How Relevant is Your Workplace Culture?

Management guru Peter Drucker famously said, "Culture eats strategy for breakfast." If we buy in to that idea than your organization's Chief Human Resources Officer should be one of the most influential voices at your firm. And storytelling about your people should permeate virtually all communications channels.

We bet they don't. And that may be a problem.

While difficult to quantify, it is inarguable that a strong culture is a key growth driver, and multiple studies suggest companies with strong cultures tend to outperform those perceived to have weak ones.

As stakeholders we understand and engage with an organization’s culture through the impact of storytelling. We admire stories about organizations that tell stories about why they are viewed as a best place to work, how they are breaking down barriers in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and more.

Stories around organizational purpose help define external reputation - RELEVANCE.

While this is true for virtually all organizations, it is especially so for people-based organizations like those found in the professional services sector. Stories are important because they allow us to share the unique ideas that separate a firm from competitors. Stories are easy to remember. They help humanize an organization and its messaging.

Do you know your firm's culture story? Does it ring true? Could you tell it without consulting notes?

If the answer to any of those questions is no, the culture of a competitor may already be eating your strategy for breakfast. And when that happens you may quickly become irrelevant - not only to future hires, but to current staff, too.

A VIEW FROM THE TOP:

A CONVERSATION WITH JEAN LOGERFO, INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS LEAD, THE BLISS GROUP

Q: Professional services firms, perhaps more than any other industry, are people driven. Almost every firm competes to be ranked highest on best place to work listings. Some are investing in things like new office space and frills like free food and ping pong tables, but what does it take to be truly relevant to employees today?

A: We can often get wrapped up in our work, ensuring our clients’ needs are fully met. But what about our own teams - the people who are there to get the job done? It is so important that people enjoy coming to work. Yes, the nice perks like free meals or paid transportation are nice. And having the space for employees to come to work each day helps create a sense of community. For me, I appreciate the location of our Bliss offices right next to Grand Central Station in the heart of New York City. Plus, the décor and open concept makes it a truly inviting space.

But what really makes it a place I want to come to each day is the culture. To be truly relevant for employees, companies must prioritize the culture created within their walls (both physically and metaphorically). Company leaders must embody the desired company culture and be a role model. At the same time, managers can work most directly with the people they supervise to ensure a sense of belonging.

Q: Most firms conduct annual employee satisfaction surveys – usually with anonymous feedback. Is that enough today? Or should employers be thinking differently about how they measure employee engagement?

A: Technology is changing, and within employee engagement, we can use this to our advantage. It is always important to hear directly from your employees and have those open lines of communication. However, now there are ways to understand what is resonating without that direct, human interaction. Today data analytics can help us analyze how, when and where you are engaging with employees to ensure your messages are resonating appropriately.

For example, when emailing all employees, there are ways you can see how many people have opened an email. But what many don’t consider is that this data can then be further analyzed to see what day is best to communicate larger announcements. Further analyzing the channels where you communicate with your employees on can help make sure that your messages are reaching those who matter most.

Q: Recruiting the “best and brightest” is an ongoing battle for the biggest professional services firms. Tens of thousands have just graduated from colleges and universities across the country, and many are seeking jobs that are relevant to their values and beliefs.  What steps should firms be taking to ensure that the next generation of talent puts their name at the top of the list for their “dream job”?

A: We often think about our client’s brand or reputation. In all that swirl, we need to remember that how we come off as a company and firm is wildly important. This is how new and potential employees can see and understand how much they can trust you as a company. The next generation of hires is often asking: How transparent is the company, and does it actually live by their values and mission? This is what people care more about than ever before, and firms need to ensure they are communicating relevant information and engaging stories on these issues.

Trust really starts with employees wanting to know you have their best interests at heart. Nine in ten employees want to work for organizations that value their emotional well-being. This is part of the changing work environment, which now spans five different generations, each with their own unique needs.  While it may have seemed normal for people to just come to work, get the to-do list done and leave with a clear line separating work and home life, many are now wanting to bring their whole selves to work. But in order to do that, they need to be able to first trust who they work for. If you can strike that right balance, top graduates - and experienced hires, too - will be sure to reach out.

You Gotta Read This...

The more we thought about Relevance the more we thought there really should be a guide for professional services communicators on the topic. Not finding one at our local bookshop, we decided to write one.

Our new eBook is out today and it's called Seeking Relevance in an Ideas Economy: A Primer for Professional Services Communicators. You can request your copy here! Please share your thoughts with us. We'd love to hear from you.

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