--- title: "Beyond pizza parties: Do’s and don’ts of building a great company culture" description: "According to According to Gettysburg College, people usually spend about 90,000 hours, or a third of their lives, at work. Without a doubt, how things are in…" canonical: "https://news.featured.com/beyond-pizza-parties-do-s-and-don-ts-of-building-a-great" published: "2026-10-02T23:16:13.438Z" updated: "2026-10-02T23:16:26.623Z" format: "bylines" beat: "Careers & Workplace" tags: ["Workplace culture", "Workplace wellbeing", "Workplace culture", "Employee empowerment"] author: "Gabriel Shaoolian" editor: "Adrian James" license: "Featured News Republication License 1.0" --- # Beyond pizza parties: Do’s and don’ts of building a great company culture Bylines · [Careers & Workplace](https://news.featured.com/beat/careers-workplace.md) · Edited by Adrian James · 2026-10-02 By Gabriel Shaoolian, CEO and Founder, Digital Silk According to According to [Gettysburg College](https://www.gettysburg.edu/news/stories?id=79db7b34-630c-4f49-ad32-4ab9ea48e72b), people usually spend about 90,000 hours, or a third of their lives, at work. Without a doubt, how things are in the workplace can certainly influence not just our professional trajectory but also who we are as a person. [Harvard](https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/how-to-build-and-improve-company-culture/) defines company culture as “a shared set of values, goals, attitudes, and practices that characterize an organization.” It shapes how you and your people work, and it can make or break your success. You might have seen the phrase “great company culture” on job posts or company introductions many times. This description has been so overused that most people probably would just shrug it off as fluff. But what makes a company culture great? In this article, we discuss some do’s and don’ts to guide you on how you can live up to this. ## Do: Empower people through recognition and autonomy To build a great company culture, you must start with the very core of your business: the people. Employees do most of the tough work and make up a significant portion of the company. As such, how they are and how they work will affect your business. The way to employee empowerment is actually pretty simple: recognition and autonomy. People spend most of their waking hours in the office, and this sacrifice alone is enough reason to recognize their hard work. Most employers might think that giving out free stuff, having an employees’ day, or giving out certificates _is_effective in making employees feel appreciated. While that may be true to some extent, you should dig deeper and consider other more productive ways that could make them feel valued. One thing to consider is investment, and I’m not talking about salaries. It’s a continuous process that’s not limited to training and development but also improving their experience and well-being. Here at [Digital Silk](https://www.digitalsilk.com/), for instance, we do regular check-ins to determine the tools employees need and provide training on new trends, especially with all the innovation at the moment. With the right investments, you get higher productivity, better performance, and even bigger savings — up to nearly 13% of the total revenue, a [PwC study](https://www.pwc.nl/en/insights-and-publications/services-and-industries/people-and-organisation/investment-in-employee-experience-reduces-absenteeism-and-turnover.html?utm) found. Even a brief message, a one-on-one, or a well-deserved compliment can turn things around. These simple practices make people feel seen, and they might even be encouraged to pay it forward. ## Don’t: Let little problems linger With how busy the days get, some problems often go unchecked, especially small ones. But be warned: Those issues might lead to bigger headaches if left unaddressed. Workplace conflict can severely impact a company. In the United States, organizations [lose over $350 billion annually](https://www.prweb.com/releases/the-hidden-cost-of-workplace-conflict-over-350-billion-lost-annually-in-the-us-302465232.html?utm) because of unresolved problems at work. This is a clear indicator that when the people suffer, the company does too. As such, prioritizing discussions and problem-solving can improve the general work atmosphere and help prevent such losses. Talk to your employees and leaders, and try to get to the root causes instead of slapping Band-Aid solutions that don’t fix things for the long term. For instance, if overtime work becomes a concern, don’t just simply increase overtime pay or offer a meal allowance. While that’s great, it may not truly resolve the issue. Instead, look into why this keeps happening: Is it the workload? Is the workforce limited? You might want to offer flexible times or consider recruitment. These are more concrete solutions that address a small problem in the long run and enhance the company’s habits and culture. ## Do: Encourage healthy communication Communication is the foundation of any institution. When a company opens the communication lines between everyone — from the highest ranks to the most recent hires — the workplace becomes more conducive to innovation, growth, and change. Encouraging active and healthy internal communication not only increases performance but also [positively impacts employees’ attitudes](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0363811119300207?utm) toward work and colleagues. Communication can pave the way for people to advocate for one another and even the company, and this can lead to better performance and a better working atmosphere. Meanwhile, when management makes an effort to communicate downward, they [foster creativity and improve workplace dynamics](https://www.emerald.com/gkmc/article-abstract/doi/10.1108/GKMC-10-2023-0385/1259418/Leadership-internal-communication-and-employee?redirectedFrom=fulltext). This makes leadership worth emulating, and soon enough, you’ll find that the workplace has transformed into a productive space for ideas and development. ## Don’t: Just work, work, work One of the best ways to enhance company culture is to know when to give yourself and your team a break. If [people are burnt out](https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.01533?utm), the organization will stagnate, no matter how good the leadership is. As a manager, this is something you can control. Supporting your staff by encouraging work-life balance can not only boost productivity but also build employees’ trust and appreciation of you. Work-life balance was found to be an [effective mediator](https://journals.vilniustech.lt/index.php/JBEM/article/view/14729?utm) between employee well-being and organizational culture. As a policymaker, you can enforce policy changes such as remote work, flexible schedules, and mandated leaves, and directly improve overall employee satisfaction and morale. When this culture of empathy and care prevails in the workplace, you foster a healthy environment that is driven to succeed but acknowledges boundaries. ## Great company culture for greater success You don’t need boxes of pizzas to cultivate company culture. It only takes some observation, communication, and a little bit of sacrifice to understand what the workplace needs. Once achieved, the real challenge begins: sustaining this great environment. As the manager, this responsibility falls on you, but for this to happen, you must work together with your people. Ultimately, great company culture is one where trust and support — not fear and conflict — dominate. It is one where employees are valued, and leaders are in tune with the status quo. Start building your organization’s culture using this guide, and watch it shape your company’s progress in the years to come. ## About the author **Gabriel Shaoolian, CEO and Founder, Digital Silk** [Author page](https://news.featured.com/authors/gabriel-shaoolian-48790.md) Gabriel Shaoolian is the CEO and Founder of the award-winning digital marketing agency Digital Silk. With a team of seasoned experts, Digital Silk delivers digital experiences through strategic branding, custom web design and digital marketing services that improve visibility and drive engagement. --- Read the full story at https://news.featured.com/beyond-pizza-parties-do-s-and-don-ts-of-building-a-great Free to read, quote and cite with a link. 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