Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/1497566
Sp r i n g 202 3 • forwardHR | 9 employees did their individual work in rows and rows of cubicles. We also made a significant investment in video technology, so that employees could connect seamlessly whether they were in the office or working from home. An inviting office and high-end video technology were important steps in settling into a new normal of hybrid and remote work, but more work was needed to ensure the advancement of our positive and collaborative culture. Aer all, it's easy to become isolated and detached when spending almost all of your time working remotely. We developed and adopted creative ways of ramping up communications at all levels of the company. Whether that meant reforming "hallway huddles" that previously took place spontaneously when employees were in the office together to scheduled and planned "virtual hallway huddles" or adding a weekly update video to all employees from the CEO — which might even include a song from time to time — much attention was given to communicating and connecting. Leaders and employees had dialogues to identify situations when in-person meetings were important, and those gatherings were scheduled in the new meeting and social spaces at our office. Activities such as collaboration, problem-solving, training and onboarding were most oen called out as important for an in-person presence. It is still a work in progress, but we're pleased that people feel there are still compelling reasons to come into the office. Being seen as a people-first organization is the ultimate competitive advantage. Giving employees a choice and a voice in how they work is powerful for both retention and recruiting. Our employee engagement has remained high throughout this journey, and the business has advanced significantly. Revenue growth in 2022 was the highest it's been in a generation. A complete replacement of company operating systems has been taking place throughout the pandemic and is going very well. Net promoter scores for all key stakeholder groups are at all-time highs. Putting people first is not just a "feel good" approach — it's good for business. ■ Rick Parks is chief executive officer of Society Insurance, a property casualty insurance company headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The company was founded in 1915 and has 360 employees working in nine states. ZERO * *Number of people who enjoy saying "We have to talk." You love your job. But there's a part of your job – like everyone else's – that doesn't qualify as "fun." There are reasons you need to take action at times, and there is a firm that can help you with these times to ease the stress and make a difficult process run smoothly. We've been in the employment law business for decades, so if you contact us today we can help you when the time comes. ruderware.com | visit our blogs at blueinklaw.com