Thinking About Culture?
Company culture isn’t necessarily one of those things that are top of mind for most contractors. It’s not a topic that naturally drives conversation over a lunch break. We have heard it is important. We know it’s important. But is it really as important as worksite safety? Project efficiency? Scheduling? or Budgeting? Or is it something we think just naturally happens? And in the end, don’t our employees just want a good job? Fair wages? Career opportunity?
Do our clients care? As long as the work gets done right, on time, and on budget – isn’t that what matters? And seriously, when was the last time you got an RFP asking for a company culture description?
Well, what we found out in our recent rebranding effort was that “few things are as important-and as difficult to grasp- as an organization’s culture.” And attention to a company culture isn’t just for companies like Google, Apple, BMW, and Southwest Airlines. It’s valuable to all kinds of companies. Even us contractors.
What’s Culture Anyway?
There have been numerous books and research articles written about company culture. They all promote the importance and value of culture. What it is. How to create it. And how to change it. Defining it can sometimes be complex, if not confusing. However it’s actually pretty simple. What we learned in our branding work was a very straightforward definition.
Culture is simply behavior.
It is how people engage with each other. And how people treat one another. How leadership leads. And how employees conduct themselves with clients. It is how a company lives out its purpose and promise. Simply put, culture is at the core of how the company works.
Is There Tangible Value to Culture?
There is plenty of evidence that points to the value of a company’s culture. Higher engagement. More productivity. Greater self-fulfillment. Inspired thinking. And, according to Gallup Research, a positive culture can lead to a stronger connection to tangible results.
Of course, culture has proven to be a factor in attracting and keeping high-value employees. In today’s environment, employees are looking for more than just a good job. They are looking for a good fit. Employees who fit the company culture have the greatest potential to become the strongest advocates for the brand. Clients are also finding that a good cultural fit with a company they hire has its benefits. Projects with teams that are a good cultural fit run smoother and more efficiently, have better communication, and foster a positive relationship of success. That behavior can be an invaluable differentiator over and beyond what’s tangibly produced.
How Does Brand Fit In?
In our brand work, we soon learned how essential the connection between brand and culture was. A clear understanding of the brand that everyone understood and embraced fostered a culture that would effectively deliver on its vision and brand promise.
“The most successful organizations don’t see culture building as a stand-alone initiative. Instead, they develop a culture with the aim of bringing the company purpose to life and creating a brand that uniquely meets customers’ needs.” Gallup
This suggests that committing to and reinforcing the organization’s culture will yield brand-reinforcing results—in other words, real, tangible competitive advantages and market value.
What About OUR Culture?
Listening is Learning. We knew how vital it was to involve all our employees in our rebranding project. Their voice needed to be heard. And they needed to feel they had a role in defining the brand. After all, they would be responsible for bringing the brand to life. What we learned through an internal survey was what we intuitively knew. We valued family. We were about collaboration. And we thrived most in an inspiring environment. That’s a culture we are particularly proud of. And that came from our staff.
Culture is Built on Values. While culture is behavior, it is values that guide that behavior. At PMG, we have strived to live up to five values regarding how we work together and with our clients.
These were the values that we fostered to guide the behavior that has led to our culture of Inspiring Family-Like Collaboration.
Do Clients Care?
The question remains: Do our clients care about cultural fit with the contractors they work with? Of course, performance and prices are going to be top of mind. However, not taking cultural fit into account might be a costly mistake. Wouldn’t it be easier to work with someone who shares the same values around quality? Isn’t integrity and honesty important in building a collaborative relationship? And why wouldn’t a “can-do” attitude get the best results?
Cultural fit does matter. Projects are complicated enough. There are risks, challenges, and problems. Cultural fit won’t solve everything. But cultural fit can help ensure that everyone is on the same page, working together, and with a common goal. That’s our philosophy at PMG. Our culture of Inspiring Family-like Collaboration binds us together as a company and is foundational to our approach to building relationships built on trust, integrity, quality, and good open communication.
Values guide behavior. Behavior builds culture. Culture inspires and motivates. And that’s why culture matters. It’s the better way forward. That’s progress!