Company Culture Audits: Your Checklist for a Safe Workplace 

The modern workplace is ever-changing, and with that comes new challenges for employers regarding maintaining a safe and comfortable environment for their employees. As an employer, one of the best ways to ensure your workplace is safe and up to par is by conducting a company culture audit. 

A company culture audit thoroughly examines your workplace culture and policies to identify areas requiring improvement. It is often conducted internally to enable managers to see just how well their employees communicate and act and how well the organization’s values are reflected in the employees at every given time.  

A culture audit is essential for organizations for several reasons; 

1. It can help point out culture problems. 

After a thorough culture audit, the management can uncover several things, including dissatisfied employees, communication issues, and other hidden issues that adversely affect the organization’s culture. 

2. It helps improve the workplace culture. 

Managers and business owners can only improve their workplace cultures after measuring them. A culture audit, therefore, helps organizations target all those areas and sectors that require improvements. Besides, a thorough company culture audit can suggest the appropriate initiatives for implementation. 

3. It gives employees freedom of speech. 

In most organizations, employees rarely have the opportunity to speak up when they notice a problem with their culture. However, a culture audit allows employees to voice their opinions about the things affecting their culture. 

4. Evaluates how well your efforts have impacted your organization’s culture 

As a manager or business owner, you must have taken several steps to create a healthy company culture. Nevertheless, it can be hard to tell the effectiveness of your steps without a proper culture audit. However, through a culture audit, you can get to know the extent your organization’s culture is improving, so you can, in turn, make relevant adjustments. 

5. It helps you retain talents. 

Above all, a company culture audit will help you retain your employees. There are indications that most employees would prefer to work in companies with a better culture. According to statistics, 48% of employees who believe their company culture is poor often seek new employment. But then, a company culture audit will help you determine whether your employees are happy, so you can make adjustments and changes before they decide to leave.   

However, when conducting a company culture audit, there are a few areas you need to focus on to ensure that your workplace is a safe and welcoming environment for all of your employees. They include; 

Workplace safety 

Workplace safety comprises an integral part of the workplace culture. Unlike in unsafe work settings, employees are generally happier in safer work environments. Therefore, while doing a culture audit of your organization, you must determine if your existing policies and procedures adequately address safety concerns. You must also find out if the working environment is free of potential hazards. And above all, are your employees trained on how well to stay safe at work? Finally, of course, you should be ready to modify your procedures or suggest actionable steps to improve safety within your organization at the end of the culture audit. 

Workplace environment 

A favorable workplace environment is undoubtedly more attractive to employees. However, the truth is that when the working environment is conducive, employees can easily work according to their full potential, which is often reflected in high productivity and high-profit margins. Therefore, during your company’s culture audit, you need to determine whether your workplace is comfortable and conducive to productivity. For example, find out if your employees can take breaks when needed and whether they have access to all the necessary resources to do their jobs effectively. Again, after the findings, you should be able to make proposals and take steps toward improving the workplace environment. 

Employee wellbeing 

Employee wellbeing refers to an organization’s overall physical, mental, emotional, and economic health. Positive employee wellbeing is reflected in high rates of employee retention, higher levels of productivity, and higher profit margins and returns on investment. Therefore, as a leader or manager, you must determine if your employees are supported in their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. And, of course, the best way to find this out is through a culture audit. During the audit, be intentional about finding out if they have access to affordable and quality healthcare. Also, ask them if they have a good work/life balance and take the proper steps to improve their wellbeing. 

Diversity and inclusion 

Diversity and inclusion are also critical in most workplaces. There is always a cause for concern when certain groups of people feel discriminated against within the workplace. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that diversity and inclusion be one of the most significant areas of focus during a culture audit of an organization. The culture audit is, therefore, the perfect opportunity to find out if your workplace represents the diversity of your community and whether or not your employees feel valued and included, irrespective of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or other identities. 

Sexual harassment and discrimination 

Whether we admit it or not, sexual harassment and discrimination are more common in workplaces than many people want to admit. And, of course, it takes a toll on individual victims and the organization. Therefore, it is crucial to focus on sexual harassment and discrimination during a culture audit. You should ask yourself whether you have implemented the right policies and procedures to prevent and address sexual harassment and discrimination within your organization. Also, you must determine if your employees know of such policies and procedures.