This article originally appeared at Forbes.com.
How many people do you know who seem to have an amazing job and workplace…but are still miserable every day? Their office is brand new—beautiful, tall-ceilinged, spick-and-span. They’ve got coffee and juices and gym memberships at their fingertips (at no cost, of course), and an on-site masseuse or childcare specialist. They may even have unlimited vacation time or work-from-home days. Even though the office is saturated with top-of-the-line perks, something is missing — a spark that could inspire them to truly love what they do.
That missing spark, as you probably know, comes down to culture. Organizations with great cultures provide certain benefits that perks-saturated workplaces can’t deliver. These are the things that build the kind of workplaces that inspire loyalty, happiness, health and greatness. And they’re not usually things that break the bank, either. Keep reading to discover the top traits, we’ve found, that make a great culture—along with examples from businesses that embody each one. Has your organization embraced them yet?
An Inspirational Vision
There’s nothing like an inspirational vision to propel an organization to greatness. Take Greystone Bakery, a Yonkers, New York-based business whose vision is to give back to the community by empowering employees from all walks of life. That vision is powerful, and it’s not just talk for Greystone. In their quest to improve the Yonkers community, they’ve chosen to hire ex-convicts, the homeless and troubled students—anyone who has a drive to succeed and believes in the vision, but may have struggled to find stable jobs in the past. And it’s worked. Greystone has grown a great culture and an incredibly successful business. In the three decades since the bakery opened its doors it has grown from a small, local operation to a provider of baked goods for both Whole Foods and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. And it all started from a vision of empowering people with skills and work experience to set them up for success.
Positive Feedback Loops
A few months into a new job, you take a company survey that asks about your productivity, engagement and satisfaction. You answer honestly, take your time to read every question and respond in constructive and thoughtful ways. But although the company says they take all feedback into consideration, no one follows up to say thank you or to discuss your solutions to various workplace problems. None of your responses seem to matter, because no changes are made. So the next time you get asked to take a company survey, you disregard it entirely, because you think, “What’s the point?” Don’t be the employer or leader who takes your people’s feedback for granted. Take a leaf from Google, who asks for employee feedback, and then internalizes and analyzes it on a team and company level. The positive feedback loop keeps trust and engagement high — and helps employees feel connected to the goings on in the organization.
The Opportunity To Be the Best You
This might sound stunningly obvious, but we’ve bumped into this problem numerous times inside companies who think the concept of building a culture means turning employees into cookie-cutter thinkers. But the best cultures want each individual to bring their best and unique self to work — the way Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants sing over the intercom, or how Wegmans Food Markets allows un-heard-of scheduling flexibility, which is uncommon in the retail world. You might also be thinking, ‘Flexible schedules are a perk.’ And that is true. However, Wegmans offers the flexibility so employees can feel like time with their family, time to pursue an outside passion or further their education isn’t a burden on the company. The best cultures support and cheer for the individual, and that typically means the individual supports and cheers for the company.
Genuine Appreciation
This one can sometimes trip people up. “Perks are a sign my organization cares for me, right?” they ask. And sometimes, that is spot-on. When perks are coupled with a culture of employee appreciation, they can definitely make individuals feel cared for and valued at their organizations. The problem arises when perks are used as a substitute for personalized, meaningful recognition. When great work is done, people deserve to be applauded publicly at a meeting or in a short, sweet note. Out to lunch with the team, or with a token of gratitude. Appreciating great work makes all the difference for your culture and your people. SAS, which ranks third on the Fortune 100 Best Places to Work list, lives this mantra. They have appreciation ingrained in their culture, and ensure that no employee ever feels left out. So educate and empower everyone — peers, leaders, and even the C-suite —to thank one another when it’s deserved, whether or not you’ve got a great perks package to boot.
Perks, cool workspaces and free lunch are awesome. But, what really makes great cultures are the intangible things — the attitudes, the relationships and understanding of a shared vision. Apply these simple insights instead of (or in addition to) a swanky perks package, and your employees will thank you for it. In fact, they’ll support you beyond your imagination.
David Sturt and Todd Nordstrom work with the O.C. Tanner Institute. Learn more about The New York Times bestseller "Great Work: How to Make a Difference People Love" (McGraw-Hill) at www.greatwork.com.