social media.