‘Culture’ Articles at Everyday People, Page 18

Thank You.

My post title is missing its normal, and grammatically incorrect, double exclamation points ( !! ) for a reason this week. I had the most amazing experience and just had to share it with you !! (oops, there they are)

In my role at LaRosa’s, I get to do some pretty amazing things as an HR professional. My job is broad, deep and strategic. It’s also very hands on. You see our goal at LaRosa’s is to Reach Out and Make Smiles in all we do with our guests and our Team Members. We started this “radical” new recognition program this year, and this week I was floored by how amazing something so simple can be.

You see, we recognize people on their anniversary whenever they hit a 5-year interval. That may seem like a long timeframe for a restaurant business, but this year alone we’ve recognized a delivery driver who’s been with us 15 years, a server who’s been with us 20 years and even a Shipping Supervisor at our manufacturing plant who’s been with us 40 years !! The tenure at our company is phenomenal. In fact, I’ll have been with the company 7 years this November and I’m a “newbie” !!

The radical part of our program is that I meet with the Team Member on their shift when they work. You see we’re open 7 days a week and are open from 11:00am to 11:00pm. Our team members may work weekend nights only – and that’s fantastic !! We used to make all folks who celebrated an anniversary come to a big dinner once a year. The event was nice, but we made people fit our schedule instead of us meeting theirs. This simple shift has made all the difference in the world !!

This week proved that more than ever !! A person celebrating a 5-year anniversary receives a gift card, a note from our owners and two Smiley faced cookies to thank them for helping us Reach Out and Make Smiles. (We add-on balloons and trays of cookies for folks who hit 10 years or higher.) I was taking the gift bag out to see Richie for his 5-year anniversary.

When I arrived at our pizzeria, the manager greeted me and I said, “I’m here to see Richie.” He said, “I know. He’s right over there.” A young man was standing with his back to me folding small pizza boxes. I called out his name, but he didn’t acknowledge me or turn around. Then a gentleman standing next to Richie in a flannel shirt, glasses and gray hair pulled into a pony tail that went down to the middle of his back reached out his hand and said, “Hi there. I’m Richie’s Dad.” I noticed that Richie was “talking” to himself but wasn’t very coherent. His Dad gently touched his arm and said, “Richie, someone’s here to see you.” Richie turned around and looked straight through me without really seeing me. He kept talking.

Richie has profound autism. I didn’t know that before going out to the store. Here’s a young man who’s been coming to work for us for 5-years to fold pizza boxes. I beamed !! “Richie, I wanted to thank you for your time with us at LaRosa’s !! What you do is so great and here’s a little something for you.” I reached into the bag and pulled out the cookies. “Now, these are for you and not for your Dad. (hoping for a laugh – nothing). Please know that you help us Reach Out and Make Smiles.” His Dad then gently grabbed Richie’s arm and he said, “Tell Steve thank you Richie.”

He stopped his chatter, looked at me clearly and quietly said, “Thank You.” He immediately started his chatter again and went back to his boxes because he loves his job !! His Dad broke through one more time and asked Richie to stop for a second and take a picture with me. We stood together and I put my arm around him. His Dad said, “Smile !!” Richie had another moment of clarity, smiled, the picture snapped, and back to work he went.

We keep thinking that everything in recognition has to be on a grand scale when that’s just not the case. HR works incessantly to craft these incredible programs with thousands of dollars and numerous gift levels without ever thinking about getting to people directly.

Try this instead. Meet people where THEY are and when THEY work !! Thank them for what THEY do for your company. It was a lesson we overlooked for too long. But now, we get to see genuine recognition the way it was always meant to be !!

Now’s Your Time !!

One of the absolute best things about living in Ohio is that we experience four distinct seasons. The winters can be a little bleak at times, and the summers can be extremely humid. However, spring and fall are magnificent !!

Fall is especially fantastic and my favorite season of all. The crisp weather that is more chilly than warm brings about football, pumpkins, apple cider and hot chocolate !! The most brilliant spectacle during fall are the leaves. To see the trees all around you transform into their natural state which has been hidden under its green mask all year is breathtaking.

I have a 40 to 45 minute commute to work each day one way. Having this extended time allows me to enjoy the changing foliage more than most, and I relish it !! The variety of different shades of reds, yellows and oranges just splits the early morning and early evening skies giving them more life than normal.

