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At Box&Co, we’ve been shaping the Brisbane skyline for over 75 years – and in that time, we’ve learned a thing or two about creating a positive work culture. In our experience, a positive culture always starts from the top and trickles down – it’s up to an organisation’s directors and senior management to set the tone, be engaged and drive the culture in the right direction.

What makes a positive culture?

Transparency and authenticity are key values to live by if you want to create and sustain a positive culture – meaning if you say you’re going to do something, you have to follow through. This is especially important in construction, where your reputation for setting realistic expectations and delivering on promises is paramount – and it’s why, at Box&Co, we always do what we say we’re going to do.

Another key to building a positive culture is trusting your people to do the thing you hired them to do. Experience has taught us that you have to free people to do their work to the absolute best of their ability. Allowing your key staff to have autonomy and full ownership of their roles is the best thing you can do for their job satisfaction – plus it makes your job a lot easier. Micro-management tends to erode confidence and build resentment.

Instilling a team-based approach to delivering projects is also vital. Everyone who works for you should feel a part of something well-ordered and fully functioning – something that works. This comes down to creating a solutions-oriented culture where complaining is minimal and taking action takes precedence. Of course, everyone has a whinge occasionally to let off steam, but the focus should be on fixing the problem. Drum into your staff that there is a solution to every issue. The reality is that nearly all construction projects throw up unexpected challenges – which is why it’s so important to build a team that’s focused on solutions.

What happens if a team has a toxic culture?

When an organisation has a toxic culture, you can usually spot it a mile away. In construction, a poor culture typically manifests most obviously in high staff turnover – one of the common signs that something is wrong. At Box&Co, we pride ourselves on having a team that’s worked with us for decades, in many cases, and we actively work to ensure our team members always feel valued and supported.

Another big indicator of a culture-gone-wrong in construction is poor quality of workmanship. When people don’t care or don’t feel valued, they don’t take pride in their work. They’re more likely to cut corners, rush or dawdle on site because they’re under pressure or don’t feel motivated. This is another reason we prioritise staff satisfaction at Box&Co, and feel the high standard of our work directly relates to the happiness of our team.  

What are the benefits of creating a positive culture?

Great things happen when your construction business has a positive culture. Not only do people enjoy coming to work, but productivity increases, quality of workmanship improves and safety standards are rigorously maintained – all facets that are central to what we do here at Box&Co.

When the chemistry’s right and people are having fun as they work hard, life (and business) is good. As we’ve experienced at Box&Co, quality people stay with you for many years – routinely going above and beyond for clients, and flying the flag for your business.