Committed to Culture

It’s been a fast seven months since I joined the Perdue family, and I am loving it! Of course, things have looked a little different with the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, but the optimism and spirit of our associates has been inspiring. In facility visits to many of our teams, I’ve loved getting to know the individuals who keep us going. 

One man in particular, Clifton (pictured above, to my left), has been with us for 50 years. “Why?” or “How?” you may ask? I wondered the same thing. He said that his reason for being here for 50 years was that he loved the people that he worked with, he liked the work, and likes to work. Seems simple enough, right?

Turns out that what Clifton described takes a lot more than just liking the job. It takes company culture to foster that kind of environment that keeps associates around for 50 years.

His insights remind me of what one of my business heroes, Lou Gersten, has said about company culture: culture isn’t just one aspect of the game, it is the game. Culture is everything. It’s how you win in business. And I believe that’s part of why associates like Clifton choose to stay at Perdue. 

In my seven months here, I’ve seen an incredible culture of people who care about each other, and about our products and customers. And I want to build on it even further moving forward. A good, strong company culture and dedicated, loyal employees do not just happen. It takes consistent hard work, from the top down, to create an environment where everyone wants to be.

I’m curious to know, how is your team building its culture, and how are you using it to win?