Building balance into your company

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn what makes a company’s culture strong and competitive in 2024. 

Having a team of strong leaders and supportive members is key to building a successful company that will last the test of time. Finding this magic combination can sometimes feel like chance, but it is something that can be developed if you are intentional about company culture and training. In this episode of CoatingsCast, Heidi J. Ellsworth spoke to Lisa Ryan about how to create that team and culture at your company. 

Lisa explained the crux of the issue she sees at companies, “A lot of times, if you've promoted one of your best hourly workers to a supervisor position, you have just created your worst supervisor.” This is an issue not because that worker is flawed or the promotion was a mistake, it becomes a problem when they are not given the proper training to transition roles. This all stems from company culture. In this example, that promoted worker might be afraid to ask for help because they don't want the higher ups to think that the promotion was a mistake since they didn’t immediately take to the role. Building a culture of learning and support where new supervisors can ask for help also has benefits beyond training. Lisa elaborated, “When you get the culture right, it makes up for a lot of things where you do not have to be the highest paying employer in your area.” 

So, what makes your company’s culture positive in 2024? Lisa emphasized that work flexibility is now one of the most important factors. She explained, “Before the pandemic you never would think of putting remote and manufacturing, or flexibility and manufacturing, in the same sentence. But now, your new workers are coming into the workplace and it's an expectation.” She explained that in a hands-on industry like roofing this looks a little different than Zoom meetings. Instead, it looks like developing a work schedule and shifts that allow employees to have work-life balance and free time. Lisa explained that this balance is "such an important thing to have now, because the pandemic really rewired our priorities.” 

Read the transcript, Listen to the podcast or Watch the video to learn more about how balance is key to a successful company culture in 2024.