So, what does this have to do with HR? I think it’s pretty obvious. You see, leaves wait for months to shed the cover of their original green coloring to reveal their natural beauty. It’s intentional, vibrant and visible !! We should do likewise. I don’t think we should wait for months, but when you see your time to shine – then you should burst forth !!

When this happens with leaves, people travel to see the panorama of color. They drop everything to make sure they don’t miss it. Too often, HR stays in the background and misses the chance to step out and show its value. The more this is done in organizations, the deeper HR fades into the backdrop. Remember this, being visible doesn’t make you arrogant. Bringing forth valuable solutions, viewpoints and approaches is what is expected of us. You don’t forsake your ability to help others. In fact, it allows you to bring to the surface methods that can become your company’s regular practice.

Don’t sit back any longer. Make the transformation and let your true colors take their rightful place. Trust me. Having this happen will not only change you, but it will improve HR and your company’s culture for many seasons to come !!

Stop the Just a’s !!

Not sure if you know this, but my life during the day is being the head of HR for LaRosa’s !! We’re a regional pizzeria that is a true Cincinnati tradition. I’m very fortunate to work for a known brand, and our pizza is honestly the best on the planet !!

The role I have is very strategic and is expected to be. I get the chance to work with our 1,200+ Team Members over 15 pizzerias, a manufacturing plant where we make our incredible dough, a call center and our corporate office. This isn’t a bio or a “look what I do” post. It’s a reminder.

You see, I hear a phrase in my company that occurs in every company around the world. It’s a phrase that relegates people and doesn’t show the value they truly bring to work every . . . single . . . day. Whenever you hear someone say, “Well, they’re just a (insert position here)”

If you ever say this, or hear it said by someone else, you should correct the person who says it and tell them to cut it out. There isn’t one position in an organization that is more critical than another. All employees play a role and it is critical that we see the value of what they do. For example . . . If the phenomenal cooks in our restaurants don’t do their best, it has an adverse affect on the guest’s experience and possibly the company. They aren’t “just” cooks. They are the first chance to make a person’s visit to our location the best meal they’ve had !!

I think most people reading this will be cool with addressing the “just a’s” of other roles in our companies. Now . . . let’s talk peer-to-peer.

HR pros need to quit saying, and acting, that we’re “just” in HR !! Seriously. There is no other position, or field, that is so critical of itself. We continue to belittle what we do and it makes absolutely no sense.

I think we need to position ourselves differently by our actions and our behavior by being Businesspeople who practice HR. We need to see ourselves as being integrated throughout our company, and make the steps to do this on a regular basis. This isn’t a “try” position. It’s a “do” commitment !!

I’ve had some people be skeptical about my enthusiasm about how much HR rocks !! It doesn’t dissuade me in the least. In fact, it makes me want to try even harder to get our field out of the mode of being a 2nd class position in organizations.

This week DO something about this. (1) Stop allowing others to sell your employees short. (2) Value and elevate the great people who make your company successful !! and (3) Don’t ever, ever, ever say you’re “just” in HR again !!

Image courtesy of Inspiration Boost

Listen to the Deep Tracks !!

I’ve been feeling a bit nostalgic lately. If you don’t know this about me, I’m a huge music freak !! I have music playing constantly in the car, in my office and when I’m working around the house. I’m not very particular when it comes to styles of music either. I prefer to keep the iPod on shuffle so that there is a constant mix flowing around me.

The reason I’ve felt nostalgic is that I grew up in the era of Album Rock. You looked forward to the full LP from an artist vs. anticipating the next hit single. This isn’t a rant against Pop Music. There have always been artists who are more known for their hits more than their body of work and there always will be. Unfortunately (in my opinion), the pendulum has swayed back to the hit single now instead of enjoying an artist’s full album.

I love vinyl records. Everything about vinyl is great. The look of the record. The size of the album. Knowing that you have to turn the record over in order to hear all the songs. And, yes, I love the scratches, pops and snaps that emanate from the speakers while the songs play. When you hear the first crackle as the needle drops and you don’t hear any notes for a few seconds, it’s bliss !! Enough reminiscing . . .

The true joy of vinyl is that you are almost forced to listen to an entire side of an album. It’s really difficult to skip a song, so you make time to listen to all of it. That’s when it happens. You discover a gem of a song by an artist you enjoy. If you were given the chance to pick and choose songs, you’d probably only listen to the hits from the set. But now you find that the deep tracks of the LP are actually better, more creative and show the depth of the artist. Granted, there are some misses, but not that often.

