When discussing how to grow or improve a company, the culture is usually not an item that is high on the agenda. Business development, marketing, product development, efficiency improvements… I call these the body of the company. While important, it’s sterile to improve only these. Compare it to an alcoholic: getting him sober may heal his liver, but it won’t rid him of his core problem. Similarly, the company culture touches the heart of the company. How do you treat your co-workers? How involved are they? Do they have the opportunity to help you raise your organisation to a higher level?

When you involve your people in the organisation, they help you develop and grow your business

Aside from philanthropic reasons to get your people involved in decision making, there are tangible benefits for your organisation as well. Hay Group, a management consulting group, has published research into this matter. It points out three advantages of motivated and engaged personnel:

• They stay in the organisation longer
• Their performance is up to 50% higher (though this can be much higher depending on the situation)
• They offer great customer service.

I would add a fourth one: when you involve your people in the organisation, they help you develop and grow your business. Not just in the sense that a business developer does it, but by bringing a much larger expertise and many more ideas to the table. The world is moving so fast nowadays that you cannot follow all the business trends on your own. Get your people to think along and your organisation can act quicker on changes in your business context.

For the coming week or so, I am preparing a number of practical tips to get your co-workers engaged in your organisation. Start now to outpace your competition. But don’t forget to have fun along the way!