Start-up Culture in Nigeria
Culture is the way of life of a people. Culture defines who we are, it is our identity, it is what we are known for, what we do, and what distinguishes us from others.
Start-ups are new and rising industries with unique products in the market. Start-ups and culture are two sides of the coin as they cannot be separated from each order. If culture gives us our identity, then start-ups must take culture seriously.
It is true that most start-up cultures are derived from the values of her founders. A charismatic leader will choose values that reflect his/her nature, so also a free spirited founder.
What is start-up culture?
Start-up culture can be defined as the norms, mode of operation, and client relationship delivered by an upcoming company. Simply put, start-up culture is the way a company operates in general from clients to staff.
The start-up environment has been known to encourage innovation and spontaneous reactions to situations in terms of decision-making. It’s an environment that encourages growth and development because a lot of founders are getting a clear picture of the benefits of giving everyone the chance to be innovative.
In as much as the culture encourages growth and development, many a time the pressure involved in getting things up and running can be so overwhelming to the point that negative energy begins to brew. This is because many a time, compensation and benefits may not match up with the demand of roles each staff may have to play because of limited funds and resources, a characteristic of start-up companies.
To maintain positive energy at all times, founders must have their employees in mind when deciding on their core values. In as much as achieving the goal is a priority, the people to execute that goal must be put into consideration because people make a place.
Founders should imbibe cultures that give employees a sense of belonging and good compensation packages as an incentive for the voluminous tasks required to be done.
Start-ups should be open for improvement. There should be systems that give room for effective feedback not just on how people see them but mostly on how their employees feel about the company.
A company whose vision and goal is not properly understood by the staff will suffer a lot and the people frustrated. In other to avoid this, start-ups must assign roles to employees that clearly state the mission and goals of the company so everyone is aware of the picture and how to get there.
Start-ups must put their employees into consideration in whatever decision they are making. Never give your employees the impression that they don’t have a say in decisions taken by the organization. There are times to dictate how things are to be done and also times to let the people voice their opinions especially when it affects them directly.
When bringing people in, make sure to be as plain and transparent as you can be and have a work style that doesn’t suck the life out of your employees.
One major challenge start-ups face is the issue of compensation and benefit based on performance. Nowadays remote work style is one characteristic feature of start-up companies. While it is advisable to work remotely, team collaboration and performance tracking are major concerns for start-ups.
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