Focus on What you CAN Control: Company Culture

When AgileOne decided to double down on company culture last year, we had no idea that 2020 would be the most chaotic year we’ve ever seen. As last year began, we set our intention on building our culture from the inside out by tying employee experiences and the company’s core values to our goals and performance. When the pandemic hit, we did not lose our focus on the importance of culture. While others may have designated the topic as a “nice to have,” we dedicated time and resources to our evolution.

We knew our clients needed us to be operating at our very best, and we continued to make culture a priority by implementing our plans regardless of the complications the pandemic presented.

More than one year into the crisis, it’s clear we made the right choice. In an industry hit hard by the pandemic, AgileOne has exceeded the majority of the goals we set out to achieve. Clients who intentionally focused on culture are seeing similar results. It turns out the experts have been right all along: strong company culture does help to drive strong business performance.

So, what have we learned along the way?  

Your company’s culture is intrinsically linked to your employer brand

The repercussions of your culture—good or bad—are felt throughout your workforce, your supply chain, and directly impact your business outcomes. Companies must do more than pay lip service to culture or adopt the latest trends. Remote work arrangements and “no-meeting Mondays” will not fix a culture where workers feel disrespected, undervalued, or excluded. On the flip side, teams that feel valued, included, respected, and engaged can thrive even in the most challenging times.  

Just as we need to resist the urge to think only in the short-term as leaders, we must also look beyond our full-time workforce when we assess the health of our company’s unique culture. Getting an accurate picture requires an objective review of your entire workforce ecosystem, including contingent workers (CWs) and the suppliers you engage to meet your hiring needs. 

Contingent workers can make or break your culture – and your business results

A Gartner survey shows that 32 percent of organizations are replacing full-time employees with CWs, which is great for flexibility but raises questions about company culture. It only makes sense that having more CWs amplifies the impact they have on the business and its bottom line. Ask yourself:

• How can you create an environment that inspires external talent to drive higher performance inside your business?
• What kind of culture are you creating for CWs?
• Is the culture one of exclusion? Do full-time and contract workers see it as a case of “us vs. them?” Or is it an inclusive environment where leadership acknowledges everyones contributions toward the same goals, regardless of what paperwork they filled out during onboarding?  

While it’s essential to understand your company’s co-employment policies, that doesn’t mean your hands are tied when it comes to your CWs. Ask your third-party talent providers to show you how they are measuring CW engagement.

• How are they demonstrating care and concern for CWs’ well-being during this tumultuous time?
• Do CWs have the tools and training they need to succeed?
• Are CWs getting new opportunities to stretch their skills and/or learn new ones?  

The answers to these questions matter. A culture designed to engage only a portion of your workforce is simply not going to produce optimal business results. By working closely with your staffing providers, your company can ensure ALL workers understand how their daily actions support your goals.  

Diversity – and a diverse supply chain – are critical to a high-performing culture

Over the past year, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) have been in a brighter spotlight than ever before. But the business case linking DE&I to a high-performance culture isn’t new. Research has consistently shown that diverse and inclusive organizations are more innovative and profitable compared to their peers.  

There is, however, a new twist to how companies are applying that lesson. As they seek to build more agile and resilient talent supply chains during the COVID-19 recovery, companies are extending the idea of DE&I to their supply chains. They’re casting a wider net to engage the diverse talent they’ll need to move their business forward, expanding their reach into new geographies and untapped or under-served talent pools.  

The same culture principles that apply to CWs apply to the suppliers in your talent program.

Ask yourself what you are doing to make sure your suppliers have the tools they need to encourage good DE&I practices.

• Are they being given opportunities to step up and shine?
• Have you given them feedback on how they can manage your program differently?
• Are there new opportunities you can provide that will help develop them into the suppliers you’ll need coming out of this crisis? 

As companies look for innovative ways to regenerate growth, the importance of including a diverse supplier strategy into your culture initiatives can’t be overstated. With a little extra effort, these suppliers can play an important role in realizing your DE&I goals.  

At AgileOne, we’re continuing to lead our customers on their journey to understand how work is changing, how culture must follow, and the important role CWs and diverse suppliers will continue to play as we recover from an unprecedented global crisis. A high-performing culture that includes everyone in your workforce has the power to deliver competitive advantages that will extend beyond COVID-19 to positively impact your business for many years to come.