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TOP TIPS FOR RETAINING YOUR CULTURE,
VALUES AND PURPOSE OVER TIME INCLUDE:
■■ Look out for subtle signs that your employees are
becoming less engaged with your business as you
grow. This might manifest itself as employees lacking
the passion they once had for the business and being less
willing to go the extra mile. However, many SME owners
say they just have an instinctive feeling that things are
not quite right, which signals the need to re-engage the
workforce with the founding purpose and values of the
organization.
■■ Articulate your purpose and values in a way that reflects
your founding principles but also in a way that your
people can identify with. It is important to communicate
your values in words that really mean something to your
employees. Use focus groups to get employee feedback and
discuss what your values actually mean in practice in terms
of attitudes and behaviours.
■■ Consider how introducing new formal processes and
procedures will affect your business culture. Try to avoid
introducing processes that get in the way of efficiency
and flexibility, like cumbersome forms or lengthy sign-off
processes that complicate simple tasks.
■■ Your values and purpose need to be the golden thread
through all your people practices, especially your
recruitment processes. When hiring new staff, think
beyond technical capabilities and look for people who fit
with your culture and whose personal values and ways of
working match those of the organization. Cultural fit is
something that can’t be learned.
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12 ❚ SEPTEMBER 2014 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL
