Six steps to a better culture

In this market of low unemployment and high competition for labor, building company culture is becoming a hot topic in both our industry and beyond. As small business owners, the challenge of building culture is huge. Many of us are too busy working in our companies to work on our companies. And, let’s admit it, working on culture seems like an extravagance that we cannot afford, and one with uncertain outcomes. Better to stay in our lane and cross culture off our list.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t cut it anymore. To attract the best talent, to build the kind of team that makes you feel supported as an owner, to grow and make work enjoyable while doing it requires us to get outside our comfort zone. But, hear me out. At Downer Brothers Landscaping, we’ve found that focusing on culture has huge benefits, and these are seen financially and in the quality of talent and team buy in. Ultimately, culture building makes the process of owning a business more rewarding.

Our philosophy involves the following:

Know your team

People want to feel connected. They want to feel they’re part of something bigger than themselves. This is especially true in our industry. Working out in the elements and performing hard labor takes both physical and mental toughness. Crews face hurdles on a daily basis, and they need a support network and leadership that is receptive to questions and input. Get started by plugging in and spending time with your team. The internet is filled with ice breaker activities that will get the ball rolling, and the more you invest and show interest, the more they will feel the benefits of connection.

Get feedback and earn buy in

All major decisions should involve team feedback. If you have a top down approach, I assure you that this does not mean giving up control or vision; it just means looking at issues from all sides before making decisions. The benefits are huge. For instance, when we wanted to create a system for end of day operations, we invited out team leaders in for brainstorming and input. We started by identifying the problems created by our lack of structure to really tap into the emotions tied to the frustrations. This builds buy-in and the solutions were the result of their best ideas and our own. The icing on the cake is that when we implemented the new system, our leaders had bought in and policed the process and helped us evolve it as we saw elements of the plan needed improvement. Overall, when you see a problem, ask for feedback. By incorporating that feedback into solutions, you will gain better ideas, buy in, and better compliance.

Set an event schedule

This is where owners freak out. Time is money and events cost even more money. But relax. I can tell you from personal experience that the benefits outweigh the costs.

Further, I’d argue that events pay for themselves. In our case, the first tangible benefit was reduced turnover, and this was a significant improvement with big rewards (payroll taxes fell by 4% despite growth revenue and labor growth of over 35%). Second, we saw a measurable improvement in our revenue per man hour metric (up 11%, breaking the company record set the year before – all while adding over 35% to both revenue and labor, meaning new hires did not slow down productivity). So, get input from your team, set a budget, and go for it.

The results of your commitment will be purely anecdotal early on. For us, we noticed handshakes at Friday morning meetings extended beyond typical friend groups, crews expressed gratitude that their work felt more appreciated, and more and more crew members began bringing in their friends and family for interviews.

It’s amazing how organizing soccer field time can be the best word-of-mouth marketing for candidates. People want to work for a company tuned in and invested in their team. And meeting goals is easier and more enjoyable when you have strong relationships with a team of people who feel heard and respected.

Trust the process

Once you plug in, get feedback and set the schedule, you may have lingering doubts. Let’s admit it, this is outside of our wheelhouse and the outcomes are unknown. But, we’ve all taken leaps of faith to grow our businesses, and this is no different. At a certain point you have to commit and see it through. Once the season gets going, this can be hard to do. It can feel smarter to skip an event to complete a project, but change requires discipline. Much like brushing your teeth once does little to improve health, but daily brushing has huge rewards — staying the course is an essential element of success in building culture.

Make culture part of your brand

When you interview for that next role, be sure to proudly talk about your culture initiatives. Be sure candidates understand what you value and what your team values. This is more powerful than you might imagine. You might find that candidates take a position with you for less money because you care about the work environment and have a vision they trust. You will also find you can quickly weed out candidates who do not fit your value system, which will save you money and frustrations.

Then, when it’s time to onboard your new employees, make protecting and building culture part of their job description. That means offering input, asking questions, expecting compliance with company rules and goals and building a company where everyone is valued for their role and contribution. And set up a schedule of meetings to provide a reliable avenue for this interaction.

Say goodbye

As you tackle your culture initiatives, you might find yourself confronting resistance. Every company has weak links, and usually these are due to a values conflict that limits buy-in. We all understand the pain of an employee who undermines the goal of the business. And there’s a special pain when that person occupies a key role. But, you’ve got to be prepared to move on from those relationships. If they cannot buy in, you cannot tolerate their ability to undermine your goals. Market the role and move on.

Owning and growing a business is difficult. There are times when you feel like Sisyphus endlessly pushing a boulder up a hill. But when you build a team with a strong culture, pushing the boulder becomes a team effort, one that sharpens skills and brings joy in the process.

The author is chief operating officer and business development officer of Downer Brothers Landscaping in Massachusetts.