Four Ways to Create a Crisis-Resistant Culture

By Tim Walbert

As the world begins to evaluate the tremendous impact of the pandemic on our economy, some companies will have an easier time than others returning to business as usual. I firmly believe this has everything to do with the company culture. Those with strong, ethical and inclusive cultures have a huge head start, because their employees are aligned with what drives their success. I’ve learned over the years — sometimes the hard way — that you can’t fly a plane while you’re building it. Having that foundational culture in place makes it easier to survive a crisis.

At Horizon, we’ve worked hard to make sure our culture is one that can withstand adversity. Part of that work has come from looking at how other businesses support their employees and gleaning tips from them. No business is completely crisis-proof, but there are a number of steps I believe a leadership team can take to put a company on the fast track to recovery.  With the massive reset going on around the world, now is a great time to build a crisis-resistant culture. These four areas will help get you started:

1. Be mindful: It’s important for employees and all of the communities we serve to know you have their backs. Building that trust takes time, effort and, importantly, action. During difficult times, that means offering genuine support for employees, in a way that demonstrates how seriously you take their well-being. We have given all our employees a COVID-related bonus to thank them for their dedication to the people our medicines serve, despite all the difficulties they’ve faced in their own lives. Along the same lines, I know that Darden Restaurants (owner of Olive Garden) extended paid sick leave to previously uncovered workers and offered extra pay to help them with unexpected costs incurred because of the shutdown. I think these types of compassionate measures help employees feel cared for during tough times and build loyalty that strengthens the business in the long run.
2. Be community-focused: Being a good and generous corporate citizen means more than just writing checks, and it brings more rewards than simply seeing your company’s name in a headline. I’ve seen plenty of studies over the years showing that when a company is serious about its philanthropy, it creates a more engaged, passionate and productive workforce. Companies of any size can, and should, be philanthropic, and right now is a great time to start giving back. But philanthropy has to be done right. It means spending time thinking about the needs your company is in a unique position to meet — possibly even while driving business objectives. I’m aware that Bank of America encourages its employees to work on economic mobility, race relations, hunger and literacy. These efforts not only make the communities where it works healthier and more prosperous, but also create more potential customers. And at Horizon, we’re helping our employees give back with paid time off to do things they find personally meaningful in their communities. Contributing time generates goodwill in the community, builds relationships with current and potential clients and makes employees proud to be part of the organization, making it easier to attract and retain good ones.
3. Be intention-based: What do I mean by “intention?” It’s why you’re in business and what your organization aspires to be — and it’s the foundation of a healthy, successful culture. Companies need to do a better job defining what value their products have and how their employees’ work directly contributes to that value. You should outline core values so that your community knows what you stand for, then find philanthropic ways to reinforce them. Pairing intention with action is key.
4. Be an inclusive, welcoming and safe workplace: We must take a deeper look at how to really foster inclusion and diversity. It’s not enough to just hire people from different backgrounds. Companies must actively look for diverse candidates. A safe workplace is one that doesn’t tolerate harassment, and being welcoming means employees feel free to be whoever they are and still fee accepted. It allows employees to thrive personally and professionally, maximizing engagement as well as providing other benefits to the business. I’ve always found that employees who feel they can express themselves without fear of rejection or ridicule are more willing to share new perspectives and ideas, which help drive innovation. Plus, consider this: companies with inclusive cultures are twice as likely to exceed financial targets and eight times more likely to achieve business objectives.

At Horizon, what we do matters — and staying grounded in why we do it is central to our success. Building the sort of culture that can come out of a crisis stronger doesn’t happen overnight. It must start at the top. If the C-suite doesn’t wholly invest — and actively demonstrate a commitment — it won’t work. The easiest way to get moving is by defining your company’s core values. Those unique values should explain who you are and what your goals are beyond profits. They should be true today but forward-looking enough to guide future decision-making — so your business can weather any storm.