WHAT’S INSIDE
Company culture: Why it’s important and how to shape it Learning and development as a culture catalyst
4 examples of how to prove the ROI of recognition
4 can’t-miss elements for a standout recognition culture
4 essential learnings from HR leaders in 2024
FROM THE DESK OF
Sr. Manager, Employee Experience
Years ago, I often played piano at school events. After performing one particularly difficult piece, a teacher told me, “That was very challenging music, and you crushed it. Great job.” That moment of on-the-spot recognition provided validation that the work I put in was worth it and motivated me to continue my pursuit of music.
Looking back, I realize how much that moment shaped my journey and, perhaps, even inspired my career in employee experience. It’s a testament to how simple, meaningful recognition creates a lasting impact. This is a key principle at the heart of creating connected cultures.
A connected culture brings incredible value to an organization through increased employee satisfaction, morale and well-being. Yet, we often hear from clients that it feels overwhelming to think about including all four components of a connected culture: leadership development, learning and development, employee recognition, and organizational culture and employer branding.
Budget constraints or capacity challenges may stand in the way. However, aligning your business objectives, program goals and success measures creates a tailored strategy for achieving meaningful results. One that makes it easier to gain leader buy-in on the investment.
ITA Group’s “Ultimate guide to aligning employee experience programs” helps brands build buy-in, connect all employee programs and engage employees in new ways. The guide focuses on the four components of a connected culture and provides effective road maps to help ease any implementation concerns. These topics are the heartbeat of this magazine issue.
The magazine is packed with strategies, insights and inspiration to help you create a culture where people thrive, leaders grow and teams unite around a shared vision.
4 can’t-miss elements for a standout recognition culture 04 10 16 24
Company culture: Why it’s important and how to shape it
Learning and development as a culture catalyst
4 examples of how to prove the ROI of recognition
4 essential learnings from HR leaders in 2024
By: Tanya Fish, Sr. Manager, Employee Experience
Modern workplaces know that company culture is the pulse behind their success. Positive employee engagement increases retention and employee satisfaction. Engaged employees are motivated employees, leading to a more positive client or customer experience.
A Gallup study of the connection between work culture and business success found that engaged teams had increased productivity, quality and profitability.
While company culture supports individuals and their needs, it’s also part of a business’s strategy for growth and success. Read on to see how to nurture company culture with your team.
Strong company culture supports employee well-being through leadership development and updated earning programs. It also shows gratitude through incentive trips and employee recognition.
When workers feel supported, they bring their best selves to work. Strong company culture has many benefits for workers.
> Improved employee satisfaction: Feeling heard and supported improves overall happiness.
> Decreased burnout: Employees who have the right tools and resources feel less overwhelmed.
> Heightened transparency: Building trust opens doors for more communication.
> Increased team morale: More engaged teams feel more connected and supportive.
> Better employee well-being: Engaged employees trust that they can speak up about their needs and have their needs met.
Investing in your team’s culture is a win-win for everyone. Here’s how employers benefit.
> Increased employee retention: Happier employees are more likely to stay, reducing the expense of hiring new team members.
> More employee referrals: Satisfied employees are more apt to invite their contacts to join the company.
> Attraction of top talent: Top companies with strong culture attract better talent.
> Increased employee engagement: Engaged teams care more about their company’s success.
> Enhanced productivity: Employees aligned with their organization’s culture are more invested in delivering strong results.
> Better brand image: Engaged teams improve customer experiences that build brand recognition and loyalty.
Great places to work have welcoming cultures that employees connect with. Here are four ways to create a culture that resonates with your employees.
Empower your managers 1 2
Align company culture with core values
Your company culture should tie back to your mission and core values. These key brand components guide how your business operates. For instance, if one of your core values is “innovation,” you may host regular hackathons. Or you may ask potential employees how they’d solve a challenge to see how they’ll fit in or add new skills to your workforce.
Be clear about your values with your managers and employees. Refer to your values in all employee engagement programs to help team members align with your brand.
Trust is a cornerstone of strong work culture. Engage your managers early in culture improvement conversations so they can offer feedback (even if it’s critical), help with program rollout and gain employee buy-in.
