I am a believer in a strong company culture. Companies need to have strong cultures or too many things can fall through the cracks. I’ve watched first hand the culture being grown here through the vision that Alan Crone has for us. That’s why he has let me, the dog, write about it.
I think that a good company culture is like a strong bone. I want to chew on that bone forever if it has everything I’m looking for. However if I can tell it’s subpar, and trust me I can, then I don’t want it for even a second. I’m going to break down five tips for a strong company culture every business needs.
Establish Core Values
The Crone Law Firm has 5 core values.
- Excellence
- Service
- Reliability
- Transparency
- Integrity
We do not sacrifice any of these values for any case that we have. Our attorneys want our clients to know that we hold ourselves accountable to these core values. So why is that important for culture?
My core value is that I will bark at everyone that walks by my window at home. Why? Because I protect the house. Plain and simple. That’s my job at home. If I don’t bark, then people will think it’s okay to walk on my lawn or enter my home. That’s unacceptable. By never resting on my core value, the house is protected and the humans feel safe knowing that I’m protecting them.
It’s the same thing for businesses. If clients know that we will never sacrifice on excellence, service, reliability, transparency, and integrity, then they will know that we will provide them the best case that we can. The accountability helps strengthen the company culture by our team members knowing that laziness or cutting corners is out of the question. Having everyone locked in on core values, helps your company culture thrive.
Having The Right Fit for Each Position
Every position at the firm is picked to be filled by a very specific person. We don’t pick any attorney to help with your non-compete agreement, overtime claim, or retaliation case. We pick each person based off the type of practice area that fits them best. It is the same with our back-office staff. They all have specific traits that help them thrive in those positions.
When you have everybody in the right spot, it makes the work easier and less stressful. As the CCO (Chief Canine Officer), I am in the perfect position. The job description describes that I’m in charge of morale for our team members, sometimes finish their left-over lunches, and provide blogs for the website. I’m the perfect fit over here. Now people don’t have to worry about making sure everyone’s spirits are up because I’ve got it covered!
Regular Accountability Meetings
I know what you’re thinking. I don’t want regular meetings. Can’t we just send our reports over email and be done with it? I personally love meeting because that’s where all the people are at one time. I get so many pets during a meeting, you have no idea.
But these meetings are important to hold the members of your team accountable for what they are doing on a regular basis. For example, as CCO how on earth am I supposed to know what the legal teams are up to? I have no idea what they do. All I know is they give me treats when I walk into their offices, but our CEO and Legal Director need to know. It’s the same with all of the teams in our firm. Their directors and Alan need to know how everyone is doing. If we all stay isolated, then people will start to take the foot off the gas.
I know meetings aren’t everyone’s water bowl. I understand they may not love them as much as I do. But they are important for the firm’s accountability and overall company culture.
Team Building Events
It’s important to get out of the office every once and a while with the people you work with. Doing something fun with everybody to lighten the mood back at the office can be a great way to build a strong company culture.
The events don’t have to be out of the office either. We’ve had really fun lunches to celebrate birthdays, cake to celebrate cases we’ve won, and games to lighten the tension. Working in employment law is hard. People come to us on some of their worst days, and we are proud to be able to help them, but that can way on people sometimes. It’s important do something fun to get the team refocused and energized.
Archie’s Final Thoughts on Company Culture
I am proud of the culture that has been built here at the firm. I believe that we are the best team to help anyone in their employment law issue. I hope that I’ve been able to help any business owners rethink what their company culture is like. If there is anything to take away from this blog, it’s that every business needs core values.
I would be happy to help anyone build their values for their firm or business. They will mainly consist of treats all the time, bark at everything, and daily walks, but I would be willing to hear your opinions too. To learn more about our firm’s culture click here to view our YouTube playlist about our firm! Thank you for reading.