A caring culture is an organizational culture in which leaders constantly and consistently assist employees to thrive and succeed. Its leaders dare to care by continuously dedicating themselves to providing support, services, benefits and assistance in a positive, caring manner.
The act of caring is important because it creates deeper connections as individuals lean on each other for emotional support and enhances morale. Caring for others teaches important virtues such as patience, understanding and loyalty that benefit individuals in both their personal and professional lives.
Caring culture focuses on
Companies that clearly demonstrate a “caring culture” focus on the following.
- Recognition and Acknowledgement
There is power through recognition. When an employee is acknowledged, that individual feels a sense of pride and typically continues to grow and support the company with a sense of loyalty.
- Get To Know Your Employees
Leaders who take the time to interact with employees on a more personal level build a strong working relationship and an important allegiance.
- Schedule “Together Time”
Team spirit is best built when employee groups do something together. Whether it’s a community service project, attendance at a sporting event or a family picnic, team-building is an important success trait.
- Facilitate Education and Career Growth
There is a special kind of respect and pride an employee develops when their company invests in their education and career growth. An investment in an employee’s future is always well appreciated.
- Develop Empathetic Competencies
Leaders who listen… truly listen to their employees build a strong sense of trust. It’s vital to constantly demonstrate you care and are also sensitive to the challenges your people are facing personally and professionally.
- Understand What Motivates Your People
Motivation is certainly important, however, in a true “caring culture,” motivation is best when it’s personalized and meaningful to the employees. Find out what drives your people. Is it money? Is it awards? Is it recognition? Is it responsibility?
- Be Transparent and Highly Communicative
Continuous, consistent communication is vital to build strong companies, teams and employees. There should be no secrets. Transparency is very important.
Benefits to a caring corporate culture
Historically and statistically, there are multiple benefits to a caring corporate culture. They are…
Attraction
Reputation and word-of-mouth on a company that cares spreads rapidly and will build attraction to your organization for future employee candidates.
Recruiting
Showcasing a “caring culture” has been a real positive for recruiting purposes (Society for Human Resources Management, SHRM).
Engagement
Demonstration of being an organization that truly cares about its people, its customers, its employees and the communities it serves makes “engaging” easier.
Esprit de Corp
When a company clearly lives and executes a culture of caring, a feeling of pride, fellowship and shared loyalty prevails.
Heightened Productivity
When people work in an environment where everyone, including upper management, show that they truly care, productivity skyrockets and soars.
Retention
Again, from SHRM materials, positive employee retention is directly correlative to a company’s culture and corporate cultures of kindness, caring and empathy… which all positively affects retention.
Enhances Company Image and Brand
If you study companies such as Target Stores… Wegman’s Supermarkets… Scripps Health… Delta Airlines… and Sales Force… to name a few from Fortune Magazine’s “Best Companies To Work For”list, you’ll readily see their positive images and brands relate to many things, not the least of which is a corporate culture of caring.
Joy and passion at work
Productivity, positivism and pride… along with joy and passion on-the-job… comes with working for a company that demonstrates that they care. Whether it’s showing how much they care with/for employees, customers, communities or causes… “caring” becomes a mark of the brand.
From www.goodgoodgood.co “Caring is an essential aspect of human nature that allows us to show empathy and compassion for others. When we show that we care about others, it can help build trust and strengthen personal relationships (and in companies, strengthen productivity). By caring for others, we can all create a sense of belonging and connection with those around us.”
Simon Sinek (“Star With Why” said, “Customers will never love a company until its employees love it first.”
When an organization demonstrates a true culture of caring that says they put significant emphasis on the importance of relationships, empathy, understanding and kindness, the stage is set for dramatic, quantum leap growth.
“Never believe a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.” (Margaret Mead)
Dare to care!
Ira Blumenthal is a business consultant, a Georgia resident, a best-selling author, a globally renowned public speaker, a university educator and a college Lacrosse coach. Ira welcomes inquiries and can be reached at Ira@Iraspeak.com. His web site is www.IraSpeak.com
