Company Culture: What the Best Workplaces Get Right

Have you ever completed your first day at a new job feeling like the clouds finally parted, the sun began shining, and angels were singing? The people, the process, the perks! Your new role feels like it’s too good to be true.

As you now know, a lot of different factors go into creating this employee experience. But what’s going to stand out most to newbies is the company culture. Truthfully, that culture probably started with a few descriptive words that really hit home.

Today, we’re taking a closer look at how to improve company culture intentionally with our words. What adjectives and principles do successful companies choose to create communities of engaged employees?

What is company culture?

Yes, company culture is a vibe. More specifically, company culture characterizes a workplace’s standards and climate. It’s evident in behaviors, values, and attitudes throughout the organization.

This culture should be evident in the organization’s communication and collaboration efforts. You’ll also see a company culture’s influence in:

• The way they celebrate employee milestones
• The company’s short and long-term goals
• Employee growth and development opportunities
• Leadership styles and management practices
• Employee engagement rates, motivation, morale, and job satisfaction

Finally, a company’s culture influences its public reputation and dealings. In a minute, we’ll share how the culture of really successful companies translates to exceptional service and a great brand image. For now, let’s put words to the feelings we want to create at work.

What are some words that describe a company’s culture?

The words we choose to define company culture can match, support, or closely align with core values.

For example, innovation might be one of your core values and overall missions. You could use a word like “curious” or “creative” to help define the culture. People who work in a curious or creative culture naturally feel more empowered. They share bold ideas and ask questions, supporting innovation.

The following list includes company culture words that describe popularly chosen values and behaviors.

Adjectives to describe a company culture
Autonomous	Respectful	Inclusive	Passionate	Empowering
Sustainable	Nurturing	Trusting	Innovative	Transparent
Flexible	Vibrant	Customer-Focused	Fun	Inspiring
Connected	Approachable	Progressive	Inspiring	Relaxed
Supportive	Engaging	Collaborative	Rewarding	Authentic

Are all company cultures positive?

Every intentional culture has positive qualities, yes. Companies whose cultures are best described as “toxic” or “stressful” rarely lay out a plan for that. One could argue that negativity is due to the absence of a culture (aka, a lack of community or clear purpose).

Some companies do take a neutral approach to culture. They would describe the environment as “traditional,” “professional,” or “results-driven.”

Why only three words to describe company culture?

A company culture can value and uphold upward of a dozen awesome adjectives. However, most people (including employees when surveyed 👀) would default to three to describe the vibe. The human brain loves groups of three.

For example, let’s choose:

• Collaborative
• Inclusive
• Respectful

As we foster this culture, we can see what other words align and reinforce our core three, such as:

• Supportive. A great quality to bolster both inclusion and collaboration.
• Flexible. Accommodates a wider variety of needs, shows respect for preferences.
• Approachable. No one feels unsure, isolated, or intimidated.
• Trusting. Trust is a sign of respect and improves collaboration.

Building branches out from our Big Three gives us more ideas and solutions for how to address situations. It also gives employees more specific behavioral cues and expectations.

We WANT to work: Companies with great culture

Let’s get on the ground and see what a successful company culture looks like. The following real-world examples of company culture are living proof that investing in employee satisfaction creates awesome and profitable business outcomes.

Zappos–Delighting customers and employees with fun, inclusive support.

The online shoe retailer is known for a fun, inclusive, supportive work environment. Employees get mentorship and growth opportunities. Plus, they host tons of social events, like their notorious costume contests. It’s all organized by their Chief Fungineer.

That sounds amazing, but it’s a very strategic move.

Those three cultural qualities serve one of their biggest objectives: sky-high levels of employee happiness. Why? Because happy employees provide exceptional customer service, which happens to be one of the company’s core values.

To make this even more effective, Zappos also promotes authenticity in its culture–letting people be themselves. This goes over even better with customers. They get great service from distinct humans and not just giddy employees reciting a script.

Valve–Autonomy driving collaboration, passion, and innovation.

You’d expect a video game developer to offer a culture of creativity and fun. However, Valve Corporation does something few companies would dare attempt–a culture of near-total autonomy.

They call it Flatland. There are no managers, and no real structure to speak of. That’s because Valve leverages autonomy to get what it really wants from its people: passion, innovation, and collaboration.

“This company is yours to steer,” their employee handbook assures new hires. In fact, since there’s no hierarchy, the handbook instructs new hires on how to do some hiring themselves:

“Any time you interview a potential hire, you need to ask yourself not only if they’re talented or collaborative but also if they’re capable of literally running this company, because they will be.”

It’s an unusual case, but it works for Valve. Its gaming platform, Steam, is the largest online with millions of active users.

Patagonia–Sustaining a flexible, supportive, nurturing environment.

Sustainability is Patagonia’s most forward-facing core value. Most consumers already know that 100% of its profits go toward addressing climate change.

But employees of the outdoor recreation juggernaut regard them as supportive and nurturing toward their workforce, too. Not to mention, very flexible.

High levels of flexibility attract the type of employees who already love and use Patagonia products. This makes their team effective brand ambassadors at every level. They get plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities, plus paid time off for activism.

The largest contributor to employee satisfaction is Patagonia’s commitment to work-life balance. Their employees get free on-site childcare, total health insurance, tuition reimbursement, and access to wellness/fitness resources.

All of this doesn’t just make Patagonia a great place to work. It fortifies its reputation as a trustworthy company that walks the walk.

Learn how to improve company culture with peer recognition

What adjectives for company culture resonate most in your workplace? No matter how companies describe the vibe, using simple, fun tools like HeyTaco brings teams together. Here’s a glimpse at what it’s done for a few of our 1,000+ partners:

• A fintech enterprise shifted its entire culture to one of celebration and collaboration.
• Duke University physicians increased messages of recognition by 600% for a more engaged, supportive work environment.
• A design consultancy transformed its culture by adding daily recognition and saw an astronomical rise in job satisfaction.

Creating company culture is just a few clicks away with HeyTaco, and it’s completely free to try.

Defining and improving company culture FAQ

How do you know what your current company culture is like?

Surveying employees would be most accurate. Turnover and engagement rates can tell you if people are satisfied, or if things have turned toxic. Behavioral indicators like never speaking up, high absenteeism, or missed deadlines can also speak volumes.

What are the fastest ways to improve company culture?

If you want to start shifting toward a positive culture this week, try the following:

• Eliminate one undesirable behavior, such as blaming or excluding others.
• Make meetings shorter and tighter, clarify weekly expectations.
• Start recognizing employees who champion your culture’s values.

Who defines the culture, leaders or employees?

Leaders and employees share ownership of the culture. However, leaders must first define it. They must share the vision and model the behavior they want to see. They also decide where cultural features appear in every organizational procedure.

How do you build culture on a remote team?

Remote teams need more ritual in their culture. A dedicated channel for recognition and weekly celebrations for small wins is common among HeyTaco teams. Virtual team activities and being clearer with guidelines and expectations also help people feel settled.