When Company Culture Gets You Called a “Marketplace Role Model”
In 2022, AK Lean had two MAJOR events happen…
We participated in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program.
We were awarded the 2022 Better Business Bureau Great West & Pacific Torch Award for Ethics for small businesses.
The first event was hard - fricken hard! As the CEO, I had to go through the program myself. The thing that made it easy? My employees were behind me EVERY. STEP. OF. THE. WAY!
The second event was rewarding - it validated that we, as a small business, were providing quality to our clients. It also validated that my EMPLOYEES helped to create an amazing culture.
Both events were spectacular and monumental - and both dealt with the employees being at the heart of them.
Pressure of Public Acknowledgement
2022 ended in a crazy mess of a swirl. Vacation, holidays, year-end close out, etc. When things get crazy, I tend to miss celebrating the little victories. One night when I was reading the news, I stumbled across an article that had our company listed in it.
The Alaska Business magazine featured AK Lean and the Alaska Sleep Clinic as recipients of the BBB Torch Award for Ethics… and I had completely forgot I reached out to them asking if they would publish a press release in the article.
What they published and what the press release I wrote were really different. I had never written a press release before, so it was dry and to the point. This is who we are, and this is what we won.
What Alaska Business magazine wrote was MUCH more flattering - and made me realize pressure to perform that wasn’t there before.
Alaska Business magazine had said that AK Lean and Alaska Sleep Clinic were “marketplace role models” because of our “winning company cultures they promote”. Talk about pressure!
What is Company Culture to Me?
Company culture, to me, is ensuring that the company’s reputation and health is looked at both from an outside perspective and internal perspective. Both sides need to be nurtured to succeed.
To me, this is what I strive to make our company culture be:
Internal
Employees can show up as their authentic selves.
We have fun as a team.
Everyone knows they can safely share inputs and concerns - everyone has a voice at the table.
Employee needs are cared for (i.e. healthcare, financial assistance for work expenses, sick leave, etc.)
Work happens around their lives, not the other way.
Employees regularly receive feedback and guidance from leadership.
Employees are given educational and training opportunities.
Employees are given space to make mistakes and to learn from them without reprimand.
Employees are engaged and regularly volunteer for new projects.
Employees willingly reach out to each other when they need help or have a question.
While we are a remote workforce, employees independently make the effort to see each other if they are in the same location.
External
We are loyal to and consistently show up for our clients - their successes are our successes.
Our word is our bond, and we stand by it.
We are flexible - business owners have enough to worry about, we shouldn’t be one of them.
We show up for the community - we’re willing to help where needed.
We care about future small business owners.
We practice an abundance mindset - there is enough work for everyone!
It’s probably easy to see from the lists above, but I believe that great company culture STARTS with your employees.
If your employees believe and stand behind what you are doing, the external culture will follow.
If you try to build your external culture first and then force your employees to be a part of it, the buy-in isn’t there.
Employees are Everything
In short, the whole point of this rambling post is this - If you have employees, they are EVERYTHING.
They can make you succeed beyond what you thought possible.
They can lift you up and inspire you to be a better business owner.
They can also tear you down and destroy you if they don’t feel they matter.
So, take care of your employees. Take the time to work with them and earn their buy-in.
