Is your company culture killing motivation? Find out now

You know that culture and employee engagement are essential, but did you know they're connected? A strong company culture can motivate employees and increase engagement. On the other hand, negative or toxic company culture can lead to low employee morale and high turnover rates.

Research shows that disengaged employees are 3.8 times more likely to blame company culture for their departure than engaged employees.

If you want to improve motivation and employee engagement, start with culture. Here's what you need to know.

What is company culture?

Company culture is the shared beliefs, values, and standards that define how employees behave and interact with each other and with customers. It includes everything from the physical environment to how employees dress, communicate, and make decisions. 

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Company culture is often shaped by the company's history, values, and goals. The way that leadership behaves also plays a role in shaping company culture. Managers influence employee engagement and can boost positive company culture.

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What is employee engagement?

Employee engagement refers to employees' level of involvement, commitment, and motivation for their jobs. An engaged employee is more likely to remain with their company, to be productive, and to take on additional responsibilities. 

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Employee engagement differs from employee satisfaction, which measures how happy workers are with their job. Satisfied employees may still be disengaged and unmotivated. Likewise, engagement and employee motivation are not the same. Employees can be motivated to do their work without feeling engaged with the company or their job.

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How are company culture and employee engagement connected?

A strong organizational culture can improve employee engagement by:

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• Creating a positive work environment: A positive environment is more likely to engage team members and motivate them to do their best.
• Fostering a sense of belonging: A strong company culture can help make employees feel like they belong to something bigger. This shared purpose can motivate and inspire them to do their best work.
• Recognizing and rewarding employees: Recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions can help them feel more engaged with their work.
• Offering growth opportunities: Employees allowed to grow and develop are more likely to be engaged with their work.

What does research tell us about how company culture shapes employee motivation?

Boosting employee engagement requires more than just motivating employees. Gallup calls a strong organizational culture the "optimal performance driver." Their research shows that companies with a strong culture are more likely to have engaged employees who are more productive and less likely to leave their job.

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Employee engagement statistics show considerable benefits to creating a positive company culture that engages employees. Engaged team members produce better business results, according to Gallup. 

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According to a recent global survey of leaders and employees, culture is more crucial to success than business processes. Results revealed increased revenue and customer satisfaction in organizations with a strong culture. 

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Unfortunately, less than half of U.S. workers (41%) know what makes their company different from its competitors. Employees perform better when they understand what differentiates the brand, but they need to know what that is to do their best work.

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Researchers also say that managers are essential in shaping and maintaining company culture. Managers drive employee engagement, and they do this by modeling desired behavior, setting expectations, and providing feedback and recognition. Recognition is the most meaningful part of company culture for 53% of employees.

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How do you create a culture and engagement strategy?

An ideal employee engagement solution is part of a larger company culture initiative. According to Gallup's proven methods, culture transformation is a four-step process:

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• Define your culture. Study what's currently working and identify your ideal culture to discover areas of opportunity. You might use employee surveys, 1:1 or team meetings, or review other data sources.
• Align your workforce. Share key ideals among all leaders, managers, and employees to ensure everyone understands and communicates the same message. 
• Drive adoption. Incorporate the defined culture into work policies and processes. You can include standard tactics like performance management and employee recognition. And be sure to try informal methods, such as using employee engagement apps or Gomada's team building activities for work.
• Sustain your ecosystem. Periodically check in with employees to see their feelings and what's working. Employee engagement platforms can help with this. Automate ongoing team building activities to keep things fresh and fun.

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This process is not a one-time event but an ongoing journey that will require time, energy, and resources. And remember, communication is the most important part of company culture and employee engagement strategy. Be clear about the desired culture, use the right tools, and involve everyone in making it happen.