Corporate culture is much more than just the fruit basket and table football in the break room. It is at the heart of every company and has a decisive influence on how employees work together, which values are practised and how the brand is perceived externally. In this article, we shed light on the essence of a healthy corporate culture, show you how you can promote it in a targeted manner and which practical measures and tools can help you to develop and live a strong and authentic corporate culture.
Table of contents - What you can expect:
Why a positive corporate culture is important
Optimise corporate culture
Project time recording for a good corporate culture
Corporate culture encompasses the system of shared values, social norms and symbols that shape the behaviour, decisions and perceptions of the members of an organisation. It has a significant influence on how leadership is practised, relationships are shaped and decisions are made, and permeates all levels of the organisation - from top management to employees.
A successful corporate culture is crucial for your company, as it influences not only internal working conditions but also public perception. In times when ethical values and a positive working atmosphere are becoming increasingly important, a good corporate culture is becoming a key competitive advantage.
This is particularly evident in the following areas:
➡️ Attractiveness as an employer: Applicants attach great importance to a positive corporate culture, which is often mentioned even before additional monetary benefits and flexible working hours.
➡️ Employee loyalty and satisfaction: An open and respectful corporate culture promotes the satisfaction and loyalty of your employees.
➡️ Public perception: Bad corporate cultures can quickly make negative headlines and damage your brand.
A lived, positive corporate culture develops over years and is characterised by your management and the daily experiences of your employees.
A good corporate culture is reflected in various aspects of daily working life and interactions. It is like the character of a company and significantly influences how employees and customers perceive experiences and relationships. Here are key characteristics of a positive company culture:
These characteristics are crucial to developing a positive and sustainable corporate culture that has a positive impact both internally and externally.
In the 21st century, companies are confronted with a multitude of external factors that can influence their strategy and working methods. In addition to global market conditions, social and socio-political challenges play a central role. Aspects such as the Globalisation, the Pressure to perform in the meritocracy, Demographic changes and the Diversity are crucial to how companies need to adapt their processes and structures. Such changes often require an adaptation of the corporate culture, as they influence the values and behaviours within the organisation.
In order to optimise your corporate culture, it is crucial that your employees know the identity of the company and identify with the strategic goals. Encourage individual development and continuous training in order to utilise potential in a targeted manner and successfully master new challenges.
Transparent communication, cooperative leadership and a high capacity for innovation are also key to ensuring that aspirations and behaviour are in harmony. By involving all Stakeholders By addressing the issues appropriately and establishing a culture of error acceptance, you create an environment in which everyone involved can contribute with commitment and motivation.
Time recording is mandatory! The Federal Labour Court already confirmed this in September 2022 with its Time clock judgement decided. But: Time recording is not the same Project time tracking.
Nevertheless, those who record their project times precisely not only increase the efficiency of their company, but can also positively influence the working culture within the team.
When all team members record their project times transparently, a sense of trust is created between the company and its employees. Management gains insight into how much time is spent on certain projects, while employees have the certainty that their working hours are recorded fairly - including overtime.
Thanks to modern software for project time recording, companies can Optimise processes and make work processes more efficient. Time-consuming manual tasks are eliminated, allowing employees to concentrate more on their core tasks. The Digitisation promotes a results-orientated way of working that focuses on the quality and success of completed tasks.
The use of such software solutions increases the productivity of your team and focusses on the company's goals. Do you trust your employees? With the right project time tracking software, you can give your team autonomy without additional administrative effort. This motivates your employees to use their time effectively and optimise the way they work in order to achieve a good work-life balance.
Flexibility in the workplace is crucial in order to Specialists and retain them. A modern software solution for project time recording enables companies to offer this flexibility. With the ability to flexibly record project times, employees can better adapt their work to their individual circumstances - be it through part-time work, Flexitime or home office.
Also Decentralised teams can conveniently record their project times remotely. This opens up the opportunity for companies to search for the best talent worldwide and at the same time achieve a better Work-life balance to ensure that
Another important issue is overtime. Without clear time recording, overtime can easily get out of hand. Software like ZEP helps to better control and reduce overtime, which contributes to a healthier work-life balance for your employees.
A positive work culture and a good work-life balance are closely linked to employee satisfaction and motivation. Precise project time recording ensures that work performed is appropriately recognised and rewarded. Employees feel that they are treated fairly when their work is recognised and appreciated.
