To be great, ‘create flexibility'
Chicago—What makes a company a great place to work?
Day two at the HBSDealer Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply event explored many of the answers.
“A workplace where everyone has a voice and has opportunity,” said panelist Mai-Tal Kennedy, principal consultant at Building Industry Partners.
Panelists talked with an audience of about 200 on Thursday morning, explaining how important it was to understand the feelings of your people and create a program for them.
“Find that fit, on an individual basis,” noted Susan Kasko, director of talent development at 84 Lumber, defining a great place to work.
The pandemic has been challenging, they pointed out. And today we need more understanding.
Wendy Whiteash, chief human resources officer and executive vice president, Culture, at US LBM, related, “Covid has turned out to be a great equalizer, of sorts, putting people in even more touch with their families.”
Panelists talked about flexibility in the workspace today – that included hiring.
Michele Burger, VP at Misura Group and moderator of the panel, noted: “There needs to be an understanding that not everyone came to this industry with knowledge. It was allowed to grow.”
On stage, panelists also noted that over the past couple years many women have left the workforce, calling it The Great Resignation.
“How do we attract people to work in the building industry?” Kasko posed.
“There is a labor shortage,” Kasko said, indicating her company, “now uses flexible options such as offering different types of bonuses and a varied work-week structure.”
About finding people, Kennedy suggested that companies “identify the potential, then be a mentor.”
Kennedy added, “Bring people along on your journey" — a comment that generated spontaneous applause.
“Alliedship is happening more and more,” she related. “All the big players believe in this ‘connective culture’ today.”
Furthering that idea, Whiteash mentioned the popularity of golf outings as one example.
“The deal with golf is, it’s not about the golf,” Whiteash said to many smiles and laughs in the audience. “It’s about connecting with people. It’s about the one-on-one relationships you develop.”
If you want to develop those, she noted, “it’s about going out and seeking, not waiting.”
An audience member asked panelists: How do you best manage acquisitions?
“Invest in people and tech,” Whiteash answered. “We look for the best performers and we look for common ground. We want to move from good to great, or,” she paused, “awesomer!”
That line generated laughter from the audience, which seemed to be riding a wave of enthusiasm from the previous night's Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply awards ceremony.
The two-day event was held in-person for the very first time, at the stately Fairmont Hotel in Chicago, and hosted by HBSDealer.
One attendee, Lisa Glass, senior retail development manager at Orgill, said the message of “not letting inexperience be a factor in getting new people coming in,” resonated strongly with her.
Another, Lisa Barksdale, file service manager at Orgill noted the Top Women panels felt “empowering to me, enlightening.”
The takeaway: Look for cultures that work together – in this world of the new normal.
With the pandemic, “life and work collided,” pointed out Whiteash. “How to adjust? How to juggle kids, family and meetings?” She posed.
“Create flexibility. Work with team members. Listen and learn.”
