Creating a Company Culture that Captivates

by Krista Scarlett | Jun 21, 2017

You Are Who You Hire

Building a strong company culture is hard. It takes the right mix of people, from upper-level management to your lowest-level employees. Every employee has to feel like they’re a part of the team that’s working toward something bigger than themselves.

At Graphcom, we’re pretty darn lucky to do what we do. We come to a workplace every day that’s all about innovation, inspiration, and creativity. We foster an environment where people are working collaboratively together, sharing ideas, and improving the results.

We’re really proud of our company culture, and we believe it’s one of the things that makes our marketing firm so unique. So, what can you do to take your company culture from good to great?

Create Something People Want to Be a Part Of

Employees want to come to work each day and feel challenged, excited, and supported. An environment that allows them to test their limits will lead to stronger work.

“When you’re surrounded by talented people who love what they do, they push the envelope on what’s possible, and that energy is infectious,” says Matt Livelsberger, president of Graphcom. “Great work leads to more great work, which leads to more passionate people joining our team.”

A company with a strong culture gives its employees the tools they need to succeed and be innovative. At Graphcom, our employees are empowered to be creative and challenge what’s possible. Fostering an environment where employees feel like their ambitions aren’t being restrained is essential.

Happy Employees Stick Around

On the flip side, if employees feel like they aren’t being challenged or supported, they’re more likely to bolt at the first hint of greener pastures. The kind of employees your company should want are passionate about their work, not just collecting a paycheck.

“One of our most important interview questions is, ‘What gets you out of bed in the morning?’” Matt says. “If their answer is a paycheck, this probably isn’t the right place for them. To be clear, we get paychecks here, but it’s about so much more than that.”

If a company wants to be considered elite, they need elite employees. When you’re lucky enough to have someone in the fold that’s great at what they do and inspires passion in others, do what it takes to keep them happy and on your team.

Have the Right Leaders in Place

Leaders can make or break a workplace. Your leadership team should foster an environment of teamwork and transparency. Employees should feel like they have the ability to communicate openly and honestly with leaders at all times. When there’s communication between team members on projects, the work is better. And when the work is better, the customers are happier.

Adjust to Growth

The larger your company gets, the more important it becomes to focus on communication and teamwork. While the organization may be growing in size, the bones of it should remain the same.

“We face new challenges as we grow, such as how to keep that family feeling across multiple state lines and buildings,” says Matt. “I can honestly say that this is the largest we’ve ever been as a company, and I think our culture is more positive and family oriented than it was 25 years ago. Not that it was bad before, but it keeps getting better each day.”

Work Hard, Play Hard

We don’t mean to brag, but we think Graphcom’s company culture is second to none. Every day, our employees keep pushing the boundaries of both themselves and the industry. We’re constantly learning new things and finding better ways to solve problems.

We’re a fun, lively (sometimes crazy) bunch—how many companies have a monthly “Cake Day” where they gather as a team to celebrate successes and consume large amounts of sugar together?

Our team plays hard but works harder. We have many different skill sets and backgrounds, but we all have one thing in common: we’re working toward the same goals for our clients and the company.

Around here we have a saying: “The vision to communicate yours.” It’s not just our vision statement—it’s the only way we do business. Our success is measured by how we help our clients succeed and how satisfied our employees are daily.

Our company values say a lot about who we are as well. Family, honesty, and integrity are all integral parts of our culture. We understand the importance of taking care of individual and family needs, provide open and honest communication in all our relationships, and value our good name.