In the workplace, we tend to pay attention to the employees who put out “hits” and are very visible, and we ignore the steady folks who are those “deep tracks.” HR needs to play the part of the stereo arm and guide management to pay attention to the “whole album” vs. being enamored with the employee who may be a “one-hit wonder” !! HR has the chance to take the hitmakers and show them how to develop their body of work into classic albums as well.

I know there a tons of comparisons to music in this post, but seriously, look at your systems HR. They reward the people who have your attention at a particular moment. This is true of performance management systems, compensation systems and how you promote people. We need to be more focused on development so that we can enjoy all of the contributions people make.

I can tell you this, I’d much rather have a stack of vinyl to work with all the time instead of a quick single from iTunes from someone I may never hear from again. This week dust off your vinyl, drop the needle and enjoy Track 8, Side 1. It will be great !!

When Kids Grow Up . . .

This past weekend I led our Troop Advancement Outing. As the Scoutmaster, it’s my one outing where I am officially “in charge.” That term is used very loosely because the boys plan everything. I only make sure that the outing is focused on helping the new kids work on things that help them advance in rank.

It seems that every campout I run for the Advancement Outing has a unique weather element to it !! This year we had below freezing temperatures, rain and sleet. Yipee !! You have to love Ohio in April !! The amazing thing about this weather anomaly was that the boys didn’t even flinch an eye. Sure, it was cold, but they were camping and that was good enough for them.

During this full weekend, the older Scouts taught the new Scouts how to build fires, wield axes, identify plants and animals as well as basic First Aid. One requirement we always include is a five mile hike. I always go with the kids because I love doing the activies with them !! The hike rocked !!! We saw evidence of deer, raccoons and beavers. We saw plants and trees we’d never seen before and the highlight of the hike was the break we took. We stopped at a creek and I told the boys they could spend 15 minutes creeking. They literally jumped off the bridge and straight into the freezing water !! They searched for crayfish, fossils, caves, etc. The energy level skyrocketed !!

Later, our First Aid walk was truly epic !! The boys walk through the woods and come upon various injured people and they have to identify the problem and a solution to how to help them. My amazing son led this and came up with Attack of the Insane Doll !! So, each injured scout along the route had been attacked by a stuffed childhood toy and left the boys punctured, blistered, burned, rabid and broken – with a compound fracture. The boys who acted out the walk were spectacular and the make-up and props were of Hollywood quality.

So, what does this have to do with HR or the workplace ?? Everything !!

You know what happens to kids when grow up ?? They become our employees !!

So, the bright-eyed and creative kids who jump into a freezing creek and get muddy and soaked may be CEO’s !! The victims of the insane doll may be engineers, factory workers or managers.

However, when they grow up and come to WORK we have to do our duty to suck their souls out to make sure they “perform” and don’t bring their whole self to work. We have standards to uphold for goodness sake.

Also, if employees actually did bring their entire being to work, what would happen ?? The sad thing is that we don’t know. People put on their work face to make sure that things get done and order is ensured. Also sad !!

We have a great opportunity in HR to eradicate this and get the kid factor back into our workplaces. When I think of culture, I want to see people who are engaged, genuine and playful. I’m fortunate to be at a company that not only allows that – it expects it.

So, this week be a kid. You know you want to and the other kids around you are just waiting for someone to break out and make it FUN versus it being WORK. The creek’s waiting . . . just watch out for that doll !!

Believe in others !!

One summer while I was in high school, I worked as a counselor at an Easter Seals camp for disabled adults. Going to this camp genuinely changed my perspective on life !! I entered the camp a bit freaked out honestly. Everyone around me was vastly different that me, and what I was “used to.” People in wheelchairs. People who couldn’t speak clearly. People who couldn’t feed themselves, or pretty much care for themselves on their own.

Remember, I was a teenager. Arrogant, self-assured, indestructible, etc. This was too much for me. The adult who had asked me to work was a counselor I had a Church Camp for years. He was a mentor and knew me better than I knew myself. The first night at camp, I cried myself to sleep because of the challenged people and my inability to accept them.

The first full day of camp, Duane (my mentor), asked me to sit in a wheelchair and he tied my left hand (I’m left handed) to the arm of the chair. He then told me that I was teaching art class all day for campers, but wouldn’t be allowed to leave my chair. I had to eat all of my meals, use the restroom and live the life of the campers. I didn’t handle it well !! I was frustrated at how limited I found myself. Duane had told the campers to really push me – and they did with fervor !!

