As a company sets out to grow and scale, it must enact strategies that will bring in new employees while still caring for the current ones. One of those successful strategies? Prioritizing a culture of “meaningful work.”
That’s what I learned from Lynn Herrick, chief operating officer at GreatCall, a connected health company for active aging.
Herrick says that meaningful work is the key pillar of her role at GreatCall, defining it as the foundation on which employees build compassion and empathy to provide the best possible service for their customers.
Herrick shared five steps to grow your company with intention and purpose.
1. Know your priorities.
In a leadership role, you must know the type of leader you want to be and the culture you want to instill in your workplace. Take the time to realize what qualities are most important. Once you’ve figured that out, develop a plan for making those qualities part of your company’s everyday mission.
2. Stick to your guns.
Any company experiencing growth will look to implement new initiatives, shake things up, and make necessary changes to reach the next stage. In periods of growth, make sure that your voice is being heard and that you’re advocating for endeavors that will make your workforce more successful. While change is necessary, make sure the changes are moving your initiatives forward, and that the changemakers in your organization are aligned.
3. Emphasize communication.
Periods of transition are often when employees are most insecure about their position and future with a company. To ensure your company grows in a way that makes everyone feel valued and informed, take time to talk to employees. You must include everyone in important decisions and let them know of significant changes. The less communication, the more employees will fill in the gaps themselves — often with the worst-case scenario. In short, take the necessary steps to keep everyone in the loop.
4. Advocate for employees.
In a large company, it’s easy for individual voices to get lost in the shuffle. Use your power to make sure everyone is getting a say, check in with your employees, and don’t assume that you know how they feel. As your company grows, the changes made will embody the opinions of all your employees. Often, the people on the frontlines have the best ideas for your customers and rarely are they asked to share these ideas with changemakers.
5. Make sure values align.
When considering a merger or acquisition, the executive team must ensure cultures and missions are aligned and that values are shared at its core. This way, you’re given room to grow and are able to prioritize a meaningful workplace while scaling. If you don’t get the cultural piece right, the acquisition will likely suffer.
Companies should strive to find a balance between growth and culture. Herrick is a firm believer that meaningful work should be the foundation of a corporation and can be used to build employee loyalty and scale a company successfully. She remains committed to making that vision a reality.
Originally published on Inc.
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