WHAT MAKES US THE BEST PLACE TO WORK
Over the last 3 years, OxBlue has won 20 company awards for being the Best & Brightest and Top Place to Work. It’s part of a legacy that has continued over the 23 years we’ve been in business and reflects OxBlue’s focus on the people that make us successful.
Revenue and profit are critical, and innovation is how those things are maintained as a business grows. What drives all of it though is people, and more specifically highly engaged people. They are the difference between what makes a company just good or great.
We define engagement as the level of voluntary effort a team member will give to go above and beyond the basic requirements of their job. It’s making that after-hours trip to the airport to drop a FedEx package off to help a client out. It’s going the extra mile to support a coworker to get something across the finish line. It’s making that extra effort to improve a process that makes everything just a little better.
When people care they ask critical questions, and the more they care the harder the questions. They look at processes and naturally think: why does it work this way? They go out of their way to deepen their knowledge. They come back and say: what if we tried this? When employees have a vested interest in the success of the business, innovation comes through in multiple ways. Sometimes it’s as simple as not accepting the status quo and “the way we’ve always done it.” to strive for something better. Sometimes it’s supporting the development and implementation of someone else’s ideas. And yes, sometimes it really is that one grand idea that can change everything.
How do you create engagement? First off, don’t mess it up. Most people show up to their first day at work with maximum engagement, ready to do something great and change the world. Too often companies mess it up with too many unnecessary policies and not enough focus on the individuals. Or the onboarding program is not much more than showing someone their desk, telling them good luck and hope they figure it out. Either way it's not a recipe for success. It’s important to let their engagement thrive from the start and not mess it up being either overbearing or absent.
Engagement doesn’t come from symbolic ping-pong tables (worn out culture cliche?) or pizza parties (we actually do this frequently). It’s not a bad thing to add those start-up-like perks; but it’s not how we drive an award-winning culture. What we focus on is different; we strive to create an environment in which people can bring their full selves to work, where they feel comfortable around their coworkers and actively want to build relationships beyond the cubicle.
We strive to ensure that employees can answer these questions positively
Is the purpose of my role clear?
A tech support person’s purpose is not to fix problems because we need to tie it back to the mission. Their purpose is to maintain the company’s service revenue, create a great customer experience so the customer keeps coming back, and to have that customer result in other business. When someone can see how their role impacts the greater mission of the business and understand what they’re contributing, they’ll feel invested in their role’s success.
Does my manager understand me?
A manager’s job is to coach, provide constructive feedback and support to guide an employee to grow in their role and career. A strong management team makes the biggest difference. There is a thin line between your work and your life. If something is impacting your life, it will likely impact your work. When you have a manager who gives you grace to be human, you feel respected and valued. No one likes to have a boss breathing down their neck or reprimanded for making a one time mistake when you’re having a bad day. This understanding of how an employee operates, what they value, and what impacts them, is what creates a sense of mutual understanding.
Do I have the tools to do my job?
Everyone has a wishlist of tools, apps and tech that they’d love to make their lives easier. Some of it is important and some of it is just shiny solutions that don’t live up to the hype. It’s important to differentiate the two, provide what's needed and to have a good mutual understanding on the “why” if something is not provided. A lot of it can be as simple as just asking the question “Do you have everything you need?” The key is making sure we aren’t holding someone back from being successful and hurting their engagement by not giving them the often simple tools they really need to do the job better.
Do my peers understand me? Do I have a friend at work?
Where it all comes together is in how your employees interact with each other. If you’ve truly built a successful, award-winning company, then your team is invested, working towards the same goal, and communicating strongly. Part of this is breaking down silos. For example, teams that feel misaligned in their goals usually means there’s a lack of collaboration or support systems in place. One of the many ways we encourage deeper connections is through Ambassador programs, in which employees are paired with someone outside of their department. We work to bond together during company lunches, and we give everyone the opportunity to share their wins and appreciation for each other during our monthly meetings. These types of opportunities help employees work together to: understand each other’s roles, collaborate with each other’s teams, and connect over what/who they’re working for.
There are thousands of things we do to create this innovative, award-winning culture. Ultimately, it boils down to the principles in which we guide ourselves: Be connected. Be catalytic. And be genuine.
