Company culture is a hot topic for nearly every business. Everyone wants to create a productive, collaborative and inviting work environment where all employees follow shared values and work toward a common goal.

We asked a group of entrepreneurs to share how they encourage their teams to participate in building the company culture. Here are their top recommendations.

Get employee input on the hiring process

While a hiring manager should always have a final say over who joins the team, it could help to allow employees of all levels to participate in the hiring process. Ismael Wrixen, CEO of FE International recommends letting some of a candidate's future teammates sit in on an interview, as this can help you find people who will fit in well with your other employees.

"Our company has a real familiar feel, and team members often socialize outside or work." Wrixen explains. ''Considering how people will fit in the team once they are hired has always been an important consideration."

Create a space and environment that allows for breaks

Company culture-building can sometimes feel forced, says Jessica Gonzalez, CEO of InCharged. To make it more organic and natural, Gonzalez believes the best thing to do is to create the space and environment for it.

"Some companies get a Ping-Pong table,” she says. "It doesn't really matter the details, but you have given your employees permission to take breaks and blow off some steam with their coworkers. That's where culture and connection will be built."

Stop micromanaging

If you want your employees to build a great culture of their own, don't disturb the process, says Solomon Thimothy, president of OneIMS. While he monitors all processes on his team (including culture-building), he only gets involved when his staff needs him, rather than constantly micromanaging.

"Connect people with each other, define your expectations, set the pace and leave them alone,” Thimothy says.

Plan activities that reflect your shared values

According to Beth Doane, managing partner of Main & Rose, your internal brand should reflect your external one. She recommends bringing your team together around a shared set of values and then doing activities to strengthen that brand.

"As a social-good focused firm, we love doing activities that give back-hiking, volunteering, cleaning up the environment, Doane adds. "It's fun and it gets the whole team involved in our mission."

Ask for their ideas and suggestions

If you really want your employees to help build the company culture, all you have to do is ask them for their input. Chris Christoff, cofounder of Monster Insights, says he is open to suggestions from team members on how to perform more efficiently.

“Opening the invitation to new ideas fosters a positive company culture because it shows employees their voices are heard and their opinions matter because they do," Christoff says. ^“It creates a relaxing, trustworthy environment where everyone respects what each other has to say.”

Anyhow, it's important to remember that culture is not necessarily a top-down creation. Instead, a successful culture is developed and maintained by the workers who live it every single day.

【推荐3】Where is your focus（集中点）as you work towards your goals?

If you are moving towards something you are focused on, then it grows bigger in your sight. It pushes out the things around it that will stop you from achieving your goal. However, if you are not moving towards a goal, but running away from something, then where your really want to be can get lost in the surroundings（周围的事物）.    1    

A personal example is when I was working as a programmer. I had a manager that had little technical skill, and bad management skills.     2     In fact, I did apply for another position. After my first interview I realized that I was running away from a position but not having a specific （明确的）goal. If I had continued, I would have ended up in another job that I didn’t really want.

    3     In doing so, I now have a specific goal that I am working towards. When I achieve that goal, I will be exactly where I want to be.

When you want to change, first ask yourself if you are moving towards a specific goal.    4     Forward progress is good. Progress from a bad place is a good start. But progress in this manner will not lead you to where you really want to be.    5     Only then will your effort and energy take you to your desired place.

【推荐2】The exam comes in July. When the exam finishes, the summer vacation begins. Boys and girls have two months to rest. The summer vacations are the best part of a year for most children. The weather is usually good. They can swim, go to summer camp or visit other places with their parents. 

We all know that the beaches are good places to relax. Some children are lucky to live near the sea. They can enjoy the sea at any time. But for the children who live far from the sea, they go to the beaches for only one or two weeks with their parents. 

Why do children like spending their summer vacation on the beaches? It is because they like the sand, the sun, the cool wind and the salt water. There are a lot of new things to see, nice things to eat and exciting things to do.

【推荐3】Ishikawa Yumi had to work eight hours every day and her employer insisted that she should be in heels（高跟鞋）at work."Why do we have to hurt our feet at work,when men can wear flat shoes?"she complained on Twitter.The tweet exploded.

Encouraged,she gathered 18,800 signatures on a request calling for a ban on employers requiring women to wear high heels,which she handed in to the government last June.Ms Ishikawa became the face of the KuToo campaign.

More than 60%of Japanese women with jobs have been forced to put their feet into heels at work or have witnessed women partners having to,according to a survey.Female workers at a department store,must walk around the shop in 5cm heels.The former defence minister,Inada Tomomi,had to struggle about in heels even on the deck of a visiting American aircraft carrier.

Dress codes at many Japanese firms are strict.Some ban glasses for women（but not men）,because they are unattractive.This is especially unreasonable for those who find contact lenses（隐形眼镜）uncomfortable.Women have always been told to follow the dress code,even if it causes pain,"says Ms Ishikawa.Japanese bosses,who tend to be older men,often expect their female workers to tolerate it.

The government made no quick reply.A former labour minister,who received Ms Ishikawa's request last year,insists that wearing high heels at work is"necessary and appropriate".The request itself has received no official reply so far.Japan is the second lowest out of the 29 rich countries in equality for women in the workplace.

But Japanese companies are slowly taking measures to improve the situation.In late March Japan Airlines announced that its female flight attendants can kick off their heels and replace skirts with trousers if they choose.AU three big mobile-phone operators have relaxed their rules on heels.Ms Ishikawa is working together with a shoe company to produce beautiful heel-less shoes."Society is changing,”says Ms Ishikawa.“We can't be ignored."Pointless rules about footwear may soon be gone.