We’re all in this together

When uncertainty hits, our immediate reaction is to go solo; attacking our work with our heads down and our bottoms up. Given that we were listed in Australia’s ‘Top Ten Great Places To Work’, proves breaking the mould by having employees stick together is a winning formula to stand out in the current climate.

Here are the key principles of culture:

1. Trust and respect

Jemma Fastnedge, my general manager and colleague for six years – who has helped create our culture – says “fostering an atmosphere that values mateship and implicit trust is key in this climate. People thrive when they feel ‘part of something’ and are respected for their part by their peers.”

2. Transparency and accessibility

Utilising communication to everyone has transparency over how the business is performing, customer feedback and any issues that arise. Ensuring free flow of unfiltered, shared information allows individual employees to feel empowered to make decisions. Also having senior management sit open-plan means decisions are made constantly and quickly, giving the employees a sense of progress and contribution.

3. Recognition

Transparency and accessibility also allows managers to watch and observe their people, making informed decisions and means recognition can be timely. RedBalloon’s in-house rewards program, Red Hot Rewards, provides rewards for contribution, length of service, via peer-to-peer recognition, for referring new employees and has an additional layer ‘The Dream Catcher’, where employees enter a list of their dreams and on major milestones, one will be granted. Dream catchers have included dinner at Testsuya’s, through to a hand carved didgeridoo with didgeridoo lessons, scuba diving lessons, sky diving and appearing as an extra in a movie.

4. Your people make a business unique

Jemma says, “People can copy what we do but they can’t copy who we are.” Allowing your people the freedom to express who they are and letting them bring out their sense of humour or express their individuality means nothing is hidden. When nothing is hidden businesses have an environment of comfort and trust and ultimately an unbreakable sense of camaraderie.

When times are tough, communicating the feeling of “we’re all in this together” will strengthen teams with a strong mateship culture, intensifying collaboration and resulting in greater efficiency and innovation.

I’m ready to take on the next financial year…

Naomi is the 2008 National Telstra Women’s Business Award winner for Innovation. Naomi was also a finalist for the Australian HR Awards and a finalist for the BRW Most Admired Business Owner Award in 2008. Also in 2008 RedBalloon achieved a 97% Hewitt employee engagement score. One of Australia’s outstanding female entrepreneurs, Naomi regularly entertains as a professional speaker inspiring middle to high-level leaders on employer branding, engagement and reward and recognition. Naomi writes a blog and has written a book sharing the lessons from her first five years.

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