November Is About Gratitude

“Gratitude can transform any situation. It alters your vibration, moving you from negative energy to positive. It’s the quickest, easiest, most powerful way to effect change in your life — this I know for sure.” —?Oprah Winfrey—

“Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: It must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.” — William Faulkner —

“Always have an attitude of gratitude.” — Sterling K. Brown—

Building Change: Why 'People-First' Companies Outperform the Rest

By Neela Singh

Your team comes first,” they say. But for most companies, it’s more of a footnote than a mission statement. And yet, every so often, there’s that rare leader who actually believes it. That’s where this story begins.

At 7 a.m. on a Friday in April, Dave Wilson sat with his coffee, wrestling with a spreadsheet and a decision that would either push his company forward or send it back three years. His software firm was facing yet another talent drain – bright engineers burning out or jumping ship to big tech rivals. But Dave wasn’t looking for another round of “self-care Fridays” or pizza parties to boost morale. His plan? Give every single employee a four-day workweek and no pay cuts. Period.

While everyone else was scrambling to add perks on perks, Dave saw something simpler but braver: maybe it’s about giving people back their time, their lives. He took the plunge. Six months later, productivity was up 15%, turnover was practically nonexistent, and people actually seemed, well, happy. Dave’s story isn’t a one-off. It’s part of a growing pattern in the business world, where companies that prioritize people — really prioritize them — are emerging as the outliers, the unicorns, the ones getting it right.

“People-first” isn’t just a euphemism for ‘we pay decently.’ Companies that embody it get one thing right: they see employees as whole people, not just job titles. Research reveals that people-focused policies directly impact metrics like retention and productivity. In a 2023 study by Gallup, employees who felt their workplace cared about their well-being were 3.8 times more likely to be engaged.

What Dave Wilson did was bold, but history shows he’s in good company. Look back to Henry Ford: the man who decided to double his employees' wages in 1914. It wasn’t philanthropy; it was economics. Ford recognized that if he paid his employees well, they’d stay, they’d work harder, and maybe, they’d even buy one of his Model T cars. His theory worked, transforming both his company and the industry. Today’s people-first companies aren’t reinventing the wheel; they’re fine-tuning it for the modern workforce.

Why Are So Many Leaders Afraid of “People-First” Policies?

Leaders want high engagement and low turnover, yet many still treat people-first policies as radical. Why? Because there’s a belief that the numbers won’t work. The fear that generosity may not “pay off.” Yet data keeps proving this idea wrong. Consider the recent study by McKinsey that found collaborative leadership styles—those that support employee well-being—are 1.4 times more likely to yield top performance. So, what’s stopping more companies from following Ford’s example?

(https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/in-the-spotlight-performance-management-that-puts-people-first)

It often boils down to trust – or rather, a lack of it. Many companies operate under an unstated belief that if you give employees an inch, they’ll take a mile. This kind of thinking can’t survive in a people-first culture. Instead, as social psychologists suggest, it’s about setting boundaries and trusting your employees to meet them.

How Psychological Safety Makes People-First Companies Thrive

This brings us to a less visible but powerful part of people-first cultures: psychological safety. Studies show that employees who feel safe to express their ideas without fear of ridicule are 50% more productive. That’s because psychological safety unlocks innovation. When people are confident they won’t be penalized for thinking outside the box, they take risks, suggest improvements, and even own up to mistakes faster.

(https://www.ragan.com/how-psychological-safety-affects-employee-productivity/)

Take Google, for example. Known for pioneering Project Aristotle, they found that psychological safety was the single most critical factor for successful teams. It wasn’t IQ, it wasn’t work experience. It was simply whether team members felt safe to speak up. Google then adopted policies that reinforced this, allowing creativity to flourish and innovation to soar.

Can “People-First” Be Too Much?

The idealistic view says you can never care “too much.” But sometimes, overstepping boundaries can backfire. If employees feel so protected that they become complacent, a culture of entitlement can start to form. This doesn’t mean leaders should dial back on compassion. Instead, it’s about balance. Give people support, but don’t insulate them from accountability. This is where the healthiest people-first companies find their strength: they show compassion without forfeiting standards.

Insights You Won’t Find in a Business Manual: It’s Not Just for Show

Many people-first advocates talk about “ROI,” but the real returns go beyond profits. There’s something profoundly human about working for a company that genuinely values you. Some HR professionals call it the “invisible currency”—the trust, respect, and sense of belonging that can’t be tracked on a balance sheet. Employees in people-first cultures often carry that gratitude back to their communities, families, and friendships, creating a ripple effect far beyond the office.

In fact, recent data shows that companies with high trust scores outperform others by nearly 50% on the stock market. This isn’t magic; it’s human nature. When people feel valued, they give their best. And when companies treat people as assets, they get something priceless in return: loyalty that lasts beyond job titles.

Why Betting on People is the Smartest Business Decision**

At the end of the day, Dave Wilson’s four-day week was more than just a policy shift; it was a leap of faith in his team. He placed his bet on people, and they rose to the challenge. His success and the success of so many like him only underscore a truth as old as business itself: put people first, and the numbers will follow.

People-first isn’t just a trend – it’s a test. One that separates those who see employees as cogs from those who see them as collaborators.

What’s going on with Transformation Kitchen??

Celebrated NY Chef Mike Casanova is our first Chef-Mentor training our first student, Artez “Tez” Jackson. ?

Both of these men have come from violence, addictions and incarceration to become a beacon of hope for others.

As we create the beginning of the program with our monthly “Love the Block” to feed the food insecure, and skills trainings for Tez, we are excited we grow through the first phases of this incredible program.

Sarah O’Brien, a Trauma-Informed Veteran in Mental Health and Wellness, has joined us to become our Director of Student Wellness. ?She begins today working with Tez to discuss a bright future forward.

Our First “Love the Block” and our introduction to the public is Dec 6th from 4PM-7 PM, in Newburgh, NY. ?If you are in the area, look for our posts where you can find the food truck and stop by for free food and to see what we are doing.

YOU help us move the needle and push forward. ?Thank you

What’s coming next?

Nov 8? ? ? ? ? ?#Time2CHANGE S5 Ep 14 w/ Elevated C&C Part Duex

Nov 15? ? ? ? ?#Time2CHANGE S5 Ep 15 w/ Melissa Robinson-Winemiller

Nov 22? ? ? ? ?#Time2CHANGE S5 Ep 16 w/ Victoria Walling

Nov 29th? ? ? #Time2CHANGE S5 Ep 17 w/?Kurtis Tompkins

Dec 3rd? ? ? ? PEOPLE Event LIVE w/ Trasetta Washington 7 PM ET

Dec 6th? ? ? ? ?#Time2CHANGE S5 Ep 18 w/ Kathy Love

Dec 6th? ? ? ? ?Love the Block & GO of TK Food Truck 4-7 PM

ICYMI: Time2CHANGE Podcasts