As the day came to a close, one of the campers, Bill, who had severe cerebral palsy and “spoke” with a rudimentary computer, pulled me aside. He said something that changed me forever. He said, “Steve, don’t be frustrated. We ALL have disabilities !! Some are just more visible than others.”

34 years later, Bill’s words rang true once again . . .

This past week I was honored enough to be a part of Disability Awareness Day at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. One of our LaRosa’s Team Members, Mark, was going to speak about being able to work and be independent. Mark was born without arms and he is one of our Customer Service Representatives and has been with us for 7+ years. As he came to the podium and microphone, he boldly spoke of his work and how he loves taking people’s orders so they can enjoy our great food. He doesn’t view himself as being different. He knows he is a person who is able !!

The room was at capacity and was filled with people whose disabilities were “more visible than others.” They cheered for Mark when he finished and a person in a wheelchair gave me a high five as I came off the stage as well. The great people on this day reminded me that we need to believe in ALL people !! Everyone at the rally felt you were included and not separate. We all came together – as it should be.

So, this week make sure to change your perspective on people from now on. Everyone has value and a life worth living to its fullest extent. Don’t pass someone over, or avoid them because of their appearance. Instead, reach out and let them know that you believe in them. It will change your life as it has mine.

Are you a safe haven ??

Too often we hear people say “Shhh !! Here comes HR !!” I know that most HR folks shudder when they are treated in that manner. When that happens, what does that say about how people view HR in your organization?

Now, this isn’t a post that chides HR for not being visible, or tries to geek you up about making HR more vibrant and engaged. Those should be active ways of approaching HR everyday in my opinion. They should be in your fabric.

What needs to be added is the ability to be accessible and available. Do employees look to you as a safe haven? What does that entail? It’s a bigger jump than you may think.

You see, most employees do the “hush thing” when we come by because the only time they interact with HR is when there is a problem or something has to be addressed. If employees only feel that they can approach HR at times of dire need, or the classic need to put out a fire, then you’ll never be a safe place for them to share.

Also, this isn’t just for a certain level of employees in the company. You need to be a safe haven for front line staff as well as executives. It’s like we’re Switzerland – a neutral body that is open and willing to listen, counsel and empathize. In my opinion, it’s an opportunity to be an incredible asset within an organization !!

If you want to bring the “human” factor into your workplace, and make it a fact versus a passing trend, then you need to become a resource that is known to be safe. Trust me, people yearn for this but few HR people do it. We feel that we need to take sides with either Senior Management or the staff. Great HR needs to position itself to say – I’m here for the people. ALL of the people !!

Don’t you love it when you have someone you can confide in? Those conversations may lead to working through tough situations and stronger employee relations. I’m not asking you to cover for someone, or do something unethical or illegal. However, turn off your Compliance First mentality and try the Human First approach. Trust me, people want it from all of us.

This approach takes patience, energy, an open heart and most of all a genuine willingness to be there for your people. I encourage you to become a safe haven. It will make HR more rewarding than you ever thought it would !!

Is Your HR Like Gas Prices ??

One of the most visceral emotions people experience everyday is during their commute to and from work. It may be the pace of traffic, the volume of traffic or the urgency to get to your destination. Driving is never without emotion !! One item that never misses is when you drive past gas stations. The board listing the prices of the moment glares at you every time you pass it.

If the prices are lower, you’re ecstatic – even it’s a few cents. If they are higher in the least, you say something under your breath, or you curse the sign and the unexplained variability from the morning drive to the commute home. It feels like you’re being held hostage. You know you need to drive to get anywhere (at least in the States), and it never makes any sense when you see the price variation. You can’t go to anyone to get an answer for the change. It just happens and you’re left to “deal with it.”

Sound like HR ??

Too often we sit at our desks writing policies and procedures that address the fringes of our employees and then enact them with little rhyme or reason. We do our best to hold people “accountable” through enforcement and inconsistency. How’s that working for you? Frustrated? Emotional?

In order for HR to bring stability through the workplace and a company’s culture, we must have consistency. That doesn’t mean being fair. It means being consistent. We strive to make EVERYONE fit all that we do when that just isn’t possible.

