Cultural environments can make or break an experience. Take study groups, classrooms, and social circles, for example. Each involves attention to culture. A group leader will navigate behaviors to ensure optimal learning; a professor will consider student capabilities when designing their lecture; and friendships may peter out or strengthen depending on shared or differing values.
Should a work environment not see the same cultivation? If we are as strong and effective as the balance of individual energies around us, why not be intentional about those energies during the hiring process and beyond?
A well-defined, operationally sound company culture can secure well-fitted candidates and strengthen already-there relationships. Once you determine what your individual farm or business culture is, what its core elements are, and what you may need in a new employee to nurture that culture and fill vacancies, you will not only begin to hire those who add to the growth of your workplace, but the workplace as a whole will flourish.
On a recent episode of the Professional Dairy Producers’ “The Dairy Signal” podcast, Kwik Trip district leader Ryan Levendoski and Kyle Achord, vice president of team sales at Marucci Sports, discussed how to build and keep an optimal team by cultivating workplace culture. During the conversation, they emphasized the following:
- Define core values
- Practice a people-first approach
- Maximize skill sets (empowerment)
- Provide honest and consistent feedback
Values are vital
When hiring, Levendoski said he looks for character traits that will fit well within the company rather than strictly assessing work experience. Of course, a good résumé goes a long way, but what pulls the weight nowadays for Levendoski and others are soft skills.
“Everything in the store, we can teach,” he said. “I look for great people first. People who are honest, who have integrity, and who show up and work.”
For Achord, value identification looks a little bit different. As a sports company that provides equipment for softball and baseball teams, Marucci’s priority is to “honor the game.” This means looking at how potential employees embody teamwork in their athletic endeavors rather than at their individual performance as an athlete, along with making sure customers have good experiences with their products. The company further emphasizes setting goals, being service-minded, and celebrating the rich history of sports.
If an employer takes the time to recruit and invest in the right people who fit the company’s specific needs and reflect its values, growth for the individuals and the team will naturally follow and the workplace culture will thrive.
Prioritize the person
Being people-first as an operation is a balance between showing employees they are valued and actively working toward efficiency and productivity. It’s about providing opportunities for growth, building relationships, and seeing the whole person, including life outside of work, all while creating conditions for performance excellence.
According to Achord, Marucci’s hiring process includes a third party “culture index” of how an applicant best takes instruction, if they prefer working alone or in a group, and more. This helps employers know where an employee will best fit within the company, thereby making their overall experience — and that of the company — as enriching as possible.
But putting people first goes beyond simply asking them a set of questions.
“I have people come up with personal goals, and then I ask how I can help them get there,” Achord said. “It’s about investing in employees, not just seeing what we can get out of them.”
“Get to know them and talk to them as a person,” Levendoski added. “Find out what makes them tick.”
Such an approach allows for personal and professional development, accelerating the cultivation of a positive workplace culture.
Empower and advise
A further piece to a people first, value-oriented culture is maximizing individual skill sets. Achord said one of the most important things he looks at when hiring is which position will be the best fit for each individual candidate according to their abilities.
For instance, if someone is outgoing and wanting constant interaction, they may be better suited for a sales position than, say, someone who would prefer to work solo.
Of course, some of this will include trial and error. Achord shared a story of a time he inadvertently set up an employee for failure by putting them in a management role they were ill-suited for. It’s important to be aware of instances in which a worker fails because their skill sets may be better applied elsewhere and instances in which they fail because they are ill-suited to be a part of the team at large. If it is the latter, further steps will need to be taken toward determining their future at the company.
Either way — good fit or poor fit — it’s important to be able to communicate relevant, direct feedback. Both Levendoski and Achord were coaches at one time, which means they are adept at providing both positive and corrective instruction. Not everyone will be thus inclined, but feedback is a must when it comes to maintaining workplace culture.
“Correction helps people grow,” Levendoski described. “Be honest. But also treat them with dignity and respect.”
By paying attention to what each person is best at, putting them in an associated role, and making corrections when needed, you will set your employees up for success and — assumedly — improve growth and retention. The better the fit, the more empowered both employer and employee will feel.
Part of the team
What’s the biggest challenge associated with hiring new employees?
“Assimilating to the culture,” Achord and Levendoski agreed.
Much like traveling to a foreign country, there are a series of adjustments that happen when a person joins a new company, especially if that workplace has already made strides toward creating a unique culture. If the person is ultimately someone who will positively add to the present environment, it will show in their gradual adjustment to the team’s dynamics, core values, and communication.
If a listener were to take away just one thing from the discussion, it would invariably be this: A company that prioritizes its people is a company sure to see growth and success.
“Invest in your employees. They’re your most important asset,” Achord reiterated near the end of the webinar. “Stick to what your culture is, hire people that fit, and show them how to be great.”
OCTOBER 2024 issue:
