You And Online Training Can Change Your Work Culture

 

 

Ok, so, what is work culture exactly? Simply put, it’s how people interact, communicate, and think of each other in the work environment. If you think about it, it’s nothing more than the behavioral standards that are accepted in that work environment. The question is where did the standards in place come from and are they the best to produce a positive, productive, and engaging work environment?

If, as with most companies, the answer is no, then there is good news! The culture of your work environment can be changed. Even better, it’s not as hard as you may think. Remember there are three parts to the work culture:

1. How the people interact
2. How the people communicate
3. How the people think of each other and the work environment

A quick look at each

People interact based on what the acceptable norm is for that environment. Very often, what’s acceptable behavior at home with your family is different than what is acceptable in other environments, including work. At work it may be acceptable to be sarcastic, loud or short with others. At home those behaviors can cause unpleasant consequences. At home, it is often customary to touch and hug to display affection for one another, at work that would probably just be weird. Home is usually a more enjoyable environment because we think of that environment as “full of people we care about”. Often people have a negative outlook about the people in their work environment like, “I don’t know them” or “they’re just people I have to work with”.

 

To change the work environment or reinvent it. You only, need to adopt new standards for interacting, communicating, and how you think of and perceive the environment. With that said, the new standards do have to be introduced and changed throughout the organization at the same time. How do we do that? We provide the new standards to everyone at the same time. Then adopt them as the new acceptable behaviors in this work environment.

 

So, think of it this way. You have online training that provides a positive leadership and behavior standard. You have the leaders and the staff take it at the same time, so everyone is given the same behavioral standards. Next you provide a new set of interpersonal communication skills. And if you really want your culture built for speed, productivity, and performance, provide and adopt a set of high performance work skills. Finally, a high-quality diversity course to open people to more positive understanding about the differences in people.

 

It’s simple! … Isn’t it?

There it is, a simple formula in one paragraph! To really round it out, you would adopt positive and specifically focused mission and vision statements to help people mold the way they think about the people they work with, as a team.

In a nutshell, you use three or four courses. You give your organizational members the first course on leadership and workplace interaction. You then give them a period like maybe a month to take the course. You have everyone begin to use and share the information and remind each other in the work environment. You adopt the courses information as your new interaction standards. Then do it again with the interpersonal communication course. Now you’re a couple on months into the change and the work environment is nothing like it was. Now people are more positive, helpful, engaging, supportive, pleasant, and professional. At this point you may realize as well, that you didn’t pay others even more to do something you can do better anyway! Culture change is within your grasp. It’s a matter of good standards (training), good plan (training exposure) and commitment to the adoption and implementation throughout the organization. You have three different training courses, four if you want the specific skill sets for operational efficiency and high-performance productivity. They are:

1. Leadership and professional interaction (behavioral standards)
2. Interpersonal communication (communication standards)
3. Diversity and understanding people (thought standards)

 

More advantages of the online training approach

Research shows that the average person needs up to six exposures to the information with reinforcement in the middle (practice), in order for them to retain up to 90% of the information. With online training they can get multiple exposures conveniently and at no additional cost. Online training provides the flexibility and ease of use you do not get with an outside organization leading your culture change. Ultimately, it comes down to your team and organization committing to and making the change, if it’s going to happen. Take advantage of online training and take advantage of your opportunity to build your winning corporate culture. Everyday is an opportunity, if you choose to embrace it.

Always remember, no one can or will ever change you  but you!