Andrew is a veteran human resources leader and Chief Human Resources Officer at BVI, a leading global ophthalmic medical device manufacturer
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In summer 2020, a key component of the global conversation around Covid-19 was focused on managing the shifts related to the expansive work-from-home workforce. It was clear that companies needed to adapt their company culture to the current circumstances. Leaders across all industries were faced with a new reality, requiring them to determine how, in an already competitive market for talent, companies would envisage their future path while retaining their existing workforce. It was during this unpredictable period that I joined BVI, a fast-growing, diversified global ophthalmic medical device manufacturer.
It was a strange time to start a new role, one that was made especially challenging due to not being able to meet with my peers and colleagues. Like many, I instead had to try to replicate that same sense of connection and belonging in a virtual world. From this experience was born a challenge that many other HR leaders faced: How do we create and foster that sense of belonging in a corporate environment where the workforce was scattered, sheltered and, in some instances, scared? Working through a pandemic is one thing; living through it is an entirely different piece altogether.
As we look to a next normal and a future where we have adapted beyond the pandemic, our solutions to this “new” problem will likely outlast the emergency that required them. Market factors are challenging companies to truly focus on retention at the same time as providing enough differentiation to competitors to attract new talent. And regardless of pay, people who don’t feel like they belong in an organization or feel valued are highly motivated to move on.
The need to create a strong sense of purpose and belonging is not new. Indeed, one key tenet of any culture initiative is making sure employees from all backgrounds are not just hired, but also feel like they belong in the company culture. Put simply, everyone in your company must belong, and companies must take tangible steps to give employees the opportunity to find their path to feeling connected to the company culture.
Numerous programs focus on metrics, and there’s nothing wrong with using numbers as a motivator. But as any sports fan knows, scoring a goal doesn’t mean the game is over. In fact, there is no end game in this work. At BVI, we are constantly reviewing and developing our plans and actions to ensure we have a culture where people thrive and can find their purpose as we build the next great ophthalmic company. That said, here are some of the current best practices that we are actively pursuing to foster a sense of connection and belonging:
1. Define your values.
At its root, belonging means believing in a set of shared values. So, the first step is defining your company’s values. This is not a top-down exercise. The values must grow, organically, from all your company’s stakeholders. To identify them, you must reach out to everyone who your company’s values would impact on a daily basis. Pulse surveys are a great place to start. At BVI, we call it collective intelligence—the best ideas come from everywhere and everybody, including outside partners.
2. Show them in action.
How do we share values? You could send them around in an email (bad idea). Or you could take a cue from Hollywood, where the first lesson is, “Show it, don’t say it.” How are people at your company living your values? Find ways to highlight and showcases your values in ways that deepen your company culture.
For example, as part of our company’s initiative to create a unified culture, we encouraged employees to show us how the company’s values impacted their own daily work to foster belonging. From this, we discovered a TikTok star in our manufacturing plant in Italy who created a popular video celebrating the plant’s Covid precautions. Our facility in China made a video of choreographed dancing. Then, our plant in Mexico took it to a whole new level with a video of a day in the life of our team there. This internal buzz created a sense of fun—and even more importantly, it created connections among colleagues on opposite sides of the world, who all felt like they were working toward our shared goals, together.
3. Communicate constantly.
Ask employees what they want on the job, and you’ll likely hear “more frequent communication.” They are not talking about task-related emails and Zoom meetings. They want to know what’s going on around the company—what’s new and what others are doing. Newsletters are a great way to do this but make them freewheeling and frequent, as often as every week. In my experience, a carefully curated monthly newsletter is both less engaging and actually creates more work.
4. Recognize excellence.
People need to feel valued. Sometimes a simple “thank you” is enough. At BVI, we decided to plug in a simple way for employees to post messages of recognition on our intranet portal. No sooner did we turn it on, than it crashed twice, with all the notes from people wanting to recognize their peers. Try it at your company and be prepared for a flood!
We must take what we’ve learned over the past two years as we look out to a (hopefully) post-pandemic world while seeking new ways to keep our workplaces safe and welcoming for all. If we do so, the benefits for companies are limitless: We retain top talent, we sustain a more collaborative work environment and we become an organization to which employees sincerely look forward to making contributions every day.
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