Then, empower your managers to create processes or resources for employees during culture changes. When employees see managers set the example, they’ll follow suit.
Review findings and adapt 3 4
Measure and gather data
Review HR metrics and use employee survey tools to get a pulse on your company’s culture. Use follow-up surveys or meetings to ask employees how they feel and what they want to see happen next.
Listening to employee feedback and reviewing employee engagement metrics are essential for growth.
Quantitative data like reduced employee turnover, increased employee retention or boosted customer engagement indicates positive change. Surveying employees and tracking their responses also shows opportunities.
For some organizations, people may not connect to your core values, or the current recognition program may be stale. That doesn’t mean you can’t try again. Nurturing company culture means constantly iterating to keep your employees connected to your organization’s brand, mission and purpose.
Be sure to track and share survey and iteration findings with your teams. Be open about what you’re testing, what you’re hoping to change and how you’ll change it.
Get ready. Get set. Go build that team culture.
Tanya Fish is the Leader of Employee Experience Solutions for ITA Group. She drives the insights, strategy and evolution around employee experience for the organization while offering advisement for client engagement and employee programs. Tanya loves inspiring passion in people, something she believes impacts the individual, the organization and the community. Tanya’s past work and studies on organizational leadership in business, employee health and well-being, culture and health insurance guide her unique perspective on organizational health and success. Tanya is energized by achievement, learning and empowerment and balanced by time with family and friends and being outdoors. Bonus points if it’s by a body of water.
By: Tim Schieffer, Insights & Strategy Leader, Employee Experience
Learning and development is one of the best ways to empower employees and invest in the organization’s success. With role demands shifting thanks to remote work and AI, organizations must re-evaluate how they approach L&D.
We often think of L&D as an annual training session or optional solo coursework. But it’s an opportunity to future-proof your business. When organizations invest time and strategy into L&D, they’re helping their people learn new tech, sharpen soft skills and keep up with the market.
So how do you make your L&D program a game-changer for your business? By shifting your thinking to see L&D as your culture catalyst. Instead of just completing necessary training or hitting key certifications, employees should approach it as an inherent part of their employee experience with your organization. When employees know and use their strengths, they’re six times more likely to be engaged at work. They’re more likely to have higher performance. And they’re more likely to stay.
That’s why getting the right courses, incentives and mentorship is so important. Read on to learn where to start and how to incorporate continuous learning into the overall employee experience.
Engaging leadership is a critical piece of any organization’s L&D program. When executives and management are actively involved, employees are more likely to commit.
Connect L&D to business objectives by demonstrating ROI, like with job performance or customer satisfaction scores. Are there organization-wide skill gaps?
Involve leadership early on. Incorporate leadership focus groups to identify needs or stopgaps for your program. Anticipate concerns or objectives and come prepared to address them. You can also get insight into what training or skills they need to meet their objectives. Giving leadership a voice in the process makes them invested in the program’s success.
Questions to ask leadership
> What are your top priorities?
> What indicators of success are most important?
> What critical skills are needed to perform your priorities?
> What skills are on the rise in your industry?
These questions help identify gaps. It also helps you create a framework for your L&D program that aligns with business objectives.
Don’t just rely on management feedback for what to include in your L&D program. Work with employees at all levels to get a deeper understanding of what support they need. That can consist of soft skills like communication or hard skills like analytics.
A skills gap analysis will help you identify skills or knowledge gaps for key roles in your organization. Metrics like turnover rates and unmet KPIs could point you to specific training needs. Insights from decision-makers will help you with employee buy-in and uncover more nuanced needs.
Start a skills gap analysis with performance reviews or self-assessments to discover education opportunities. Then, get detailed feedback with one-on-one employee interviews, polls or focus groups.
> Do you feel like your skills are underused?
> If you could solve one business problem with L&D, what would it be?
> What skills do you think someone in your role needs to do their job most effectively and efficiently?
> Are there new programs or technologies you feel are important to use in your work?
