We sat down with Gloria Webber, General Manager at Temperform, to discuss the culture committee at the Lawton Standard. Although Webber is currently the committee chair, that position will be on a rotating basis to keep things new and fresh. Keeping up with the culture will be an ongoing priority for the company.
The culture committee was formed through the leadership summit that took place last fall and was later named “the culture club”. The committee consists of two representatives from each facility who were nominated by their respective site leaders. They meet weekly to make sure they stay on task. They work together to create agendas and prepare members. The main goal is to improve the company culture and try to standardize it across platforms by having a common purpose and common goals.
Work culture means something different to everyone. When we asked Webber what she believes makes a good work culture, she said “The dynamic of our individual daily productivity is linked to a team. A great team dynamic makes a great culture. We set up people for success.” Many would agree with Webber that good company culture emanates when strong teamwork is present.
When asked about the team at her site, Webber said “They are a very passionate group of individuals. We have a great team at Temperform. We all work together. We have an open-door policy. We keep things light and make each other laugh. Of course, some days are better than others, but we continue to work together for a common purpose. We have a lot of fun events. Each department interacts with one another. You need cross-communication to build a bond and stay connected.”
Webber went on to explain some of the specific ways that the culture club plans to raise the company culture.
One of these efforts includes check-ins with our employees. We recently did a survey with all our employees called the Gallup Q12 Questionnaire, which includes four different levels of engagement in the workplace. The higher up the pyramid, the more satisfied an employee is at work, which results in better performance.
Now the culture club is using that data to make improvements. Their goal is to get to 100% on this engagement hierarchy. By creating a company culture that is to the highest standard, we will simultaneously be improving our work performance.
Another big topic for the culture club has been leadership. What makes someone a good leader? The culture club believes that one major way we can raise the culture is by promoting the person who is the best leader, not simply the best at their work. “We want to make sure we put time and training into our leaders which will then trickle down to the rest of the employees,” Webber said.
Another way they believe we can raise our company culture is to make sure the employees see the importance of what they do. “We want to connect them to the products and give them a sense of purpose. Giving employees a sense of fulfillment keeps the world running. We want our employees to recognize how their skills and craft link them to the greater good,” said Webber.
Making sure the culture at the Lawton Standard is to the highest standard will be an ongoing mission.