Crafting Culture: Helping Executives Create Incredible Company Culture

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Short-term vs. long-term. Instant gratification vs. delayed gratification. Tangible vs. meaningful. Today’s workforce is looking for more than free snacks and the occasional gift card. In this #Perks episode of Crafting Culture, co-host Kate Marshall checks in with Erika Westphal, the Leader of Business & People Ops at WorkSpan. The two chat about: The definition of value-driven growth and how it can be implemented Why people have become more interested in meaningful values than tangible ones How to make sure your company values aren’t just living on a wall The #Perks series on Crafting Culture is brought to you by Zestful. Zestful makes daily recognition and rewards a breeze with its consolidated and easy-to-use employee perks platform. To learn more, visit zestful.com/craftingculture. Listen to this and all our other Crafting Culture episodes with Apple Podcast, Spotify, or on our website.

I have an idea to create the greatest racing team and driver in the world and I am looking for investors.  Everyone in our current management has agreed to spend at least $14B building a car, entering races and grooming an up-and-comer for racing success.  But… about 75% of them say they’re “pretty sure” the car will blow up like a Wile E. Coyote Rocket-Sled before it even finishes a lap.  Are you in? Of course not. So why is it we keep investing in leadership development programs when 75% of business leaders expect them to fail?  It’s because they matter! We just need to get better about how we approach them.  Thanks for listening to this episode of Crafting Culture, co-hosted by Blake Bozarth, CEO of CoThryve.  To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting Culture on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or follow along on our website.

It seems like the whole country is starting to realize that working from home is possible.  Companies that at one point refused to allow employees to work from home are now realizing that not only is it possible, but can be beneficial.  On the most recent episode of Crafting Culture,we give you 10 actual, real-life health benefits of a flexible #WFH policy. We talk all about:  Why an inclusive workplace is crucial to productivity How much money companies lose annually due to lost productivity from mental health complications How a flexible WFH policy cuts down on pollution and greenhouse gas emissions To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting Culture on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or follow along on our website.  

What do millennials want out of their careers? No, it’s not avocado toast or participation trophies.  Most agree that what they want most from their employers is an opportunity to grow and succeed. But most millennials feel like real leadership development is lacking in their jobs.  And to be fair, retention and engagement are lacking across the board. Over half of any given company’s employees say they’re currently looking for another job. And companies really are trying to develop their high-potential employees. But most executives admit leadership development programs targeting these high-potential millennials are failing. So, what can we do? To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting Culture on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or follow along on our website.

Ah, the watercooler: The plastic chalice holding the building blocks for life and company culture. It’s where employees slake their thirst, share their trials and tribulations and grow together as a team. So, how do you guide a culture without it?  Our guest today, Ryan Drawdy, Director of Culture & People Ops here at Sweet Fish Media, is an expert at crafting culture without the watercooler. In fact, our team spans the globe, working fully remotely. We don’t even have to wear pants to work… as long as we remember not to stand up in video calls.  So, Ryan’s job can be a tough one: How do you build a great culture remotely? In this episode, Ryan goes over: Why culture can’t be manufactured, but can be facilitated How a simple “question of the day” can make a big difference for your culture Why your employees’ goals and struggles outside of work are just as important as the ones within work To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting Culture on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or foll

There’s only one you in the world. We’re told this from a young age. “Embrace your YOUniqueness.” Why, then, do we assume every group in our organization operates the same way? In this #Perks episode of Crafting Culture, co-host Kate Marshall catches up with Head of HR at Sendoso, Jennifer Knowles. Kate and Jennifer discuss: How to honor the uniqueness of each organizational department Why celebrating our differences matters Living and breathing your core values while accepting departmental differences The #Perks series on Crafting Culture is brought to you by Zestful. Zestful makes daily recognition and rewards a breeze with its consolidated and easy-to-use employee perks platform. To learn more, visit zestful.com/craftingculture. Listen to this and all our other Crafting Culture episodes with Apple Podcast, Spotify, or on our website.  

