Culture is the one thing that can set you apart from your competitors!

As you walk through the door of any organization, it is what is inside that can be your point of difference, it is your culture and it is your people!

I am the HR Manager of Lantern Legal group which is a mid-sized legal firm of 150 people with offices across three locations in Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat, trading under the names Harwood Andrews regionally and Sladen Legal in Melbourne.

As with any organization, we are always trying to improve our culture. One thing that has made a difference for us is the introduction of our social intranet “The Hub” , which is similar to Facebook, where you can share with others, make a comment and like things! It was very important that we had something in place that allowed our people to connect over three different locations.

We share information from the latest legislation updates to thought provoking articles on leadership, greening and management styles. It provides an opportunity for people to promote their colleagues, recognise their achievements, tell their own personal stories, share their favourite holiday snaps, wedding photos and favourite recipes. It is an opportunity for the business to share the strategy and for committees within the business to upload Minutes. We have fewer emails, as all important firm announcements are made via the Hub. It is a much more transparent process .

It provides an opportunity for our people to have a say , where they can s hare their opinio n, regardless of who they are. All comments are welcomed . By allowing our people to connect to each other, it builds a sense of belonging, trust and creates a community within . It helps to break down barriers and you can get to know people a lot quicker by looking at what they post, comment or like on The Hub. It builds up relationships a lot quicker and staff interact with people they may not have otherwise had the opportunity to do so. When a story is posted, where a staff member is recognised and people respond with comments and likes, the energy within the firm grows in a very positive way. Our mailroom clerk was recently nominated for an Award and I could see her confidence grow literally overnight, by the response on The Hub and how many people took the time to congratulate her in an open forum. She was walking around with a huge smile on her face.

A business doesn’t own the culture your people own the culture. It is important to create a forum where your people can be involved, take ownership and can show their passion. The Hub allows our people to connect in a different way and to share information, knowledge and their stories.

Most importantly, the Hub allows our people to be a little bit creative, to have some fun and to have a day with laughter which is very important, as I believe happiness is contagious!