When Fortune Magazine posted this year's top 100 companies to work for, a common thread between all of those companies is a culture that employees feel connected with. Whether it comes from connecting as a family, supporting local communities or charities, or supporting the health and wellness of their people, the employees of those companies are very happy. What I find interesting, is that most companies I talk to (that did not make the list) also talk about how amazing their "culture" is.
If you listen closely to the employees, the difference starts to become obvious. Those who work for top voted companies, will talk about their leaders as if they are people they know personally. They will talk about things that they have actually done or been a part of. Those who work for companies that don't make the list will talk about how their company has a strong foundation and leadership, good values in their mission statement, and they will list the great things that the company has available to them. Do you see the difference?
So what are some steps that a company can take to integrate their culture into becoming an actual part of their daily routines? It starts with the Leadership. Leaders of today are required to be a more public presence in their company. There are more than a few CEO's on the top 100 list that set aside time weekly to randomly call people in all levels of their company to check in and encourage them. That kind of openness sets the example for the entire company. The next essential piece is in the empowerment of your employees. The most common reason an employee does not get involved in their communities, or in corporate events, is they don't feel or see the support to do so. Many retailer websites have a small link at the bottom (usually clustered with the corporate links) listed as "community". That link will discuss the corporate donations to various charities the company is involved with, but there is no employee involvement, which translates to - "My company does great things, but I only work here." Lastly, corporate needs to meet the employees in the middle. With the majority of employees in retail working in stores, many employees feel an "us and them" sentiment towards their partners at the corporate office. Following the example of the CEO, the lines of communication can't just be open, they must be encouraged for use. Aeropostale, is one retailer that did make the list. They were specifically sited for their "teen advisory boards", where part-time salespeople have open communication with management and corporate. It will take proactive behaviors like at Aeropostale to nurture a living culture within your company, but the results will definitely be worth it!!
I actually worked for Aeropostale at the beginning of their rapid growth period. They had less than 100 stores when I started, and over 500 when I left. I was fortunate enough to open their Colorado market expansion and loved the support and the open lines of communication I had with all corporate departments. They instilled a feeling in their employees that they "were a part of something", and that is a hard feeling to find in other companies. It doesn't necessarily have to be in the community, but in the end, all employees want, is that genuine sense of purpose and belonging.
Comments
Post a Comment