COVER STORY

apply in an environment where after staff is out of the office or at some remote site?”

Luckily, small businesses can be nimbler and change quickly when necessary. Komen recommends finding ways to get employees involved together for a cause. “I’ve been a big proponent of small focus groups, employee focus groups, just to get folks engaged,” he says. “I’m also big on one-on-one. I know that gets tough if you have 100 employees, but I think being able to touch and have a private conversation with everybody to the extent you’re able is important too.”

Ultimately, if the company has a strong culture in place when tough times hit, a new challenge will not push it off course.

“For people that have their hands around what their culture is, if it’s working for you, you want to strengthen it and not let the rough waters of the day impact what you’re doing,” he says. “You may have to modify things, change some stuff, but at the end of the day are you living the values the company is designed around?”

Culture is coming, be proactive about it

Now, if you were a 100 percent in-person business and you’ve shifted to hybrid since COVID, you may need to adapt that culture to your current circumstances in order to keep it constructive.

“How agile are you,” he says. “A lot of highly conventional organizations go, ‘Here’s the book, here’s how we’ve always done it.’ If you have a good book, that’s wonderful. Does it still

CONTACT:

John Christensen is CEO at ChartHouse Learning: 800.727.3446; info@fishphilosophy.com; www.fishphilosophy.com; in/johnchristensenfish

Hillary Feder is CEO of Ask Hillary’s: 952.933.8365; hillary@askhillarys.com; www.askhillarys.com; in/hillaryfeder

Kelly Klopotek is chief experience officer at Village Bank: 763.780.2100; kklopotek@villagebankonline.com; www.villagebankonline.com; in/kellyklopotek

Mark Komen is president of Kodyne Inc.: 763.551.4777; mark@kodyne.com; www.kodyne.com; in/markkomen

Adam Meyer is principal at Studio M Architects: 612.524.5375; adam.meyer@studiomarchitects.net; www.studiomarchitects.net; in/adam-meyer-4763134

Heather Polivka is CEO of HeatherP Solutions: 612.208.8587; heatherp@awesomepeopleleaders.com; www.awesomepeopleleaders.com; in/heatherpolivka

Ultimately, whether employees are working for a large or small company, they’re looking for something to get behind, says John Christensen, CEO at ChartHouse Learning and founder of the Fish! Philosophy that functions around four principles: play, be there, make their day and choose your attitude.

That program is 25 years old now, but applies, he says, maybe more than ever. Today, with employees sometimes scattered, they still need to embrace what the company is about.

“Then managers, leaders can talk to people in the field and say, ‘are you making people’s day?’” he says. “Are you getting people engaged in conversations that are making people’s day?”

With employees in more of a power position than ever, it’s more important for companies to embrace this. “Business wasn’t hurting then like it is now, with people quiet quitting, people resigning,” he says. “Why are nurses striking? Why are teachers leaving? It’s because we’re not treating them properly. We’re not having an environment where they’re cultivating the people and acknowledging what they bring to the table.”

Whether working in an office or at home, it comes down to engagement. It shouldn’t be forced, he says. Engage them. Treat them as humans.

“We’re talking about human beings. We’re herd animals. We need that human interaction,” Christensen says.

After all, culture will happen one way or the other, so you might as well be cognizant of it.

“You’re going to have a crappy culture if you don’t pay attention to it,” he says. “Or you can have a great culture if you intentionally build it and talk about it. Either way, you are going to have a culture. It’s going to happen anyway, so why not be intentional?”