8 Simple Strategies for Founders To Improve Startup Culture

Here’s what psychologists implement to improve team cohesion and maximize productivity

Leaders want more efficient workplaces, and founders are in the unique position to set the cultural tone of their organization.

When founders invest in their team, it results in greater cohesion, performance, and a more supportive atmosphere. Employees, too, benefit from an inclusive environment that uses cutting-edge psychological tools to empower each person to make a meaningful contribution to the group.

But it’s often not that easy.

Most founders fail to recognize that the culture of their company is created not just through their explicit communication and the values they promote, but also through unintentional messages employees receive as part of your team.

These subtle, unintended communications are often more difficult to manage and control than your handling of situations.

Here are eight psychological concepts and strategies that will address both the intended and unintended messages that establish culture.

1. Use positive reinforcement.

Positive reinforcement is a technique of operant conditioning, pioneered by psychologist B.F. Skinner.

He found that adding a rewarding stimulus after a rat produced a desired behavior taught the rat to repeat the desired action. He discovered that learning a new behavior is accelerated more through positive reinforcement than punishing mistakes.

In your work, this means prioritizing giving positive feedback to your employees and leadership team. Try identifying and rewarding behaviors that promote your organization’s growth and align with your values.

2. Cultivate a safe space.

An important part of organizational culture is making people feel safe and part of the group.

Investing time and money in multicultural trainings, even early in the building process, will prove its value through increased employee retention, decreased liability, and marketing yourself as a value-driven organization.

Learning more about other cultures (e.g., LGBTQ, race/ethnicity, ability, socioeconomic status) will make more people feel comfortable in your environment, which will make them more productive and loyal to the organization as you scale.

3. Promote authenticity and feedback.

Authentic leadership results in more genuine relationships, which increases feedback and personal accountability.

When people get to work and then have to hide behind a masquerade, they are less likely to give critical feedback that’s needed for positive change and are less likely to be engaged in their work.

Instead, ask for feedback and give it regularly to employees — both for their positive behaviors and areas of growth.

As more individuals within the organization connect to their true selves within the context and overarching goals of the company, people will enjoy their work and become more invested in their personal and professional growth.

4. Open lines of communication.

The more you prioritize communication, the faster you will grow.

When employees feel like they have a voice and that their opinion matters to management, they are more inspired to provide their best effort.

Opening lines of communication and increasing transparency in decision-making processes helps transmit organizational values, goals, and philosophies.

Make sure your first few managers are exceptional at making employees feel valued.

5. Generate meaning through a cohesive narrative.

When employees feel like their work is meaningless, they slack off and count the number of minutes until they can close their laptops.

If you want to increase your bottom line, then increase productivity by helping employees generate meaning from their tasks.

Translate how their individual work is critical to the organization’s goals, and how their meaningful contribution will positively impact their life and the company’s progress.

Psychology tells us that the more we can create a sense of meaning, the more responsible we feel for being the author of our lives.

Empower your employees to write a story that fits into the organization’s narrative, so the entire group feels accountable for progress.

6. Implement mindfulness breaks.

Mindfulness isn’t just a hot topic, it can create a serious boost to productivity.

Instead of having the unrealistic expectations that people will sit in their desks all day and remain focused, take note of the psychology that informs us that humans now have shorter attention spans than goldfish.

We need to take short breaks throughout the day to re-set our attention, increase willpower, and improve concentration.

Encourage your employees to take mindfulness and exercise breaks throughout the day. Do this through explicit recommendations and, if you’re up for a challenge, by modeling this behavior so it truly takes hold of your company’s culture.

7. Listen and validate to help people feel heard.

Psychologists know that most people want to feel understood.

Much of the world invalidates personal experiences and leaves people feeling misunderstood. If you want optimal workplace performance, follow simple psychology and validate people’s experiences.

Empathize and convey that you respect their emotions and value their opinion prior to telling them that they are incorrect or are missing key information. First, listen and empathize, then redirect.

Living by those simple rules will improve your workplace cohesiveness and your personal relationships.

8. Practice what you preach.

Work with a startup therapist!

Connecting with a cofounder psychologist who is an expert in startup psychology is the best way to fast-track your awareness and enhance the culture of your company.

Regular conversations with an expert guiding you through exercises that increase your self-awareness and understanding of how your behavior impacts others leads to more effective decision-making and a culture based on lived rather than aspirational values.

Simple psychology works. Psychologists spend decades studying humans to understand their motivations and functions.

Instead of ignoring their efforts, start incorporating these simple psychological strategies so you can improve your company’s culture and continue growing into the organization you want to become.