With companies like Facebook and Google giving employees free massages, complimentary food and other amazing perks, "company culture" has become a bit of a buzzword. Fostering a good company culture provides a lot of benefits, including better employee productivity (in between those free massages) and a lower turnover rate, according to Gallup's 2013 State of the American Workforce report. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to improve your own office culture without investing a lot of money. Take a look at these ideas:
Have Fun on Holidays and Special Occasions
Many companies set up winter holiday parties for their employees, but take that to the next level by inviting everyone to celebrate some of the smaller holidays together. Halloween? Time for a costume contest. Fourth of July? Everybody loves a good potluck.
Loosen Up
Another method for improving how your employees feel in the office is loosening up on office rules on a day-to-day basis. Give employees a little more flexibility with dress code, rules, breaks and other things; you'll likely find they both enjoy the time they spend at work a lot more and are more productive overall.
Change Up the Office Decor
Drab walls and cubicles don't make for the most exciting place to spend eight to 10 hours each day. Companies that are known for having a good culture also take a lot of pride in how their office looks. They invest in up-to-date equipment, fun rest areas, colorful decor and bright work spaces, all of which can make employees feel more energized and optimistic.
Eat Together
Many businesses have found that providing employees lunch once a week is a great way to improve their happiness. Ordering pizza or sandwiches allows you all the chance to spend some non-working time together and gives everyone something to look forward to each week. If you can't afford that, see if your employees are willing to all chip in a few bucks each week. It won't be as expensive for you, and it will still be cheaper for them than heading to a nearby restaurant.
Celebrate Your Wins
Did one of your employees recently put together an amazing marketing campaign using custom postcards? Did you just lock down an awesome new client? Whenever something exciting happens for anyone, celebrate as a team. Even if the "win" is something as small as a client simply giving one of your employers really excellent feedback, it can be cause for celebration. Send out an office-wide email, have a small dance party, or do whatever else you can think of to get everybody involved in the positivity.
Get Out of the Office
Though office-wide outings can be difficult for larger companies, small businesses can easily invite employees out for happy hour, bowling or another fun activity. Send an email to see if there's something everyone would be interested in, and spend an evening together – not talking about work and not venting, just having some fun. Aside from being able to let loose, employees will also likely build a healthy camaraderie that will enhance their work relationships.