For the most part, small business owners have big dreams, just like the hot shots in the C-Suite. Turns out not only do they want to run their own show, get rich and live well, but they want that elusive element that even major players often seek in vain: a company culture.
A survey of more than 200 small business owners by the furniture design firm Turnstone found that almost nine of 10 of those surveyed believe a unique company culture contributes to small biz success. Yet a third of respondents said they were currently dissatisfied with their company's culture, and more than a quarter (27 percent) has concluded that, despite their size, they need to find ways to integrate a wellness program into their business.
Wellness programming was among the factors these entrepreneurs value as they seek to create a culture that will engage employees and lead to further growth of the business. Others cited were greater work/life balance, greater flexibility for employees around when and where to get the work done, and such office perks as on-site meals and nicer office furniture and ergonomics.
Recommended For You
However, right now, less than 25 percent agree that they sufficiently support their employees in their efforts to adopt and stick to healthy lifestyle behaviors.
How will a positive company culture translate into a more successful organization? Respondents said it would enhance productivity, boost creativity, lead to better recruitment/retain of employees, result in a stronger customer base, and ultimately contribute directly to profitability.
But these small biz owners still face hurdles. For instance, the survey showed that 30 percent believe they could do a better job of motivating their employees to further engage them in the business mission. And while 43 percent said they offer their employees career development opportunities both internally and externally, nearly the same percentage said it's up to employees to take charge of their career development, indicating a passive attitude toward career development at a large minority of these companies.
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
Dan Cook
Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.
