Workplace Culture - What is it and why is it important?

Workplace culture has become a more common term when discussing a business or organisation. The environment you’re working in can play a key role in many aspects throughout your career, and a healthy workplace culture can maintain an organisation's values, behaviors, and goals while also focusing on their employee's individual well-being.

But what actually is it?

To put it simply, workplace culture is what makes the business unique. It’s the character of an organisation, and the foundation of an employee’s satisfaction at work. This makes it an important deciding factor when searching and applying for jobs, as it can have a major influence on performance, morale, career development, and just overall happiness.

Some main traits that create a healthy workplace culture are:

• Communication  - As the old saying goes, communication is key! An organisation that practices good communication makes everyone feel heard and can boost creativity and innovation.
  

• Security - Feeling safe in the workplace is always necessary, no matter where or whom you’re working for. No one wants to work where you have to constantly worry about your surroundings, and feeling secure in your job can significantly decrease stress levels, as 51% of severe stress and anxiety cases from 2021/22 were found to have been caused by work-related issues. This therefore also improves performance.
  

• Collaboration - Some tasks require more than one skill set to work on, and so working as a team can often be required. Many who work in collaborative settings are 50% more efficient than those who choose to go it alone (and usually complete tasks quicker too). The ability to work together increases productivity and is a great opportunity to build relationships with co-workers and like-minded people.
  

• Growth - Companies that work on and continue to encourage growth can provide excellent opportunities for personal career growth for their employees. Responsibilities are given, new skills can be learned and you can really challenge yourself. This brings greater recognition to individuals’ careers and gives an opportunity to showcase achievements, as well as show the ability to adapt, leading to more diverse experiences that can prove to be valuable later down the line.

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