Worker engagement has been reported to be the number two priority for CEOs, which makes sense. When corporate managers prioritize talent, that talent is driven to deliver a higher degree of work. But, what if you are the CEO of an early-stage startup? The concept of prioritizing your organization culture, especially when it's under five people, may seem like a poor allocation of time. It is easy to focus on the goods and conquering the day-to-day of getting a new venture off the ground. But data has shown time and time again that investing in workers and culture has a direct, positive correlation to success. It is even more critical today, as almost 70 percent of U.S. entrepreneurs start their businesses at home.

The only barrier is when startups business are strapped for resources and perks are far beyond the current budget, it can seem as though creating an organizational culture is a privilege they can't afford. There's good news: Many of the most significant investments you can make in your workers are entirely free. Workers are happier and retained longer when there is an importance on purpose, trust, and open lines of communication. The question is, how do you emphasize such lofty ideals? Here are some tips.

1. Write down your mission statement and core values

When there is a persistent for your startup, every stakeholder can invest in that single intention. But it doesn't just stop at writing it down. It defines those absolute values and rates of how your company is doing on each of those metrics. Boost your team members to be honest and lead by example, seeing those areas that may need some development and operating together to define actionable steps for making up ground.

For instance, one of your core value is to provide a secure and intuitive app experience for your clients, ask yourself how well you genuinely do that today. If you step back and understand that the experience is a 6/10 for users right now, recognize where the app needs to improve. Maybe it's app speed or glitches or user experience. Develop an action plan for financing in those areas for improvement.

By simply being aware of your organization's identity and how that plays out in reality, you all be more apt to make decisions that align with and your team will, too.

 2. Evaluate whether a new team member's values join with yours

It is never easier to start a company, but the stakes are getting higher for these companies to become successful. Eventually, people determine whether or not a company thrive, the smaller the team, the more significant the impact of each team member. When hiring someone new, it's essential to understand if their values align with the organization. If not, it can build a snowball effect on the whole business, and the cleanup takes far more profound than it would if you hire with more purpose.

Create a business plan with your team members for testing for those values in an interview setting. It is not just about the skillset someone may carry to a team, and it's about the value fit. Every hire is setting the groundwork for your organizational culture and the likelihood of victory. Check all they bring to the table and decide wisely. 

 3. Set communication norms early and maintain them

This nugget of advice may be the most challenging, because as any founder knows, the busier you are, the more complex it is to invest time in conversation. Yet, the more you prioritize arrangement, the better your team can collectively add to the company's victory. Whether it's a daily stand up meeting or regular check-ins throughout the day, addressing daily priorities and goals ensures that you're on the same page about what needs to accomplish and in what time frame.

Consider using a task management system or a tool like Airtable, Trello, or Asana to keep track of everything that requires to get done. Plus, you'll add an extra layer of clarity, as everyone on the team can understand what plans are being accomplished at any given time. The key with any form of task administration is keeping it regularly updated. On startup teams, it's imperative to maintain the status of various projects and concentrates up to date.

 4. Understand your team members for the small things.

It takes about six months to hire one person for a startup. Once that person is employed, it's crucial to retain the talent, and it ensures they are recognized for their work. It's simple to forget about the small wins along the way, but recognition goes a long way in boosting morale and maintaining the value each team member delivers.

Keep in mind that several people like to receive recognition in different ways. Some are satisfied with attention, while others like are more subtle congratulations. Seek to know what each member prefers and celebrate them accordingly. It is even more necessary during rough patches. While it's crucial to identify when things are not going as planned, it's always important to keep a dose of positivity through times of trial. It keeps the team forging forward.

5. Lead with empathy

Let's face it: Creating a business is wildly stressful. It's tempting to drive a team to there limits, but you can motivate while keeping your sympathy. While it comes down to it, we all have lives outside of work to balance it . Endeavor to be understanding that outside forces affect worker production and output from time. If you are in it for the long run and wish to avoid worker burnout, it's crucial to see that these hiccups are a part of life.

Organizational culture can grow as your startup scales, but just like your product, you have to start somewhere, and you have to start at the very beginning. Focus on maintaining purpose, trust, and open lines of conversation from the start, and you'll be amazed at how strong your team is because of it.