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The Power of People-Focused Businesses

Posted on by Eleanor Hecks

In today’s fast-paced business world, it can be easy to get caught up in pursuing profits and growth at all costs. However, an increasing number of successful companies are shifting their focus towards prioritizing their people—whether it is their employees, customers, or the wider community.

You would think this is likely a feel-good trend, but it has been proven that people-focused businesses can reap many tangible benefits. Here’s why it’s crucial to always put people first in business.

Why Businesses Should Put People First

A people-focused business highly values its customers’ and employees’ satisfaction. Companies like these prioritize human interactions and relationships over profits, recognizing that a positive work environment and customer experience are critical to long-term success.

Businesses that take a people-centric approach do this for several reasons. For one, a people-focused company leads to increased employee motivation and satisfaction. Employees are more likely to be productive and committed to their company’s success because they feel cared for and valued.

Putting people first also means customer relationships improve. Businesses prioritizing their customers’ needs create a positive customer experience, leading to repeat business in the long run.

Additionally, a people-focused culture presents a positive impact on the business itself. It’s the right thing to do because when you take care of your employees, they care for the customers. As a result, companies perform better financially and have the power to make a positive impact on society.

What You Need to Build a People-Focused Business

Building a people-focused business requires a deliberate approach. Here are the key elements you need to prioritize a people-centric culture.

A Clear Purpose and Values

In a McKinsey survey, about 82% of organizations stated that purpose is crucial, but only half said that pursuit led to impact. A clear goal aligning with the company’s core values is critical because it guides decision-making. It also shapes the overall direction of the business.

In the workplace, articulating the company’s purpose to stakeholders, investors, customers, and employees is crucial. That way, everyone is working towards the same goals.

Values are equally important when building a people-focused business. They should have a means of treating employees and customers respectfully, fairly, and compassionately. When developing company values to create a people-first culture, businesses should look for opportunities to put them into practice.

Overall, this allows everyone to have a system where you empower your people to participate in self-management. That way, employees put forth their best effort and energy into their productivity.

Strong Leadership

Company leaders are crucial to this aspect because they inspire and motivate employees to strive toward common goals. Therefore, strong leadership is essential for creating a people-first business culture. That’s because leaders can build trust and make tough decisions that prioritize long-term success over short-term profits.

Strong company leadership means leaders must lead by example, modeling the behavior they expect from others — and providing guidance and support to employees. Business leaders often forget these aspects because they focus too much on their overall responsibilities.

In fact, studies show that more responsibility changes the way you think, preventing you from paying attention to how your behavior can affect others. Yet, if you set goals for yourself, you can achieve higher greatness that leads you to make employees feel included.

By creating a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration, strong leaders can inspire workers to be productive and lead the company to ultimate success.

Customer and Employee-Centered Policies

A people-focused culture succeeds when businesses have policies centered around their customers and employees. Such policies should be grounded in all aspects of the company, from hiring practices to customer service.

With a customer-centered approach, companies must prioritize customer needs and satisfaction. They can achieve this by providing personalized attention, creating quality products or services and practicing business ethics. Placing the customer first means businesses build better customer relationships — increasing customer loyalty and positive word-of-mouth advertising.

When creating employee-centered policies, consider focusing on their well-being and growth. These should include fair compensation, development opportunities and a positive workplace environment. In turn, businesses can improve their employees’ satisfaction and retain more workers successfully.

An Example of a People-Focused Business

One example of a people-focused workplace is Patagonia, an outdoor clothing and gear company. Patagonia strongly focuses on sustainability and environmentalism, which is reflected in its business practices and product offerings. However, it is also known for its employee-centric approach.

Patagonia offers its employees a range of benefits and perks, including on-site childcare, paid time off for environmental activism, and flexible work arrangements. It also pays its employees a fair wage and provides them with career growth and development opportunities.

In addition to its employee-focused approach, Patagonia prioritizes its customers’ needs. It offers a lifetime warranty on all its products and encourages customers to repair and reuse their gear instead of buying new products.

Overall, Patagonia’s people-focused approach has helped it build a loyal customer base and a strong reputation for sustainability and social responsibility. By prioritizing its employees and customers, Patagonia has created a positive work environment and a brand that resonates with consumers who value ethical and sustainable business practices.