This week try something new that will really work. Look for the inconsistencies in how HR occurs at your company. That could be within the HR department or how things are carried out in action in the field. Take one area and get it to have less variation. Keep it in check and then find the next area. Over time the lack of variation will bring a flow to what you’re doing vs. having to feel that you must react !! Knee jerking only gives you black eyes.

I was listening to The Police this week and heard a real gem from them called Walking in Your Footsteps.It talks about the dinosaurs and how they once ruled the earth, but you can only see them in museums today. If HR doesn’t change its ways to move from compliance to integrating itself into the flow of work, we will become extinct as well.

Try something new this week !! Start removing the variation and you’ll see others outside of HR treating you differently. You won’t be like the ever-changing gas prices. You’ll be the fuel necessary to help them run better !!

Enough or Not Enough ??

When you get to work on Monday, what’s the first thing that goes through your mind? You’re in HR and you get the opportunity to do something great yourself and through the people that work with you and around you. But, is that how you view things?

This isn’t just the “half full / half empty” question. It’s much bigger than that !! I was reminded of this just last week when my good friend, Brad Galin, crossed State lines from INSHRM to speak to the State Council at OHSHRM. He spoke on moving from Scarcity to Abundance. The title may seem a bit heady, but it is a reality we all face when we hit the door this week.

People are difficult. The odd thing that we forget in HR is that WE’RE people !! So, if we’re difficult too, then how can others see HR differently? In moving from scarcity to abundance, you change your viewpoint, your approach and your behavior. It’s not enough to much wish that you’ll do better. You need to move !!

Why is that important you may ask? Isn’t in “enough” that we get our work done? Aren’t we measured (and measure others) on productivity? People aren’t processes or things. We keep losing sight of that, and, in turn, HR suffers.

Thinking, and acting, abundantly isn’t some wealth strategy where you’re promised some mythical get rich quick solution. Being abundant means that your view starts positively and then moves forward from there. It stays positive too.

Brad shared a great example from his work with Stone Belt, a non-profit group who works with adults with disabilities. He stated that the adults who are his clients are thankful for everything !! If you stubbed your toe, they’d say, “That was awesome !! Way to go !! You did that great !!” The room laughed, but it was refreshing to hear as well.

So, do you have enough or not? Can you be a great HR person where you are, with what you have and who you work with? Are you even asking these types of questions, or are you putting your head down and grinding through?

There’s too much of life around you to keep your head down !! Remember that you’re difficult . . . just like everyone around you. Isn’t that freeing ?? Now, jump into this jumbled mix of humanity and live it up !! The folks around you have been waiting for you to join in !!

Let’s Build a Barn !!

You may or may not know this, but I grew up on a farm. My grandparents raised my brother and I in beautiful Luckey, Ohio (population now of 1,019 !!). It was about half that when I was growing up. My mom worked full time after the passing of my father. We didn’t think anything was “different” with this situation. We LOVED the farm !!

I still love visiting the farms of my relatives. The smells, sounds and general feel of rural life still has a strong allure !! One of my favorite places on a farm is the barn. Barns are incredible places with their nooks, hidden passages, farm equipment, animals, and the obligatory farm cats that just “appear” out of nowhere it seems.

Barns are treasured by farmers. They are incredible structures that seem to weather the test of time. It takes an amazing amount of effort and time to keep a barn in working condition though. They are usually massive buildings, and just to keep them painted is a monumental effort of time and money.

Because of that, barns too often fall into disrepair as the farm (and farmer) age. You’ve seen the barns that make up the landscape as you drive through the country. It’s sad to see this because, at one time, something amazing happened in this essential component of the farm’s daily activities !!

When I see these falling architectural giants, I think of the things that once had meaning and value at work, especially in HR !! You can think of those systems, approaches, policies and procedures that you never change. Chances are they make up the vast majority of your handbooks !! Our company’s landscape is littered with collapsing barns and we just won’t let them go. We think that if we still hold onto them, the glorious past of what once was will magically resurrect itself.

We need to change our approach. Time to build new barns. Not ones that will last forever, but ones that will move our profession and our companies forward. The great thing about barn building on a farm is that it brings everyone together as well !! Make sure you see that the community you serve is involved. Let them bring their own building materials so that this new structure serves everyone !!

So, this week, pull out that handbook and review the collapsing barn you have. See what hasn’t been used, or is even relevant anymore. Tear it down. People will appreciate it. In its place build something new, exciting and effective !! You will be better for it !!