Is Efficiency Killing Your Culture?

In this video I’ll explain some of my ideas to improve company culture in a way I think would benefit us all.

We live in fast-paced times. Every boss wants to do more in less time. I get that. However, we’re at serious risk of downplaying the importance of employee relations in our list of workplace priorities.

Many leaders push personalization to the side and instead choose to use spreadsheets, emails, and lots of other electronic systems to communicate with employees. I think that these types of tools show any compassion or empathy for people. We stare at documents but don’t speak with people. It just isn’t the same as actually talking to someone.

This is an issue that can hugely impact relations and culture within companies, as the example set by people at the top of the company will trickle down to employees just below them.

Working like this breaks down the importance of employee relations and stifles ideas to improve company culture.

A meaningful conversation, not just communication, can really only be face-to-face. An engaged, happier team doesn’t just happen. We need to have more human conversations together. Our most pivotal moments are encouraged and inspired by our leaders in conversation, not communication. Communication does not replace conversation. There is a difference between the two.

Communication is the bare minimum. It won’t inspire the team and it won’t build the emotional strength. Which is why, when considering ideas to improve company culture, I want to see more conversations, not communications, between bosses and employees; and also between employees themselves. If managers and company leaders focused more on the importance of employee relations, the working environment would be a happier, more productive place.

Carrie is a frequent keynote speaker on HR and leadership topics and regularly conducts employee training and leadership development workshops as well. She is the author of the recently published book, Restaurant Operator's HR Playbook: Your Hands-On Playbook for Finding, Hiring, and Developing Leaders and Implementing Organized People Systems and has been featured in Entrepreneur, Restaurant News, Pizza Today and Independent Restaurateur.