2020 has been a different year. Many of us have had a hard time both privately and professionally. People have lost loved ones and businesses are struggling to survive.
Despite tough times, it is clear that some companies are doing better than others. Of course, this is influenced by which industry we operate in, but I have thought a lot about what other factors make a difference.
I recently listened to an interview with Eric Mosley, CEO and founder of Work Human. He has researched behaviour in the workplace and has concluded that it is clear that companies with strong and healthy cultures tend to outcompete companies with weaker cultures. Companies with strong cultures have naturally been helped by this during the pandemic.
If you as an employer have energetic, passionate employees with a common understanding of goals and direction, then it is quite obvious that you are better in competition compared to a company where employees are demoralized, unjustified and look around for other jobs.
Corporate culture is crucial to your success and Erik Mosley has in his research come up with 3 cornerstones that are crucial for sustainable and healthy cultures. For starters, he highlights the importance of seeing people as "whole individuals" going through private life while going through their careers. The cornerstones Mosley has identified are "thanks, talk and celebrate." Thanks is about expressing appreciation and gratitude towards each other in the workplace and not only between manager and employee, but also colleagues between them. This deepens well-being, relationships between people and creates togetherness. People have a basic need for human relationships and if a strong foundation has been built, this is easier to maintain during periods of teleworking. Companies that do not have this 'social infrastructure' will have to fight harder in tough times. Talk is about having regular reconciliations where you talk to each other and not just about work-related issues. It is important to ensure a frequency in these calls. Celebrate means sharing and celebrating each other's life events.
Mosley believes that a culture in which we appreciate and express gratitude to each other, see each other and share what is happening in our lives makes people free and safe to express their ideas. Employees feel that they can be themselves, which has a positive effect on work performance. This gives the company a strong competitive advantage.
I am inclined to agree on all points and as a user of the reflection tool @Rolf I can't help but reflect on how this tool can actually help build a culture where appreciative feedback is a natural part of everyday life. This helps us strengthen relationships and increase engagement within the company.