Architects of Modern Workplace Culture: Zach Blumenfeld and Nick Lombardino Kickoff CultureCon 2024

In the heart of Madison, Wisconsin, a groundbreaking event is set to transform workplace culture and employee engagement. CultureCon 2024, scheduled for August 28-29 at The Madison Concourse Hotel & Governor's Club, promises to be the epicenter of innovation in human resources and employee engagement strategies.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of workplace culture, Zach Blumenfeld and Nick Lombardino stand as pioneering architects. As the co-founders of CultureCon, they have dedicated themselves to fostering environments where meaningful work and personal growth coexist harmoniously. Zach and Nick are reshaping how organizations perceive and nurture workplace culture, and the fun, as they say, kicks off with a sold-out audience this week.

A Meeting of Minds

Zach and Nick's partnership began serendipitously in Madison, Wisconsin. Both entrepreneurs had independently recognized a void in how businesses approached workplace culture. Zach recalls their first meeting at a local coffee shop, “He was the first person I talked to about this idea, and we were just hitting it off, brainstorming very like-minded, similar silly personalities.”

This initial dialogue laid the groundwork for CultureCon, an event that has grown from a small gathering during a blizzard in 2018 to a sold-out annual conference. “We wanted to get 50 people in the room, and we had to expand the room size, so we had over 100 people show up,” Zach shares, highlighting their unexpected early success. CultureCon’s status as a significant conference now attracts over 500 participants from five countries and 33 states. This growth reflects the increasing importance of workplace culture in today's business environment, especially in vibrant cities like Madison.

These two self-professed ‘silly dudes’ want to infuse sustainable practices and approaches as CultureCon grows.

As a certified B Corporation, CultureCon exemplifies the growing trend of aligning business goals with social and environmental responsibilities. “More and more companies are trying to get that B Corp certification to kind of put a rubber stamp that, hey, you know, we're doing business, but we're doing it the right way,” Blumenfeld explains.

Human-Centric and Inclusive

At the core of CultureCon's mission is the belief that everyone has a vested interest in nurturing workplace culture regardless of their role. Nick explains, “We believe any individual, regardless of your role or responsibilities within an organization, has a vested interest in making work more meaningful for yourself and others.”

Their approach is inclusive, transcending traditional HR boundaries to engage frontline managers, executives, and entrepreneurs alike. Nick emphasizes, “We did not want to build an HR conference. We wanted this to be a very diverse audience pool.”

Blumenfeld emphasizes the importance of intrinsic motivators like autonomy in building trust and engagement. “That autonomy created trust in that relationship, and that trust is what will enhance the workplace culture,” he explains.

Responding to the Pulse of the Workforce

CultureCon's programming reflects the dynamic nature of workplace trends. Topics often align with economic shifts, such as labor market changes and the increasing importance of employer branding. Nick notes, “Programmatically, many topics at the top of our audience's mind tend to trail some economic factor.”

Zach adds, “Employee engagement or disengagement has stayed pretty stagnant the last decade or so... it just has to be something that's always top of mind and that you're continuously working on.”

The State of Engagement

An ever-growing body of research underscores the importance of CultureCon's work. This research reveals workplace engagement's vital role in healthy and productive ecosystems. According to Gallup, only 32% of U.S. employees were engaged in their work in 2022. Furthermore, a study by Deloitte revealed that 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe a distinct workplace culture is essential to business success. These statistics highlight the critical need for initiatives like CultureCon to improve engagement and cultivate thriving workplace environments.

Storytelling Activated ?

Storytelling is another pillar of CultureCon's ethos. Nick remarks, “Storytelling was once a lost art and is now becoming a business imperative.” By fostering empathy and connection through shared narratives, CultureCon encourages organizations to adopt storytelling as a strategic engagement and cultural cohesion tool.

For Zach and Nick, the story of CultureCon has been transformative. Zach reflects, “It's like the most lived experience I've had yet in my professional career. It's the most fun, it's the most meaningful and impactful work.” Nick concurs, emphasizing the importance of authenticity in their work, “The lesson learned is to find those opportunities where you can bring your authentic self forward and not be discouraged from owning it in the moment."

As they look to the future, Zach and Nick remain committed to transforming workplace culture and having a bit of fun along the way. They may not enjoy public speaking or leading from the front, but these entrepreneurs, co-founders, and best friends might have the ingredients to take meaningful work experiences to new heights.

Through CultureCon, they continue to inspire organizations to create environments where work is meaningful, impactful, and aligned with the values of a diverse and evolving workforce.

See you in Madison! #CultureGeeks #CultureCon #CultureCon2024

-Rod

If you have thought about re-upping your organization's story 'game,' let's chat!