Creating a Positive Impact Through the Power of People-Focused Businesses

People-focused businesses are more than profit-making machines. They put people first by focusing on the development and well-being of their stakeholders, including employees and customers. By prioritizing people within and outside the organization, you can create a culture that leads to immense growth and success.

Too many businesses are criticized for putting profits before people. However, emphasizing people-first culture can make your company a beacon of hope. You show that it is possible to be successful while making positive changes—and that a business’s greatest asset is its people.

What Most Businesses Get Wrong About Company Culture

Posted on by Scott Hammer

Every business wants a great company culture. It’s something that can’t be manufactured, faked, or copied. It has to come organically— and not just from the people at the top. 

Bad Company Culture

Company culture is made up of values and beliefs that every employee who contributes to your business shares. A strong expression of your company’s beliefs doesn’t just help you attract future employees; it gives candidates an immediate sense of whether they’ll be a good fit. 

Looking at it the other way, lack of company culture can create toxic environments, leading people away from your business. 

Your business culture shouldn’t just be easily seen when someone walks through the door. It should radiate on social media, on your website, in your emails, and anywhere else you have a presence. 

But how often does that happen, really? It’s rare. And for a reason that everyone knows, but few acknowledge:

Company culture is meant to be celebrated, not enforced.

We all understand how important our values are, both on a macro level and with daily operations. But too often we spend time worrying that people aren’t practicing what they preach. So we subconsciously enforce, reminding teams what the party line is without engaging in honest conversations. 

It’s habitual. But there are ways to break the habit while turning belief statements into feelings that resonate with every single employee. Here are a few ways to do it:

1. Collaborate On Company Beliefs

Have honest conversations with your employees about what they value in work and in life. Keep the focus away from your company. Instead, allow people to dig deep into asking themselves the kinds of questions they rarely ask of themselves on their morning commutes.

erp company culture representation

A great way to do this: search for the “why.” Why do we get up every day? Why did we choose this type of work? Why are we looking forward to the future?

“If you are lucky enough to be someone’s employer, then you have a moral obligation to make sure people do look forward to coming to work in the morning.”– John Mackey, Whole Foods Market

If you’re hesitant to ask these questions, it’s a sure sign that your workplace culture isn’t as strong as you’d like it to be. For that reason alone, you need to ask those questions. When you do, you’ll build stronger teams and bonds between people. 

When just a few people create company values, you’ll naturally feel like you’re enforcing them because you didn’t get buy-in from your employees. People will think: “okay, this is how I’m supposed to feel.” 

The more all employees can participate in the process, the more proud they’ll be to express shared purpose— because it actually includes them.

2. Turn Belief Into Action

Once you’ve established the shared values and beliefs that comprise your company culture, turn them into action. Ask yourself: what does this belief look like? 

For example, if it’s important for your company to be a part of your local community, think about how to express that. Set up volunteer days to get your employees working for a local organization or community initiative. Not only is it great for team building, it shows people what being part of a community actually means. 

There are other ways to do it, too. Hold meet-and-greets, host events, and let other people from your local community into your office. Communities and neighbors have the ability to support each other; give people a chance to experience it first-hand.

Now consider extending that belief: when your company responds to emails, speaks with customers, or sends out updates, how can they communicate a sense of community?

No matter what your company’s shared beliefs are, you need ways to express them in daily work. When that happens, people turn from just having beliefs to living them.

3. Emphasize Employee Talents

Chances are, someone at your company is a great visual artist. Someone else is a great storyteller. Someone else is a great musician.

Give your employees the opportunity to express your company culture in creative ways. Again, don’t enforce this— just build it into the architecture of your business.

Happy work culture

A great way to do this is to nominate a belief advocate on a rotating basis. Give that person full creative control over how they want to express the belief(s). Doing this makes people feel ownership of the values that comprise your company culture. Each person will be able to express a value that no other person can. 

You’ll also show your employees that their creative talents are appreciated. Those talents may have absolutely nothing to do with their daily work. But they could have a lot to do with the people behind that work. Never forget: company culture is about people, and really not much else.

Conclusion

You could read another blog with statistics about how important company culture is… as if that would convince you. Those stats miss the point entirely: great company culture is a feeling, a state of mind, and (at best) a creative expression.

Company culture is less about getting your employees “on board.” It’s much more about finding honest, open, and shared ways to inspire and support beliefs. With a little thought and planning, you can create a better workplace environment and nurture the heart of what makes businesses run best.

