As Steve and I often say, there are two facts about a business’s culture: 1) It will define itself either by default or by design, and 2) it is created at the top and cascades downward. And the key to designing a business culture that results in the most productivity, the best service for your customers, and the lowest turnover rates of your team members lies in putting your employees first.
This principle is no truer or more important than right now during these extremely unpredictable economic times. While many business owners who have been forced to temporarily shut down are concerned for the survival of their company—and rightfully so—making sure they are doing everything in their power to keep their employees paid, at the very least through the federal government’s recently passed SBA relief options, is critical.
By design, Steve and I have worked very hard to maintain our culture. We reflect on it daily and are constantly taking the temperature of it. If for any reason we ever see, think, or feel like something just isn’t quite right, we address it immediately. Our primary focus is making sure our employees are happy, safe, respected, and are paid fairly—even during difficult times. Why? Because we know that a strong culture of “employees first” translates to success for us all.
To illustrate, consider this statement from a 2017 Gallup Poll: “[Employees who feel appreciated] are more present and productive; they are more attuned to the needs of customers; and they are more observant of processes, standards, and systems. When taken together, the behaviors of [appreciated employees] results in 21 percent greater profitability.”
In our headquarters to this day are many of our original employees. For example, Tina Marie started as an event planner, ended up being a manager, then went over to registration, and finally became the senior registration manager. She’s been on the employee recognition board for just about every category, more than anyone else, because she’s a rock star in everything that she does. But why that kind of over-achieving? Because Steve and I invest in our employees and think beyond the bottom line.
And Tina Marie saw that true compassion and heart when she needed it most.
When her sister passed away, I put on a suit and took the day off of work to make the four hour drive to attend the funeral. I didn’t know her sister or anyone else there for that matter, but I came so I could walk up to Tina Marie, hug her, offer her words of comfort, and pay my respects. Steve and I have attended dozens wedding showers, baby showers, first houses, and even U.S. citizenship ceremonies because we consider our employees more than just worker bees—to us, they are family.
This too shall pass, as the saying goes, even something as disrupting as a global pandemic. But the fact is, if you own a business, you can’t afford not to put your employees first, especially during a time like this. Because when the clouds part and you are ready to serve your customers once again, if you’ve had the backs of your employees, they will be sure to have yours.