Communication and engagement are among the factors that if improved, can help companies retain employees.
As a nation, we’ve seen the various stages of the industrial revolution and the tremendous strides it helped us make in terms of growth and productivity. From the steam engine and electricity to mass production and the rise of technology, we’ve certainly come a long way. However, when it comes to valuing and empowering the very people who drive these advancements, some leaders have hit a wall.
With all of the accomplishments businesses achieve, it seems those in charge sometimes forget how they got there. Expert panelists came together for the 2022 Apartmentalize session, “Human Revolution Leadership Guide,” to discuss what they’ve learned from their positions at the head of the table and the things they have implemented to make every team member feel valued and appreciated.
Melissa DeCicco, Director of Client Performance for SatisFacts and Apartment Ratings, noted that the pandemic highlighted the need to re-evaluate how we view work and what workers now expect.
“The one thing the pandemic really opened up in our industry is the opportunity to redefine work,” DeCicco said. “It gave employees the space to ask for what they deserve as workers. It’s not about making money all of the time; we’ve got to get back to what brings us joy and how to get that work-life rhythm.”
Girish Gehani, Chief Operating Officer for Trilogy Real Estate, echoed those sentiments.
“The pandemic was awful, but it actually created some silver linings that aren’t going to change just our industry, but the entire world,” Gehani said.
The biggest challenges for employers are retention and employee satisfaction. To address those hurdles, it’s time that employers put talent over capital. Taking a human-centered outlook gives leaders the vantage point necessary to see that it’s their people who drive the success of a business.
“Everybody has a seat at the table in our organization,” said Mike Brewer, Chief Operating Officer for The RADCO Companies. “Every team member participates in a daily team huddle, and we host all-inclusive meetings regularly where we ask for employee feedback.”
It’s that continuous communication and organic feedback that provides leadership with the information needed to make real changes that benefit everybody on the team.
“The communication stream has to be there, and it has to be ongoing,” Gehani said. “Open communication creates an engagement that elevates team members to the next step.”
Some employers think that people leave their jobs because of poor compensation or work-life balance. To the contrary, many employees leave because they feel undervalued and lack a sense of belonging. While compensation absolutely matters, employee needs must be met.
“Leadership is a privilege and we need to take that seriously,” Brewer said. “Employees are essentially internal customers and should feel appreciated as such.”
While not every leader can implement the changes they wish to see on a macro level to enhance company culture and be more human-focused, they can start small and create what Gehani called a “micro culture.”
“Do little incremental things within your part of the organization and watch the ripple effect,” Gehani said. “You can always impact change.”
Regardless of one’s scope and responsibilities within a company, leaders are in a fantastic position to guide us through the great Human Revolution.
“You may not always be able to control culture as a whole, but you can most definitely set an example and be the change that you wish to see,” DeCicco said.
Andrew Ruhland is a Junior Account Executive and Content Writer for LinnellTaylor Marketing.