Count on Culture: 5 Tips for Building a Positive Work Environment

Whether it’s a vacation resort or a quick lube shop, a service-oriented business’ ticket to happy guests starts with establishing—and sustaining—a healthy workplace culture, says long-time HR professional Chuck Simikian.

“You want to treat culture like vehicle maintenance,” says Simikian. “You don't change your oil once and forget it. You check the levels, you fix leaks, you keep things running smoothly. It's those little things. If you ignore it, (the vehicle) will break down. And so you have to keep going, like breathing.”

Simikian speaks from more than 30 years of HR experience across a range of industries, from hospitality and themed attractions to retail and not-for-profits. For operators looking to improve the culture among staff in their shop, Simikian offers these five recommendations.

1. Define and reinforce clear standards. The first step in building a strong workplace culture is establishing a set of expectations for performance and conduct. This includes how staff members interact with guests and each other. Exceptional service, efficiency, a well-kept facility, and friendliness are all hallmarks of a healthy workplace culture, says Simikian.

“You want to start with the clarity of what is your goal?” says Simikian. “What do you define your culture as? A shop owner could even ask everyone and say, what's our version of five-star service? What are those behaviors that we want to change?”

2. Lead by example, and be visible. Culture follows the leader, says Simikian, and shop owners and managers should lead by example, modeling the behaviors they expect from their team. This includes showing care, professionalism, and customer focus.

“If you want your employees to care, you need to show them what caring is about,” Simikian says.

3. Recognize and celebrate small wins. Meaningful recognition by management can work wonders for staff morale, says Simikian. The key, he adds, is that the recognition must be truly meaningful and not rote. As an example, Simikian explains why his organization has taken an unconventional approach to honoring strong performers.

“It’s amazing what a thank you can do,” he says. “We started something called the manager of the moment. It's not every management meeting or every month. But if someone did something great, we're going to celebrate. … If you try and have an employee of the month, and you have eight people at the lube shop, eventually you're going to run out of people. ‘Well, we’ve got to pick someone.’ You want to come up with ways to spontaneously thank people rather than (it being) just functionality.”

4. Involve employees in the process of culture building. Staff members can play a key role in building a culture of which they are a part.  Simikian recommends asking employees for input because they have their finger on the pulse of guests’ needs and often are aware of issues before management.

“Everyone there builds culture,” he says. “Everyone’s playing a role.”

5. Address toxic behavior promptly. Customers often can tell within seconds if team members are proud to be where they are or if they’re just going through the motions, and an employee’s negative attitude can cast a pall over a guest’s entire visit for service.

Even a single employee with a poor attitude or bad habits can cause a shop’s good workplace culture to unravel quickly. Hold expectation alignment conversations when they are needed, and if an employee isn’t willing to get on board, be willing to cut ties, says Simikian.

“I know it's tough because (operators might say), ‘We can't afford to get rid of this person because I can't find anyone,’ right? But can you afford not to get rid of them?” Simikian says. “And I'm not saying get rid of people or writing them up all the time. Take a look at aligning expectations and pulling someone in and saying, ‘This is where we are, this is where you are. This is where we want the team to be, and you're kind of over here. And I really need to bring you in alignment with how we're doing things.”

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Chuck Simikian, SPHR, SHRM-CP, hosts the “HR Stories Podcast,” where he shares real-world lessons and actionable insights for managers and HR professionals. He is also the author of The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition, a practical resource to help organizations “get HR right” and avoid costly mistakes.