Influential business figures believe the Springfield area is emerging as a promising destination for Gen Z professionals.
In a recent column, I discussed how these young talents are reshaping workplaces to align with their values and ambitions, emphasizing aspects such as culture, hybrid work arrangements, participation in decision-making, and avenues for personal growth.
Based on conversations with 417 business leaders, a notable trend has emerged: while the fundamental mission of businesses remains intact, there's a discernible shift toward fostering a sense of belonging, significance, and trust within the organizational fabric.
As Chelsey Bode, CEO of Pearson Kelly Technology (PKT), transitioned to her recent position, she recognized that good bosses communicate, listen, invest, and collaborate well. Looking at her employment journey, she wanted purpose, opportunity, understanding, communication, and appreciation. “That has molded a lot of our philosophy when it comes to developing the people we see partnering us in going to the next level. I say ‘partnering us’ because it’s a two-way street. It’s a new world, and we believe people have to choose us as much as we choose them. However, it has to be a two-way win to ultimately succeed.”
Ensuring the seamless integration of new team members into the company and their roles is critical for cultivating a positive and inclusive environment. Pairing newcomers with seasoned internal team members is a valuable mechanism, offering practical assistance and emotional support during the onboarding process.
Tom Douglas, CEO of JMark, has implemented a buddy system, wherein new members are paired with a “flight leader” to navigate their initial experiences at the company. The new member blindly selects a profile as the flight leader’s information does not contain their name or position, yet shows areas of common interests.
Similarly, on a larger scale with over 6,000 employees, Gary Schafer, Partner at Forvis, recognizes the desires of a new Gen Z member is the same regardless of company size. Schafer recently shared at 417 Think Summit forum: “We’re a large firm and still growing; however, what’s most critical for us hasn’t changed: attracting and retaining remarkable professionals and training them in what we do. We’re intentional in creating a culture of inclusion and belonging. On a personal level, we foster relationships; in addition to your boss, we have a coach who is a more seasoned professional whose role is to help you navigate your career. They help interpret feedback given to you, identify skill development to pursue, navigate complexities when life changes, and speak truth into your career.”
On a personal level, we foster relationships; in addition to your boss, we have a coach who is a more seasoned professional whose role is to help you navigate your career.
Gary schafer, partner at forvis
In today's workplace, fostering open communication and acknowledging employees' contributions are paramount for nurturing a thriving and cohesive environment. Transparent communication serves as the lifeblood of effective teamwork, empowering employees to share ideas, concerns, and feedback freely, fostering innovation and continuous improvement.
Logan Aguirre, president of 417 Magazine, shared how she’s staying on top of communication. “Each week in our Great Game of Business (GGOB) huddle, staff members give out ‘high fives’ to other teammates. We also have a weekly ‘Win Wall’ where we show feedback from advertisers, audience members, or ways that our brand has made a positive impact. I also give out prizes during the huddle for people who participate or ask questions. We celebrate anniversaries by having a balloon at their desk with the years they are celebrating and asking our staff to reflect on what they appreciate about the team members. We share that feedback out loud in our Town Hall to celebrate them.”
While transparent communication may initially intimidate some leaders, as observed by Tom Douglas, it is essential for driving clarity and alleviating ambiguity, thereby enabling collective progress. “When you can drive clarity in how working hard, hitting benchmarks and goals will impact the company plus their family, it effectively allows all of us to march forward the same.”
Incorporating decision-making into the workplace is essential for promoting employee engagement and empowerment. By involving diverse perspectives in decision-making, organizations can drive innovation and build trust among employees, fostering a culture of collaboration, ownership, and shared responsibility.
It’s so fun to watch their shock when they realize a lot of our opportunities to do better as a company are united and not siloed in one department.
Chelsey Bode, CEO of Pearson Kelly Technology
Bode emphasizes the collaborative nature of decision-making at PKT, leveraging feedback gathered through surveys and focus groups to inform strategic initiatives. “We view PKT as a collaboration of fresh beginner minds paired with experience. I host a monthly focus group with individuals from different departments and tenures. I facilitate an exercise to gain perspective and understanding, and ideally give a platform of collaboration and unity for team members who don’t get to work together on a day-to-day basis. It’s so fun to watch their shock when they realize a lot of our opportunities to do better as a company are united and not siloed in one department. It really becomes amazing to see interdepartmental teams organically form and work better towards solutions to things exposed during this two-hour investment.”
Aguirre shared how her company involves everyone in decision-making through monthly meetings. “We have monthly impact meetings where each department can openly celebrate wins, discuss roadblocks, and work together to create solutions. We also have a Core Team that has representatives from each department. When a larger opportunity or process improvement presents itself, Core Team reviews it, makes recommendations on whether it’s a priority, and, if so, assigns a work group to tackle it.”
Workplace loyalty is a critical factor in employee retention, driven by trust, job satisfaction, and growth opportunities. Companies prioritizing employee loyalty reap numerous benefits, including reduced turnover rates and increased productivity.
Travis Comfort of Rick's Automotive exemplifies this commitment to employee well-being, fostering loyalty and longevity by treating employees like family and rewarding milestones with meaningful gestures. “We’re family and take care of our guys. We had a guy who had a heart attack and was off for four months. We paid him and his health insurance the entire time. We have employees who have hit 10, 20, and even 30 years. For everyone who has reached 20 years, we send them on an all-expense paid trip to their dream destination, including spending money.”
In conclusion, today's professional leaders play a pivotal role in shaping the future of their organizations by prioritizing employee well-being and organizational success. By cultivating a healthy culture, promoting recognition, providing growth opportunities, facilitating decision-making, and emphasizing retention strategies, these leaders create thriving workplaces where employees feel valued and empowered.
The moral of the story is, “Those who listen and respond retain the best talent, and win.”
