Photo by jesse orrico on Unsplash
In multifamily property operations, fewer people have more physically demanding jobs than our maintenance team members. Working on air conditioners in scorching heat and dealing with plumbing malfunctions are among the urgent and disagreeable tasks that service teams deal with regularly. Top it off with the high emotions of affected residents for good measure.
If the job at hand is objectively unpleasant, why do we find time and again maintenance team members who are enthusiastic brand ambassadors?
Human-centric culture
A company with a genuinely human-centric strategy seeks to serve the people who serve the business such that all team members can have meaningful and rewarding lives. Human-centricity within a business incorporates characteristics like empathy, fairness, reciprocity, kindness, and compassion as core components of its culture. Human-centricity at work sets the stage upon which employees can identify areas of interest, apply and expand their talents, and experience a sense of fulfillment for their contributions.
A company’s culture is its DNA. Culture establishes a common language that determines team member experience within an organization. Entire countries, religions, and generations are grounded in shared beliefs, values, and practices. I would go so far as to say that a company’s culture is the most critical factor in determining its long-term success.
Businesses have a responsibility to design authentic choices that empower people to feel active, heard, and understood; invite them to participate, and involve them in decision-making. Genuine human-centric businesses avoid empty, short-term promises and encourage honest, emotional, long-term relationships.
Businesses that act in enthusiastic alignment with published core values earn the loyalty of their workforce. What people love about their jobs is not necessarily the work they do, it’s the way they feel while they do it. That feeling of heartfelt connectedness to purpose is the direct result of authentic organizational human-centric culture.