With the current war for talent in full blaze, your organizational culture has become a critical retention tool. We have worked on hundreds of organizational culture projects for 20+ years and observed the strongest cultures directly connect work and personal values.
This enables employees to align with both sets of values without having to be a different person at work than they are at home, ultimately living and working authentically.
One of our clients, TNW Corporation, is an industry leader in rail transportation logistics and short-line railroad operations. Safety is one of their core values, “SAFETY—We believe all accidents and injuries are preventable.”
Paul Treangen, CEO, says, “Safety is not about rules. It’s about taking care of each person, which is an extension of our Servant Leadership value.”
TNW does many things you would think of to keep safety top of mind like sharing a safety tip before each meeting. They also do many other creative things you would not necessarily think of. For example, the above photo is one of a set of framed drawings by employees’ children.
TNW involved their families in connecting this company value to their families’ values. The postcards to workers from their children are framed and made visible to workers each day as a visceral, personal reminder of why they should use safe practices. Some of these postcards, from the mouths of babes, read:
- “I am glad you are careful at work because when you come home we can work in the shop, ride our four wheelers together or watch TV or movies.”
- “Always check the tracks before a derailment can happen! Glad you come home every time.”
- “Never stop between cars. And wear a safety vest. Thank you dad for all your hard work and staying safe.”
- “It’s important to work safely so he can come home safely.”
- “Trains are dangerous. Always be aware!”
Would you be a safer worker if your child wrote this and you read it each day?
TNW Corporation has had no recordable safety incidents on their railroads for 6 years … and counting!
Bobby Franklin, COO, says “Culture is built one decision at a time. At TNW, every safe choice is a promise. A promise to our families, to our teammates, and to our future.”
Challenge your team to identify ways to connect your organizational values to personal values. It will result in greater engagement and deeper commitment to values that serve the business and its employees. The benefits are realized by all parties – a true win-win.
So, how can you better connect your team’s work and personal values?