Have you ever had a job where you genuinely looked forward to going to work? Conversely, you’ve no doubt had a job where you dreaded the start of the work week. But what is it that makes one job so much better than another? Apart from the work itself, the answer is simple. It’s the people. People make or break a work environment. People are the creators of culture.

So, the question becomes not, “What are the elements of great company culture?”, but rather, “What can I do to foster happiness in my team members?”

At The Acquisition Group, we operate on the principle: happy team, happy life. We believe that by fostering happiness in our employees, great company culture follows of its own accord.

Here are five ways that we encourage happiness in our team members:

1. BY PAINTING THE BIG PICTURE

Understanding what the end goal is helps you feel like there is a purpose to your work. When you can see the big picture, you also understand what you need to contribute to get there. If you don’t know what the goal is, you might prioritize the wrong things or feel like your work is meaningless. All these issues go away when the overall objective is made clear, and team members work together towards a common goal. The power of purpose should never be underestimated. 

2. BY BEING WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE

Fostering an open and inclusive work environment goes a long way towards creating a happy team. When there are closed doors and team members don’t feel like they can ask questions or share ideas, unhappiness is brewing. This kind of closed off environment is a recipe for conflict. Instead, always encourage questions, welcome ideas and keep doors open! This will ensure that trust and cooperation win out over resentment and division. 

3. BY NURTURING GROWTH

Nurturing growth is all about focusing on people’s strengths and individuality. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. A good leader knows how to identify his team members’ best qualities and steer them towards roles and responsibilities that will play into those strengths. Not only will your team members be more successful at their jobs, they will also feel that sense of accomplishment, and continue to do better work moving forwards. 

4. BY REWARDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

At The Acquisition Group, we are strong believers in rewarding accomplishments. We always hire from within for that very reason. Everybody loves to have their hard work recognized, and nobody stays very long in a place where they feel unappreciated. Or if they do stay, they create a negative atmosphere. When you make it a habit to reward your people, you ensure they feel appreciated and you incentivize the rest of your team in the process!

5. BY CELEBRATING SUCCESSES AND HAVING FUN

Just like we believe in rewarding individual hard work, we also believe in celebrating team successes! When you work hard as a team to reach a goal, nothing feels better than celebrating your success together. Some kind of recognition like a meal, a fun activity or a cake come lunch hour will bring your team together, encourage strong relationships and create an overall positive environment. 

There is no one recipe for great company culture. You can’t fix culture any more than you can replicate what big names like Google or Facebook are doing. What you can do is nurture culture by nurturing your people, and by carefully choosing who you hire in the first place. 

Feel like you can contribute to a growing, fast-paced, dynamic team? The Acquisition Group has a career fit for you!