What is a High-Performance Culture?

A high-performance culture is a set of behaviours and norms that lead an organization to achieve superior results. In other words, it’s a culture that drives a high-performance organization, which according to Cornell University, is a company that achieves better financial and non-financial results (such as customer satisfaction, employee retention, etc.) than those of its peers over a long period of time.

To get to this definition, let’s back up. As mentioned above, company culture is how and why things get done in an organization. When those behaviours and norms are aligned with organizational goals, customer needs, and employee priorities, the company is poised to achieve both financial results and other benefits, such as retaining and engaging employees.

How do you achieve a high-performance culture in your organization?

10 Measurable qualities common to high-performance companies

1. Collaboration: Employees cooperate, share, and work well together.
2. Innovation: The company encourages new ideas, and individuals are able to move ideas through the organization.
3. Agility: The company responds and adapts to opportunities.
4. Communication: Employees send, receive, and understand the necessary information.
5. Support: Employees provide each other with the resources and guidance they need to be successful. They’re confident in company leadership.
6. Wellness: The company has the policies and resources to help people maintain physical and mental health.
7. Work Environment: The company has a comfortable workplace where people have the resources to be effective in their work.
8. Responsibility: Employees are accountable for their actions and have the independence to make decisions regarding their work.
9. Performance Focus: Employees know what determines success in their role, and they are rewarded or recognized for achievements.
10. Mission and Value Alignment: Employees know, understand, and believe in the company’s mission and values.

These 10 qualities are common to high-performance companies, and they can provide guidance as you assess your culture. For example, if your company is a certain size or in a specific industry, it might be hard to implement the same culture programs that you read about in the news, but you can still find ways to foster innovation and support in your company.

Contact us for a FREE survey of your employees and we will present the results on our exclusive Heat Pad, showing areas of concern. Email: jake@thrive-cm.com.