Profits of Building a Strong Corporate Culture

I assume there's probably no solution more stunning or innovative to business management change than this one--the employees being naked at work on Fridays!

Originally, this idea was intended to relieve a worsening situation for a British company in Newcastle that had experienced a decline since the start of the financial crisis in the early part of this decade.

Amazingly, after the implementation of this practice, the employees felt more involved, more inter-connected and worked more efficiently, turning the financial tide for the company.

Certainly naked employees cannot necessarily solve every company's crisis, but there's one thing that all other companies could learn from this experiment and that is, change can help in building a strong corporate culture.

The success of this solution lies in the fact that it activated the working atmosphere and strengthened the spirit of teamwork by establishing a culture that encouraged familiarity and mutual trust. In my opinion, A strong corporate culture helps a company become a better place to work, foster productivity and innovation, build up a good brand image and even generate a positive cultural effect on communities.

To begin with, a company with a stronger corporate culture is likely to be a better place to work. Corporate culture serves as a bond to bring together people who share similar values; and a place which has greater chances of nurturing working relations. A healthy corporate culture, especially, motivates its employees.

Google Inc, a dream place for all job applicants, perfectly exercises the creed "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy", providing luxurious working space for employees. Mouth-watering delicacies, recreational facilities, and even massage services are readily available，creating a relaxing and stimulating atmosphere for employees while preparing them for more intensive brainstorming work. How could any employee possibly have the heart to resist such a humane company? Google Inc has apparently won its employees over by building a humanized and adaptive culture.

In sharp contrast, Enron, one of the world's previous energy giants, regarded "making profits" as its key value and measured success by how much profit each of its employees generated. The impersonal culture triggered competition and buried cooperation, making the company a tough place to work at, and which even led to the collapse of the company.

Next, companies with stronger corporate cultures are more capable of fostering productivity and innovation. Corporate cultures function as guidelines, giving employees a sense of direction at the workplace and allowing them to work more efficiently. A strong corporate culture especially encourages employees to be more productive and creative . Take Procter & Gamble as an example. Driven by its "Customers first" value, P&G has worked on producing and innovating different types of products of higher quality and lower price to cater to customers' needs.

Apple is another example. Striving for perfection and innovation is one of the guidelines the Apple employees must follow. It is largely because of this culture that the company managed to invent such miraculous products that pushed the technology serving the human race forward.

Apart from that, a strong corporate culture improves a company's brand image. Corporate cultures are recognized as the identity of high-visibility companies, influencing how customers might think about the products or services. If a company has a positive corporate culture, its products and services are seemingly injected with life and vitality. On the contrary, companies with bad corporate cultures, or even with none, might leave a negative impression on consumers.

Last but not least, strong and inspiring corporate cultures may have a positive impact on their various communities. On one hand, the values these cultures spread such as unity, honesty and the like are uplifting and educational. On the other hand, companies can take advantage of their cultural influences to promote active participation in public affairs. For example, Wal-Mart , an enterprise that attaches much importance to charities, has raised funds setting up special scholarships for students in need, calling on other enterprises to get involved for the public good.

In any case, a strong corporate culture is a powerful arm for an enterprise, and one which must be more than an empty slogan. With the help of such a platform, the enterprise can make itself a better place to work by creating a pleasant environment for employees, fostering productivity and innovation, shaping a better brand image and even doing much good for its communities.

Corporate leaders; Are you still wondering how to build-up a competitive company? Building a unique and strong corporate culture instead of copycatting certainly provides a way to help you out.