Want the Best Employees? Change Your Company Culture

Posted on by Scott Hammer

According to Access Perks, 72% of workers said an “innovative culture was a factor in influencing them to join a company.” That’s the power of positive company culture. 

So what is company culture, exactly? It’s a lot more than offering casual dress codes and flexible vacation time– it’s the core values that your business stands on. If you’re wondering why organizational culture matters, don’t ask us– ask your future employees.

Job Choices

According to a study done by the Korn Ferry Institute, “The #1 reason candidates choose one job over another today is company culture.” Now more than ever, workers want to be employed by a company whose values emulate their own. They want a company that places a strong emphasis on creating a positive company culture.

Why Company Culture Matters

In addition to building and fostering an inclusive workplace, a positive company culture also can improve business metrics in several areas:

Fosters Loyalty from Employees

good company culture due to erp software

Employees want to work for a company that values their hard work. By placing emphasis on creating the best company culture you can, you’re showing your employees that you care about their well-being.

One way to place a newfound emphasis on company culture? Upgrade something that your employees use every day—your company’s software.

Additionally, positive company culture has been shown to reduce employee turnover rates. According to a USA Today article on the subject, “low turnover means that good employees stay and are more productive.”

Low turnover rates reduce the HR costs that would come with replacing those employees, so literally and figuratively, it pays to invest in your company culture.

Happiness = Productivity (and Profit)

According to Entrepreneur.com, “happiness makes people 12% more productive.” Not only are employees more productive when there is great company culture, but “happier workers are more likely to solve difficult problems faster.” 

Workers desire to be a part of positive company culture– and contribute their best work to that culture, which will show in your bottom line.

Encourages Candidates to Consider You

Positive workplace culture is quickly becoming the most desired characteristic workers are looking for in a future workplace. People want to work for a company that they share similar personal values with.

According to an international study in Business News Daily, “77% of adults would consider a company’s culture before seeing a job there.” Additionally, “56% said they found a good workplace culture to be more important than salary.”

Let that sink in for a second.

More than half of those surveyed placed a greater priority on positive company culture than on their paycheck. This fact alone shows that having a strong workplace culture is essential to your business’ success.

How to Create a Stronger Company Culture

If you’re looking for the best prospective employees to grow your business, create a culture that they will want to be a part of.  Here’s how to do it:

Establish Company Values

company culture erp software

The starting place for businesses looking to build a positive company culture is creating company values. These values should be the driving force behind all the decisions your company makes. 

By establishing what your company’s beliefs and goals are, your employees are more likely to feel their work is contributing to a greater good. Make sure all of your employees understand your company’s mission and make sure their decisions fit within its framework.

Embody and Communicate Those Values

It’s one thing to establish company values, but it’s another to put them into practice. One of the most important things you can do to create a positive workplace culture is to lead by example. 

If one of your company values is to be a good community member, start the trend by using one day a month to volunteer at a local food bank. By showing that you take the company values seriously, you are paving the way for your employees to do the same.

In addition to being the example for your current employees, show prospective employees the value you place on creating the best company culture you can. Seek out candidates with the technical skills you desire and who you believe will embrace your company vision. 

During the interview process, include questions related to your organizational culture so that, right from the start, employees know what your company culture is about– and how they can contribute.

Encourage Feedback from Your Employees

Happy work culture

In a Forbes article on company culture, “86% of employees at companies with strong cultures feel their senior leadership team listens to employees.” If you’re looking to attract the best workers to your business, establish that your employees have a clear way to communicate their opinions to management. 

Encourage employees to give their honest feedback through engagement surveys using your company software. By making your employees feel listened to and valued, you’ll create a great company culture that employees want to be a part of.

Let Your Company Evolve with Your Business

As your company grows, so should your company culture—and your company software along with it. Make it a point to regularly check-in and re-evaluate both your people and your technology. Be open to changes and make adjustments that reflect your expanding business.

Conclusion

Positive company culture is an essential ingredient in the recipe for business success. A major factor in that is the software that your employees use each and every day. Although the returns aren’t as evident as they are with sales, having the right workplace culture in place will change every aspect of your company and whoever becomes a part of it.

More today than ever before, workers want to be a part of a company that has strong beliefs and values that influence decisions. They want to feel that they are making a difference in the world and are part of a company that is trying to do the same. 

By having a great company culture in place, you’ll attract those doers to your company– and keep them there for years to come.