As companies compete to find — and keep — skilled staff, creating and maintaining an appealing company culture can go a long way when recruiting and retaining employees. The cultural environment is not only the core of daily life in the workplace, but it also helps establish your brand identity. Before constructing — or improving — the cultural tone of your brand, be sure it’s not only consistent and identifiable but also easy for your team (and new hires) to embody. Explore five vital steps for building an enduring company culture. Looking ahead to small business success? For more tips on creating a meaningful company culture, visit the Staples Small Business Hub: https://www.staples.com/content-hub.

1. JUMPSTART
YOUR COMPANY CULTURE

2. The holy grail in business: finding
top talent and avoiding turnover. As
companies compete to find — and
keep — skilled staff, creating and
maintaining an appealing company
culture can go a long way when
recruiting and retaining employees.
Here are five ways to build a meaningful workplace
environment that honors your company’s brand
identity (and doesn’t cost a fortune).

3. 1 BE CLEAR
Start by defining the company’s culture
(or brand personality) in simple, precise
and realistic terms.

4. An established company
culture is vital to attract the
right talent, define what your
company stands for and
inform how you respond
to challenges internally
and externally.

5. START BY
DEFINING
YOUR BRAND:
Company culture is a result of a well-defined
brand. Ask yourself:
• What do you stand for?
• Who is your ideal customer?
• What pain points do you solve?
• How are you different?
• What feeling does your brand instill?
• What five words define your brand?
Use the answers to develop a statement that
describes your brand purpose. Succinct, clear
and to-the-point is best. For example, Nike’s is,
“To bring inspiration and innovation to every
athlete in the world.”

6. THEN,
VISUALIZE
With your brand purpose in mind, picture your
ideal team and workspace:
• Who’s there?
• What’s the energy like?
• How is management interacting with staff?
• How is the office designed?
• What colors are involved?
Use this insight to develop a running log of the dream
team and space you envision, shaped by your brand
purpose statement.

7. COMMUNICATE
AND ACTIVATE
As your culture comes to life, be sure the
entire company is well-informed of the
vision. For culture to truly permeate,
everyone must embrace, foster and follow it.
Make concerted efforts to solidify this
foundation by only recruiting talent that
reflects these defined cultural traits.

8. Shortly after Google launched in 1998, the
founders wrote “10 Things We Know to
Be True,” highlighting the 10 brand pillars
that continue to shape the culture today.
Examples from the list include:
1. Focus on the end user
10. Great just isn’t good enough
By carefully defining its brand and cultural vision,
Google stands as an example for inspiring—and
retaining—a dedicated staff.

9. 2 BE
SELECTIVE
“Hire for character. Train for skill.”
— Pete Schultz, former Porsche CEO
Once you define your purpose and
cultural ideal, build staff to reinforce
your brand message.

10. Looking good on paper
lands the interview, but
fitting culturally is crucial
to both the mission and the
morale of existing employees.
Establishing a solid company
culture makes it easy to spot
a good fit right away.

11. START BY
ASKING THE
CANDIDATE:
What type of work environment
makes you productive and happy?
What management style works
best for you?
What are you most excited about
outside of work?

12. THEN, VET
BASED ON
BRAND
VALUES
If your company culture emphasizes team
cohesion, look for someone eager to
spend time with coworkers. Or, if you are
committed to creative thinking, encourage
candidates to ideate during an interview
to get a peek into their insights.

13. FINALLY,
TRUST
YOUR GUT
Instinct is powerful, particularly when
hiring. Because you likely reflect your
brand’s culture, a potential hire in
line with your vision will mirror your
energy. And if their interview answers
align with brand values, you’ve probably
found the ideal cultural fit.

14. 3 BE
APPRECIATIVE
Reinforce the importance of company
culture by showing appreciation to the
employees who embody it.

15. For the team members
who embrace the company
culture, make it known that
you notice their commitment
to support the company’s
ideals. Not only will this
encourage them to continue,
but it also motivates others
to follow suit.

16. Who aligns most with the mission
and brand promise?
Who has a knack for showing
new hires the cultural way?
Who is a leader in ensuring the
culture shines in their work and
with clients?
START BY
ASKING:

17. THEN,
REWARDOnce you’ve identified an employee,
reward them. You can make an impact
in both small and large ways — consider
a month of reserved parking, a half-day
Friday or a bonus for innovative ideas.
Often the recognition itself is all it takes
to encourage the employee and the staff
to embrace the cultural vibe.

18. 4 BE VISUAL
Bring your company culture to life
through office design and a
mission-focused environment.

19. Reflect the ultimate goal in
the physical space. If your
company runs a social platform
seeking a largely millennial
staff, create a collaborative,
relaxed atmosphere with an
open office layout, beanbags or
a bring-your-dog-to-work policy.
If it’s an architectural firm driven
by sleek design, furnish it in
contemporary,clean-lined
pieces that mirror the
company’s end-product.

20. START BY
ASKING:
What is the brand’s disposition —
academic, casual, buttoned-up?
What objects can help interpret the
mission statement?
What past company wins could you
celebrate through images and art?

21. THEN,
IMPLEMENT
Use the answers to develop a culturally-driven
office aesthetic. To take the burden off
your team, consider hiring an interior
designer to carry the vision through.
However, to truly integrate the culture, include
staff in conversations with the designer.
They understand the company more than an
outsider and will appreciate the consideration
of their insights and ideas (especially when
they see it come to life).

22. 5 BE
CONSISTENT
Speak to the external world
with the firmness of a defined
business personality.

23. Nothing reinforces your
company culture like putting
it to the test with real-world
decisions. Whether it’s
launching a new product
or taking a stance on a
world issue, let your culture
dictate your actions.

24. START BY
ASKING:
Does this decision directly relate
to the company’s core values?
Does this action fit in with who we
want to be as a brand?
Are there any muddy aspects of
this decision that don’t quite fit
the culture?

25. EXAMPLE
A casual men’s clothing line is expanding to offer
men’s activewear. To be culturally successful, this
change would require a deep analysis of the
existing line, a clear assessment of how the
change fits into or alters the brand and how
the new line is adopted into the everyday mission.
Only once it all feels seamless does the expansion
make cultural sense.

26. Ready to revamp your company
culture? Culture can make or break
a company. When working to
cultivate yours, remember to be:
• Clear on both brand and culture definition
• Selective on hires
• Rewarding with staff who emulate the culture
• Visual through a culture-reflective office design
• Consistent in messaging and execution
With those pillars in place, your culture will come to life
through top recruits, a bolstered brand and a company
on the path toward growth.

27. Looking ahead to small business success?
For more tips on creating a meaningful company culture,
visit the Staples Small Business Hub.

29. Sources
google/about/philosophy.com