Leadership development is a tricky subject for some. Before investing in development improvements, many leaders wonder: How do you measure success? It’s simple, the same way you measure business success. That’s what today’s guest, Tom Studdert, VP of Learning and Development, Zoominfo, has learned over his many years of experience.  What we talked about: Why development success can’t be separated from business results Why training and development isn’t something you just do once How great development is all about figuring out what you want to achieve To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting Culture on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or follow along on our website.  

Employee perks do NOT take the place of salary. They simply add to the appeal of your workplace. In this #perks episode of Crafting Culture, co-host Kate Marshall expounds upon the value of well-implemented perks programs. She discusses: Perks younger generations of employees are interested in Mistakes to avoid when implementing an employee perks program How to help employees take advantage of available perks The #Perks series on Crafting Culture is brought to you by Zestful. Zestful makes daily recognition and rewards a breeze with its consolidated and easy-to-use employee perks platform. To learn more, visit zestful.com/craftingculture. Listen to this and all our other Crafting Culture episodes with Apple Podcast, Spotify, or on our website.  

So. You’ve decided to embark on the journey to a better company culture. That’s a fantastic and brave first step! A natural side effect of improved culture is employee retention.  The question is, once your company really starts to grow, how will you scale your company culture efforts? In this episode of Crafting Culture, Steve Beauchamp and Executive Producer James Carbary explore the ins and outs of scaling company culture. The two also discuss: The secrets to retaining millennial and Gen Z employees The value in understanding employees’ perception of your company’s culture How to best uncover culture killers This episode is co-hosted by Steve Beauchamp, CEO at Paylocity. To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting Culture on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or follow along on our website.

If you had to bet everything you own on one to win the Indy 500, would you choose:  A 5-year-old driving the fastest car ever made or Michael Schumacher driving a lawnmower? Yeah… either way, you’d end up broke. That’s because the best car and best driver aren’t aligned.  Crafting a perfect company culture is the same: It’s all about aligning your promises to customers with your promises to employees.  That’s what the latest episode of Crafting Culture is all about — cultural alignment.  In it, I go over: Why culture is another name for the promises you make Why carving a niche matters for both customers and employees How to strike a compromise between customer and employee priorities To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting Culture on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or follow along on our website.  

The majority of data HR collects is ubiquitous by itself. But, when operationalized and paired with qualitative data collection, it can be pretty powerful stuff. In this episode of Crafting Culture, co-host Matt Burns explores three steps organizations can take to operationalize their HR analytics. He covers: Determining which data sets are imperative and which are not The value of using both quantitative and qualitative data for creating compelling arguments Why organizations should be transparent with their HR information  This episode is co-hosted by Matt Burns, founder and CIO of BentoHR. To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting Culture on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or follow along on our website.

Where is the line between company culture and just doing business?  Even if it’s a little blurry, there has to be one. Right? After all, you can’t spare someone’s feelings at the expense of the entire company. To explore this paradox further, co-host Kate Marshall of Zestful catches up with Liz Ratto, the head of people at Cedar, Inc. The two discuss: Building a nurturing environment at a startup Navigating the reality of a startup while still catering to its employees Developing a culture that normalizes feedback, growth, and change The #Perks series on Crafting Culture is brought to you by Zestful. Zestful makes daily recognition and rewards a breeze with its consolidated and easy-to-use employee perks platform. To learn more, visit zestful.com/craftingculture. Listen to this and all our other Crafting Culture episodes with Apple Podcast, Spotify, or on our website.

Employee benefits plans are always about give and take. None of us can have everything. What’s surprising, though, is the lack of transparency around benefits. Shouldn’t the employee be able to exchange benefits in for ones they actually prioritize? Co-host Ryan Kohler thinks so. In this episode of Crafting Culture, Ryan shares the #1 tool that helps him and his employees prioritize benefits together. Plus, he covers: Inclusion in the tech space How to have better relationships with your employees The importance of not assuming which benefits your employees prioritize This episode is co-hosted by Ryan Kohler, CEO at ApplicantPro. To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting Culture on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or follow along on our website

Ok, zoomer. It’s official: Gen Z’s are the new millennials… with a few key differentiators. One being that people belonging to Gen Z don’t remember life without the internet. To share with us the differences between millennials and Gen Z’s and provide tips on retaining Gen Z employees is Ylva Eriksson. Ylva is the PR & Marketing Manager at Benify, a global benefits management tech provider. In this episode of Crafting Culture, Ylva and co-host Logan Lyles discuss: The importance of knowing your employees in order to serve them well. Components Gen Z’s are looking for in their workplace. Keys for recruiting and retaining Gen Z employees. See Benify’s Gen Z employee study here. The perk series is co-hosted by Logan Lyles, Director of Partnerships at Sweet Fish Media. To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting Culture on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or follow along on our website.  