Would your employees like to record their working hours flexibly and autonomously? With a Software solution for project time recording like ZEP, you give your team this autonomy and control over their own work. This increases satisfaction and motivation.
Our tried-and-tested ZEP software also offers a visual representation of the time spent and work results. Graphics often make it easier to grasp results than pure figures. When employees see what they have achieved, they are more motivated to make future projects more productive and successful.
ZEP is our reliable and tried-and-tested software solution for project time recording. Our software fulfils many of the above criteria as a matter of course. What sets us apart? Firstly, you can rely on us - our many years of experience in project time recording make us a reliable partner for your project business. ZEP has already proven itself in more than 1,800 companies proven and has been over 20 years established on the market.
Another plus point: ZEP can be used as a modular system. Many additional modules offer maximum flexibility in handling. You only pay for the modules that you actually need. Do you already have an existing and well-functioning IT infrastructure? No problem! Our software solution for project time recording already harmonises with numerous interfaces - such as Personio or HubSpot. The security of your data is also a top priority for us. Our cloud-based software is hosted on German servers and fulfils all the requirements of the GDPR.
We support our customers across all industries in efficiently recording project times, positively influencing the work culture and enabling a better work-life balance for employees. If you want to digitalise your project business, you can use our software solution 30 days free of charge and test it without obligation.
Do you have any questions? Please have a look at our YouTube channel or secure an appointment in one of our Webinars. Some of your concerns can certainly be clarified here. And if you do get stuck, you can contact our support team during our business hours.
Corporate culture has a significant impact on behaviour and cooperation within a company. Various models help to better understand the often complex and multi-layered aspects of corporate culture and to shape them in a targeted manner. In the following, we present three of the best-known models that offer different perspectives on the structure and dynamics of corporate cultures. These models can support companies in analysing, improving and successfully living their culture.
Developed by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman in the 1970s, the 7-S model focuses on seven soft and hard factors that influence a company's success. While hard factors such as plans and concepts are clearly visible, soft factors such as values and working methods are less tangible but more influential. Peters and Waterman emphasise that companies are only successful if they achieve a balance between these factors.
Edward T. Hall compares corporate culture to an iceberg, where only a small part is visible, while the larger, invisible part lies beneath the surface. The tip of the iceberg represents the visible elements of an organisation's culture, while the hidden structures underneath play a key role in shaping the culture. Changes in the corporate culture must target these invisible factors in order to achieve sustainable effects.
Geert Hofstede describes culture as a "software of the brain" that is shaped by shared values, symbols, heroes and rituals. He uses the image of an onion to illustrate the layers of culture that are developed through shared socialisation within an environment. This model helps to understand the differences between different cultural groups and to promote stability within an organisation.
A positive corporate culture can be measured using various methods and key figures. Employee surveys, fluctuation rates and analysing employee satisfaction provide valuable insights into the cultural mood in the company. Feedback rounds and regular discussions can also help to assess the values practised and the working atmosphere. These measurements make it possible to make targeted improvements and continuously strengthen the corporate culture.
A healthy and strong company is based on a positive corporate culture that encompasses far more than just superficial amenities such as fruit baskets and foosball tables. It shapes the working environment, teamwork and the external perception of the brand. With the right measures and tools, such as precise project time recording and a clearly defined communication culture, you can promote this culture in a targeted manner. This not only leads to greater employee satisfaction and motivation, but also to increased efficiency and productivity.
In the long term, a positive corporate culture offers a decisive competitive advantage by attracting the best talent, strengthening employee loyalty and positioning the company successfully on the market.
The corporate culture is reflected in everyday life by the way in which employees communicate with each other and with managers, how conflicts are resolved and how decisions are made. It influences how mistakes are dealt with, how performance is recognised and the general working atmosphere in the company.
An agile corporate culture promotes flexibility, fast decision-making and continuous improvement. It emphasises collaboration, transparency and the willingness to respond dynamically to change in order to adapt to market and customer needs.
The corporate mission statement defines the vision, mission and values of a company and serves as strategic orientation. The corporate culture, on the other hand, is the lived practice of these principles in everyday life and reflects how the company's values are actually implemented and experienced.
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