How to make systems part of company culture

As businesses grow and expand, it becomes increasingly difficult to manage them efficiently without a proper framework in place. This is where systems come in, as they provide structure and consistency to businesses, making them more productive, efficient, and profitable. But how do you make systems part of your company culture? As a business owner, it’s essential to understand the importance of systems and how best to integrate them into your business, but it’s equally important that all employees within your business understand their importance too. 

This may include learning how to cultivate habits that prioritise systems, communicating the use of systems to all employees, and fostering creativity and collaboration through their implementation. Learning how to incorporate systems as part of your company culture can create enormous benefits for your business, your employees and your clients or customers.

The importance of a systems-driven culture

First and foremost, it's important as the business owner, you understand the value of having a systems-driven culture in your business. By doing so, you'll be more motivated to implement systems and invest in the resources required to do so. There are many benefits to implementing systems successfully into your business such as increased productivity, reduced errors and inefficiencies, better customer service, and the ability to scale your business more easily.

Related Content: Why you shouldn’t wait to systemise your business

Cultivating habits that prioritise systems

One way to cultivate a systems-driven culture is by building habits that ensure systems get attention in your business. For instance, you can schedule regular meetings to review systems, evaluate their effectiveness, and make any necessary adjustments. You can also assign ownership and accountability for specific systems to individuals or teams, ensuring that everyone is aware of their responsibilities and that the systems are regularly maintained and updated.

Another important habit is to document all your systems and procedures. This creates a knowledge base that can be accessed by everyone in the organisation, making it easier to onboard new employees, cross-train existing ones, and ensure consistency across different departments and locations. It also helps to identify areas where systems can be improved or streamlined, leading to greater efficiency and productivity.

Communicating the use of systems to employees

Communicating the use of systems to employees is crucial for their successful implementation. It's important to explain to employees why systems are necessary, how they work, and what benefits they bring to the business. This can be achieved through training sessions, workshops, and other forms of communication such as newsletters, emails, or videos.

It's also important to involve employees in the development and implementation of systems. By doing so, you'll foster a sense of ownership and engagement, as employees will feel that their input is valued and that they're part of the decision-making process. This can lead to increased creativity and collaboration, as employees are encouraged to suggest new ideas and approaches to improve existing systems.

Fostering creativity and collaboration with systems

Fostering creativity and collaboration through the use of systems is another important aspect of creating a systems-driven culture. Systems should not be seen as rigid or inflexible, but rather as a framework that allows for innovation and experimentation. For example, you can encourage employees to suggest improvements to existing systems or to propose new systems that address specific challenges or opportunities. You can also set up systems that allow for feedback and collaboration, such as suggestion boxes, online forums, or regular team meetings.

Another way to foster creativity and collaboration is by using systems to encourage knowledge sharing and learning. This can be achieved through cross-training programs, mentoring, or job shadowing. By exposing employees to different systems and processes, you'll not only broaden their skill sets but also create a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

Evaluating the strength of your company systems

Making systems part of company culture requires a diligent effort from yourself as the business owner and your employees too. By taking the time to understand the importance of systems in your business, cultivating habits that prioritise them, communicating their use to employees, and fostering creativity and collaboration through their implementation, businesses can create a culture that values structure, consistency, and innovation. 

If you’re interested in setting up systems and processes in your business, but aren’t sure where to start, we can guide you through the process.

Have you considered the strength of your business systems? Take our 2 minute Systems Strength Test today to discover your score. It’s completely free and you will receive your customised results instantly. Many businesses taking this assessment score below 60% - find out how you compare.