Over the past 24 months, we have expanded our executive team to be more diverse, and the diversity of thought that is now influencing our business strategy has positively impacted our revenue and culture. Currently, our leadership team is composed of 3 female and 4 male employees.
In a recent study conducted by DDI, The Conference Board, and EY, the research found that increased diversity, particularly in terms of gender, positively impacts an organization’s business performance and company culture. Companies with greater gender diversity (at least 30% overall and 20% or more at the senior level) reported that they are:
-1.7 times more likely to have higher-quality leadership,
-1.5 times more likely to exhibit a growth culture and embrace failure in the pursuit of new innovative solutions,
-1.4 times more likely to experience sustained, profitable growth.
Companies can foster camaraderie in different ways, both on macro and micro levels. Company-wide events that encourage relaxation and bonding, like a BBQ or group lunch, is a great way to build camaraderie on a large scale. On the micro level, allowing employees to develop productive friendships that create a sense of belonging and well-being will lead to a more engaged workforce.
Noting research from Gallup, the Harvard Business Review writes,
“Employees report that when they have friends at work, their job is more fun, enjoyable, worthwhile, and satisfying. Gallup found that close work friendships boost employee satisfaction by 50% and people with a best friend at work are seven times more likely to engage fully in their work.”
Employees should strive for grit as it shows a commitment to the task at hand and a willingness to improve (this is especially true of leaders). Researcher Angela Duckworth points out that company culture plays a large part in whether or not employees are willing to persevere and reflect on how they can approve. If an employee is part of a culture that reveres hard work over natural ability alone, employees are more likely to be engaged and willing to grow.
Avoid Negative Emotional Contagion
Research shows one person’s mood can transfer to another, a phenomenon dubbed emotional contagion.
One person’s bad mood can affect the entire company as a ripple effect, meaning the consequences for one angry email could extend far beyond people’s inboxes and impact another person’s day.
On the other side of the coin, this means there’s potential for good moods to infect a workplace positively. The data suggests that positive people flourish in the workplace, not just because they’re easier to get along with, but because negative moods take up more cognitive energy.
On Thursday, October 19th, 2018, Personify hosted Culture & Technology: A Conversation to gather Triangle HR leaders and discuss how technology can enhance an organization’s people strategy to promote an engaged company culture and improve individual and company-wide performance. The discussion was led by Dana Kuhn, Personify’s head of people, strategy, and partnerships.
Personify’s goal for the event was to build collaboration with our neighbors and a discussion around how HR tech can help increase efficiency by not just automating processes, but also providing tools and data that help personalize employees’ work experience to boost engagement and ultimately performance.
TL;DR?
We’ve spent a lot of time around some pretty incredible leaders. The clients we work with, the friends we know, and the people we meet all inspire us as we watch them build companies and individuals up. Find our shortcut to better leadership skills here.