Scaling Culture in Sync With Company Growth

Witnessing the growth and progression of a young company offers a unique sense of excitement. Within the walls of these startups are lists of ideas, acts of innovation and focused energy. Typically, all members involved feel a deep sense of shared purpose and understanding. The level of contribution by each employee is a powerful tool toward momentum. This built-up elasticity propels the organization into the next phase of business maturation.

Entering into the subsequent phases of growth is no easy task; in fact, only half of businesses make it beyond the five-year mark. The decisions made in the first three years are pivotal to long-term success. If the organization can maintain its original vision, the odds of becoming sustainable greatly increase.

This vision and purpose of the company are perhaps the most important contributing factors to a thriving organization. There is an unfortunate reality that businesses face as they mature. As more team members are brought on board, the potential of silo creation can occur. It is at this stage that leadership must convey the original vision to all new employees if they desire to maintain momentum. This becomes more difficult as the employee count reaches new heights. Before a company even realizes it, a gap has been generated between upper, middle and lower management. It is at this point that the culture of the company is at risk.

Company culture is one of the most important aspects of a successful company. Culture creates cohesion. A cohesive team is a support system for company health and a driving force toward success. As employees feel more engaged with one another and their work, they will feel a personal duty to accomplish the vision of the company. In a real way, the milestones of the company are perceived as personal milestones of the employee.

It is important to remember that the culture of the company ought to grow at the same pace as the organization itself. If measures are not taken to positively maintain and increase the culture amidst the employees, it will quickly fade. Once the culture disappears, so will the vision and purpose behind the company.

Although there is no secret recipe for creating stronger culture and community, I have found that there are certain areas that may have a higher impact than others. As I have studied the topic of company culture over the past year, I believe in seven foundational principles of culture. I firmly believe that these seven principles can have a positive impact on syncing the company culture with the growth of personnel.

• Community: Do your employees or teammates feel a sense of belonging?
• Engagement: Are your employees or teammates participating in company activities or projects?
• Diversity: Is your organization properly utilizing the skills of individuals with different interests, backgrounds and perspectives toward a common goal?
• Balance: Are you enabling work-life balance and allowing ample time to reset?
• Vision: Does the organization have a mission or vision that everyone understands and believes?
• Opportunity: Is there an existing perception of personal growth and development within the organization?
• Intrapreneurship: Are your employees given creative freedom and entrepreneurial encouragement to assist in the growth of the company from within?

More than ever, employees are yearning for positive culture in the workplace. Regardless of size, leadership can have a positive impact on their own culture. These actions must begin from the top and trickle down.

As culture increases, the output of the company increases. There is no excuse to invest all efforts of growth externally. More can always be done within the walls of a growing company. As growth is achieved both inside and outside, the company can be on its way to achieve greatness.

The views and opinions expressed in guest posts and/or profiles are those of the authors or sources and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Security Industry Association.

This article originally appeared in RISE Together: A Newsletter for Emerging Security Leaders, presented by SIA’s RISE community.