Creating
Greatness:
Building a Positive
Company Culture
by Kristen Perez
H
2016 Issue 1 |
THE
SCORE
16
ow do you define a positive company culture? Is it offering
amazing benefits and perks that make people clamor to work
there (i.e., Facebook’s free snacks and on-site video arcade)?
How about simply creating an environment
where people feel appreciated? The answers are
endless and will vary based on who you ask.
As a franchisee, you have to account for
the culture not only in any corporate office you
may have, but also in your restaurants. And what
works to promote your preferred culture in your
office may not work in those restaurants. The
atmosphere, staff dynamics and the type of work
being done vary greatly, even from restaurant
to restaurant. That is a lot of culture to manage.
So what is important to Buffalo Wild Wings®
franchisees regarding company culture and
how do they promote that culture
throughout the ranks? Read
on to find out.
Franchisee Joshua
Theiss, with Buck
Hawk, Inc., believes
that company culture
is spread from and
cultivated by those
who operate the
restaurants, particularly,
managers. “They have to
buy into the underlying culture and then
lead enough of the staff toward common
goals,” he entailed.
So, what do you have to do to help
managers buy in? Theiss employs multiple
avenues to promote a positive culture throughout the company,
“We have our own internal mission statement that we have
posted everywhere: server stations, bulletin boards, HOH doors,
etc. It’s always present. We publicly recognize those who get
superior shopper scores, buy branded jackets for those who
reach milestones in length of employment, high-five those who
just show up in a good mood. Basically, we try to show that
being great and doing excellent work is fun whereas anything
else is just, eh.”
There is also an abundance of material out there to help
further define company culture and how to best implement
it. Theiss recommends reading the following: Peter Drucker’s
“The Practice of Management;” Jim Sullivan’s “Mind Your Own
Business;” Michael Feuer’s “The Benevolent Dictator;” Marcus
Buckingham’s “Trombone Player Wanted” series; and books by
Jim Collins.
The effects of a negative culture can be as damaging as a
positive one can be inspiring. “The [culture of the] journalism
department at the college I attended was negative. Many of the
professors were bitter and cynical, rarely encouraging people to
reach,” reflected Theiss. “I’ll never forget w [