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How important is the culture of a company? Well, according to one of the most successful CEOs today, it’s exceedingly important. Warren Buffett, business magnate, investor, and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, wrote in an annual letter to company shareholders, “culture, more than rule books, determines how an organization behaves.”

Company culture is defined as the personality of a company. It outlines the mission, values, ethics, expectations, goals, and work environment. From top executives to newly hired employees, a company should be connected by a common culture. For Google, fueling employees with complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner is an important element in their culture. The organization has about 25 themed cafes at its Mountain View, California location, offering employees free food at a cost to Google of around $7,500 per person, per year, as estimated by Business Insider.

While there is no standard model for developing a company culture, each business should have a unique “company ID” that is established by the CEO and/or executives of that company. There are a number of best practices that can be followed to ensure that your company culture is being displayed:

• Hire employees that personify the same values as you or the company – this can help ease employee conflicts and ensure a peaceful setting.
• Ensure employees are aware of and familiar with the culture of the company, so that it can be fully embraced within the work atmosphere.
• Create a platform or forum where employees can voice their point of view on their choice of an interesting industry topic or work-related item – as Zappos does with The Culture Book.

At Zer0 to 5ive, there are several elements that create a productive and satisfying company environment. Following Google’s example, if on a smaller scale, we are provided with snacks, refreshments, and (most importantly) candy to munch on throughout the day. Twice per week we work from our home offices, which cuts back on stressful commutes and travel expenses. What may seem like employee perks all stem from Zer0 to 5ive’s culture being client-focused first and foremost. Flexibility in the work schedule only comes as a result of expecting that we meet client deadlines and drive results.

In addition, our company blog provides a place where employees can voice insightful perspectives on areas relevant to our industry or clients and we have at least three company retreats each year, fostering creative brainstorming and coworker bonding.

What is your company culture like? Leave your feedback in the comments section below!

Post by Lindsay Hull
Zer0 to 5ive Strategist