Being part of a new company can be a very ambiguous time. No one’s really telling you what to do — you just hopefully make the right decision. Many times there’s not an established HR role. How do you make sure you’re developing a positive work culture that helps your organization grow? In this #perk episode of Crafting Culture, co-host Kate Marshall catches up with CADRE’s Culture & Events Manager, Catie Case. Catie is one all too familiar with pulling a company’s culture out of — essentially — thin air. The two discuss: Growing in your career as your company also grows. Getting people involved in new work culture initiatives. Coming up with creative culture ideas for your specific organization. The #perk series is co-hosted by Kate Marshall, Head of Content at Zestful. Zestful makes daily recognition and rewards a breeze with its consolidated and easy-to-use employee perks platform. To learn more, visit zestful.com/craftingculture. To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting

In the age of remote workers, off-site employees are looking for perks just like on-site team members. But it’s not as easy to engage remote employees with catered lunches or office happy hours. In this #perks episode of Crafting Culture, co-host Kate Marshall of Zestful encourages HR leaders to get creative with perks for remote employees. She also discusses: Examples of creative perks for remote teams What perks modern employees are expecting from their work Why workplaces need to be more flexible today The perk series is co-hosted by Kate Marshall, Head of Content at Zestful. Zestful makes daily recognition and rewards a breeze with its consolidated and easy-to-use employee perks platform. To learn more, visit zestful.com/craftingculture. To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting Culture on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or follow along on our website.

Predictive analytics in HR may be a trend today. But it will be a reality tomorrow. HR leaders should be taking advantage of the opportunities predictive analytics provides us today. In this episode of Crafting Culture, founder and CIO of BentoHR — Matt Burns — fills us in on why HR leaders should be leveraging predictive analytics today. Plus, he covers: Uncovering patterns in aggregated data How to optimize your resources with predictive data Helping the HR industry evolve from putting fires out to preventing fires entirely This episode is co-hosted by Matt Burns, founder and CIO of BentoHR. To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting Culture on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or follow along on our website.

If you want to hire phenomenal people, especially in a tight labor market, you have to lighten your job-specific requirements and focus on skills and values. Ryan Kohler talks about how to make the shift from hiring just for skill to hiring for culture fit. Ryan Kohler is the CEO of Applicant Pro, an Applicant Tracking System that offers fully-integratable products to boost hiring strategy, including background checks, employee onboarding, and pre-employment assessments. What Ryan discussed: Knowing what you're hiring for What culture fit really means Why most people would rather hire for skill than culture (and why they're wrong) How to research your candidates before an interview Interviewing tips for culture fit The value of hiring for culture fit This episode is co-hosted by Ryan Kohler, CEO at Applicant Pro. To listen to this episode and many more like it, subscribe to Crafting Culture on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or follow along on our website.

Let’s talk empathy. No, not the warm, fuzzy, share-all-your-innermost-feelings empathy. The professional, direct kind of empathy. The type of empathy that gets stuff done. In this episode of Crafting Culture, I check in with Emma Brudner, Director of People Operations at Lola.com. She shares her experience with perspective-taking in professional settings. Plus, we talk about: Finding the balance between empathy and directness at work How to use empathy to create a more efficient work culture How leaders can use authenticity and vulnerability to be more effective Check out Emma’s article on Inc.com, Why You Need to Make an Effort to Be Empathetic at Work if You Want to Be More Efficient. The Perks Series on Crafting Culture is brought to you by Zestful. Zestful makes daily recognition and rewards a breeze with its consolidated and easy-to-use employee perks platform. To learn more, visit zestful.com/craftingculture. Listen to this and all our other Crafting Culture episodes with Apple Podcast, Spotify, or