Having a company culture for your HVAC business is important because it shows your customers who you are and how you conduct your business. Culture stems from your values and beliefs, meaning it differs widely from company to company. Your unique culture is what works best for you, which is why former Google SVP of People Operations didn’t want to compare their culture to other companies, as it wouldn’t be very beneficial.
This post will help you figure out your HVAC business’s unique culture and how to keep it as you grow.
1. Assess Your Culture
Now, no need to worry, assessing your company’s culture is as easy as paying attention to how things are being done in the office, and how your current employees are behaving on a daily basis. Once you’ve established what the current practices are, you can hone in on what works, and what you want to improve. It helps to write everything down and keep it in a format that can be updated easily, which is what Patty McCord, former chief talent officer at Netflix, suggests you do in a recent interview with Knowledge@Wharton. When Patty worked at Netflix, she and her colleagues decided to do a little experiment and write down what they wanted their culture to be. She noted that they never set anything in stone so when something wasn’t working, or someone thought it could be done better, they could change it with no problem.
For more of Patty’s insights into talent management, or if you’re interested in her book ‘Powerful’, check out Learning from Netflix: How to Build a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility
Developing a culture where employees (and customers) have trust in you and your company is key in your success. It’s a good idea to refine your mission statement(s) and your values and re-evaluate your long-term and short-term goals to ensure that your company has a bright future and you continue to attract good employees. When a job seeker comes into your office for an interview, keep in mind that they will be assessing the culture. In the past few years, company culture has consistently climbed the ladder of importance and strong company culture is now just as important as a paycheck. So, Forbes asks an important question, “Besides a paycheck, what are your employees getting out of this exchange?” To see Forbes’ take on company culture and how to change it, check out What Is Company Culture, and How Do You Change It?
2. Hire New Employees Using a Set Criteria.
When hiring someone new, you want to be able to envision them fitting in with your culture. When we (meaning Davisware as a whole) think of culture, we look to emulate Parts Town, a genuine OEM parts partner of ours. Every single Parts Town employee lives and breathes the company’s values which are: integrity, passion, courage, and innovation. The hiring manager doesn’t need to look at a single resumé because their culture speaks for itself, and if you fit in, you fit in and if you don’t, you don’t!
If you have about three minutes, go ahead and take a look into their unique culture: The Magic of Parts Town
3. Remember, Culture ≠ Perks
Some may confuse company culture for perks and vice versa, but they are not the same. Perks can enhance company culture, but they should never substitute it.
In order to focus on culture, you can:
- Listen to your employees
- Encourage and sponsor personal and professional development
- Create new traditions and/or continue old ones
- Work together as a community
Get an inside look of how Greg Bresner, Founder and CEO of CultureIQ, focuses on culture: Entrepreneurs Need to Focus on Culture, Not Perks
Based on the information given above, it is clear to see that your culture ultimately comes from the core of who you are. It’s your vision, your leadership, your values as an organization, your traditions, and more., it doesn’t matter how you achieve culture, but that you have one for your HVAC business and that you hire those who are aligned with your core values and vision.
For Google, when it comes to company culture, it was important for them to understand what works for them, rather than what worked at other organizations. We encourage you to go forward following these same principals to define your unique culture.
