Although a company’s culture is not a visual entity, it is a palpable entity that most employees can tell you exist in their place of work without pinpointing the exactness of it. For a large company to succeed or a small business to be able to generate the sales they need, a positive, transparent working environment is always a positive asset to have, without investing too much in other training programs elsewhere. Lines of communication between departments and employees should be an important asset owners and managers alike should strive to exploit for the benefit of the business.
Tax-Free Weekend Lifts Sales for Small Businesses
STATEWIDE — Shoppers across Texas enjoyed a tax-free weekend on clothing and school supplies. While many flocked to large chain stores, some small businesses also saw a boost.
“Definitely it’s working,” said David Marrs, owner of Vagabond Vintage Clothing in San Marcos. “I don’t think it can compare to the outlet mall, but I think I saw my sales double yesterday.”
While the San Marcos outlets are always a big draw, shoppers saved 8.25 cents on every dollars of eligible purchases during the weekend no matter where they shopped. For some, it was the reason for a shopping spree. For others, a pleasant coincidence.
“I forgot that it was tax-free weekend,” said Matt Counts, a shopper at Vagabond.
“Until we didn’t pay tax!” laughed his wife Mandy Counts.
Business leaders say shopping at locally-owned stores is a move consumers can feel good about.
Highlight Company Culture to Attract Candidates with Passion
Recruiting motivated, purpose-driven candidates and matching them up to a job and company culture that matters to them will improve employee engagement and retention, according to recent research from LinkedIn.
The global network’s 2016 Global Talent Trends survey of over 33,000 professionals on LinkedIn revealed that those who see themselves staying at their current company for three or more years were more likely than others to be primarily motivated by a sense of purpose.
Forty-one percent of respondents said they couldn’t imagine being at their current company two years in the future, while 37 percent see themselves staying for three or more years. Of those who envision a longer future at their current organization, the largest percentage (39 percent) said they are motivated most by personal fulfillment and purpose and that they tend to accept a job because of a company’s culture, vision and products.
“Their primary motivation is using their work to advance a greater good, a higher cause, a mission they deem worthy of working toward,” said Esther Lee Cruz, global marketing manager at LinkedIn and a co-author of the survey’s report. Of the remaining 61 percent of respondents who intend to stay for three or more years at their current job, 35 percent indicated they are primarily driven by career status and compensation. Twenty-six percent did not indicate a primary motivator.
3 Telltale Signs of Toxic Company Culture – and What to Do About It
What is company culture? Look around you – company culture encompasses everything from your office layout, to the way you collaborate with peers and managers, to the costume contest held every Halloween. In today’s workplace landscape, culture has quickly moved from a “nice-to-have” to a “must have”. However, a recent study by Deloitte University Press reported that HR leaders consider culture and engagement their number one challenge.
So, how can your organizations create a strong company culture and avoid toxicity? It starts at the top. Leadership must vigilantly watch for warning signs and take proactive measures to ensure culture is protected.
Here are three warning signs of toxic company culture:
1. Knowledge Hoarding
Shared knowledge increases efficiency, improves employee performance, and fosters innovation. However, some individuals develop a “figure it out yourself” attitude instead of sharing tacit knowledge openly and willingly. They become territorial and lack the willingness to share their hard-earned skills and experience with colleagues. Some hoard information because they feed off of power and control. Others hoard knowledge because they believe sharing their knowledge with others will only make them disposable.
Passive-aggressive is a word you hear people use a lot. But, many of them use it to describe someone’s actions when it doesn’t actually apply. They don’t seem to understand what it really means; it’s just a buzz word.
A lot of successful small business owners think they’re good at delegating work to others. However, their employees, sub-contractors, partners, customers and family would disagree with this thinking. In actuality, most owners aren’t good at delegating responsibility and tasks to others.
