Creating a Company Culture that will Decrease Turnover

I’m grateful you’re back for another week🙂

Yesterday, I overheard two employees in the same organization saying, "Oops, that's why we can't have nice things around here." They laughed while accidentally bumping equipment into walls as they tried repositioning it. This experience did not occur in a childcare center, but it made me think about the organization's culture.

This week let's discuss the company culture and its impact on employee retention and the overall work environment.

What is company culture?

Culture in early childhood programs is like their personality, with written and unwritten rules that shape employee behavior and values, ultimately influencing the work environment.

As an early childhood leader, what changes should I make to promote the culture I envision for my program?

The most important thing I do is prioritize the culture I want to have within my early childcare programs. If you notice something that does not align with your desired culture, address it. It is not just you and the employees who see the culture within your early childhood program; it is also the children, parents, and visitors.

When I observed the employees at the other organization joking about damaging equipment and the wall, my impression was that their culture doesn’t value the money needed to fix the damaged equipment or the wall. As well, there was no pride in taking care of their workspace.

Two ways to start evaluating how employees view the company culture are:

1. Create a survey to gather employees' perspectives on the company culture.

2. Conduct a staff meeting activity to gather feedback.

After you receive the feedback, identify the strengths and opportunities for making changes!

A positive company culture is crucial for retaining employees because it conveys that the company is credible, respectful, fair, and in line with its values. It also fosters a sense of pride and belonging, ultimately inspiring loyalty and longevity within the organization.

Till Next time,

Jen Sprafka🖍️

P.S. Looking for an activity to gather thoughts on building culture? Check out this one!

P.P.S. Need help creating a survey – email me! [email protected]