people first culture

Richard Branson said, “If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your clients.” It used to be that the only type of corporate culture that existed was centered around the company, where profits were number one, but the value of team members was overlooked and underestimated. Now that a company-centric culture is no longer the only option, the currency of these companies has greatly diminished. The culture that today’s companies have is significantly different from the past. We have moved away from the dogma where organizations, worship profits but undervalue their people. We have reached the point where being people-centric is clearly the effective philosophy to embrace. Interestingly, Branson, while building the Virgin Group, a multinational conglomerate overseeing his several ventures, adopted an engaging approach in which he decided to put the customers second and his people first. This compelling strategy has helped him earn a yearly revenue of more than $ 22 billion! How does a People-Centric Company Culture Work? The bulk of team members in today’s organizations are millennials, and with that, we have started to see a philosophical shift. Team members have gradually come to know their worth, which creates a highly competitive environment for the top-tier talent that’s available. Many companies have realized this change and have come to the conclusion that the best way to attract talent is to adopt and embrace a culture focused on their people. Imagine that you were working for a company in which you had to continually sacrifice the things that mattered to you, such as opportunities for career development or time missed with your family because of the constant demand to work after hours; All this because you always had to put the needs of the company before yourself. Would you grow to resent that company? How soon would you be looking for other options in your career? Those who resent their workplace are often a ticking time bomb. They may be driven away seeking out a better environment to work in, or simply going through the motions of each day demotivated and apathetic towards their work. It’s even possible for resentment to grow so much that it leads to malicious acts against the company. Whether they decide to leave or stick around, it’s a detriment to the company’s morale, culture, and overall success of the business. On the contrary, if team members know that their company is looking out for them and cares about their success as an individual as well as the company’s, it means team members will give their best to the organization and do all they can to help the organization succeed. In this scenario, a positive morale and work environment are thriving; People are motivated and enjoy working for the organization. A People-Centric Work Culture Drives Business All businesses function via sales in one form or another no matter what the industry, which means all businesses have customers. Interactions that customers have throughout their journey with a company are crucial, and your people are the key to this equation. Team members are the direct line to your customers. They make up the front line, back line, and everything in between, whenever and wherever your customers are. Everything that you put into the culture of your company and the way you treat your team members reflects in the way they work and interact with your customers. When you have a people-centric culture present in your organization, you will find newly motivated team members who are eager, curious, passionate, highly productive, and who never think twice about giving their best to you. When you invest in engagement and development for your team members and their quality of life, your organization will reap the rewards. How to Become a People-Centric Organization? Depending on your company, you should decide how you can implement a culture that values team members over customers and profits. There are different ways to make your people feel valued and ensure that they thrive in your organization. For example, an interesting approach that Google has implemented for a few years now is providing a luxurious lunch to its team members free of charge. Another example is Apple offering stock buying options and extra days off to their team members. Additionally, when it comes to a people-centric work culture, it is always crucial to keep in mind that your people are empowered with a sense of autonomy and responsibility. If you allow them to be creative and approach problems in their own way, the solutions that they come up with are likely to be much more effective and efficient than when in a limiting or controlling environment. If you want to create an environment where team members can shine and give their full potential , you should find out how you can best create a conducive workplace experience for them. More often than not, there are little things you can do, that make a big impact for them. The best way to figure out how you can help them is by asking. Engage your team members and discover how you can make a difference for them. The Final Note Being people-centric is all about how your organization creates a meaningful experience for your team members. Company culture is a cycle. At Etech, we believe our people are our asset! Click here to explore what we believe is the right way an organization can deliver great customer experience while empowering its team members. If you want your organization to be a customer-centric business, you should be centered on your team members first. Strive to build your organization from the inside out, and as your team members thrive, your company will also succeed and be able to reach new heights.