Incorporate continuous learning and mentorships
L&D is more than coursework. Mentorship, group training and networking are all elements of development. Look for opportunities to develop teams year-round, or in preparation for organizational changes or events.
For example, at our company-wide, in-person ITA Group Summit, we created breakout groups led by ambassadors. During these small workshops, remote and in-person employees worked together to tie solutions back to corporate initiatives. These microlearning opportunities helped us embody a sense of innovation (a strategic business priority).
Providing resources to encourage employee growth and development shows you value their work. When employees feel valued or feel they’re contributing to the business’s overall success, they’re more likely to be engaged and stay with the organization.
A culture of continuous learning opens doors for new ways to learn and connect with coworkers. Not everyone learns the same way or even has the same opportunities to connect.
Switching up learning styles promotes innovation and helps employees retain information while getting to know one another.
Continue to support employees with options during the year too, like online coursework, job shadowing or group workshops. Consider incentivizing learning and motivating employees by recognizing growth with a shout-out or rewards program.
Keep your L&D strategy agile by tracking key metrics and feedback as you go. Data measured during your program will help you enrich the program and ensure you’re staying on top of business objectives. But don’t overlook the power (and necessity) of verbal feedback. Conduct group or one-on-one interviews with leaders, managers and employees to hear what resonates. You’ll likely get more candid responses.
Signs your learning and development program is aligned with team needs
> Participation or completion rates
> Productivity or performance
> Promotions
> General feedback Evolve trainings based on feedback. Some courses might become irrelevant, while others might have been needed yesterday! Routinely check on your goals and metrics, and watch industry trends. AI wasn’t even part of the conversation five years ago, and now it’s one of the most sought-after upskilling topics.
L&D is a win-win for company culture, and it provides an active solution to address knowledge and experience gaps. By working with leadership and employees, you can create a sustainable culture of learning that connects your people and takes your business to the next level.
Tim is the Employee Experience Insights & Strategy Leader for ITA Group. With 20+ years of experience serving clients in multiple industries, including e-commerce, communications and finance, he offers a unique perspective on how to attract and retain top talent. His passion for delivering personalized employee engagement strategies helps create cultures centered on empowering people. Outside of work, you’ll find him cheering on the Green Bay Packers as a proud part-owner. Go Pack Go!
By: Mitch Stearns, Analytics Advisor, Employee Experience
Designing recognition programs to drive specific business goals leads to measurable results. When you tie your programs’ success metrics and supporting strategies to business goals, you’ll realize program impact and business success.
It makes sense then that 48% of HR leaders plan to increase their budget in HR technology, according to Gartner research. Recognition technology is an important strategic investment that can pay dividends if used well.
When recognition is part of the daily employee experience, it should acknowledge not only the work but also how employees uniquely contribute. Doing so leads to a 366% increase in fulfillment and a 208% increase in community among the workforce, according to Forbes.
In the employee experience solutions we provide, we’ve seen proof of this recognition technology shift, as our clients increasingly rely on analytics to demonstrate the impact of their programs on larger measures of organizational success. That includes evaluating metrics like talent retention, eNPS, financial performance and customer experience.
To do this, transactional measures like how many recognitions were issued or how many points were redeemed are significantly less important.
Instead, clients are asking deeper questions like:
> Is my solution driving desired behaviors among my people?
> Is the data showing us that our leaders are becoming more effective?
> Is this solution helping me keep my talent?
> What’s the next area of opportunity for impact?
The underlying inputs that inform answers to these deeper questions will vary for each organization. That’s because factors like the desired behaviors they’re looking for, how they characterize “effective leadership” and the attrition trends they’re trying to correct will vary.
To help bring clarity to this somewhat murky territory, I’ll take you behind the scenes of several client solutions to show you how they validate the impact of their solutions (and gain buy-in to continue expanding them).
Recognition programs can be viewed as set-it-and-forget-it strategies that only require upfront planning and technology implementation without ongoing operational support. This allows organizations to “check the box” for having a program in place while overlooking improvement areas.
If you’re using recognition as a strategy for encouraging desired employee behaviors, and improving culture and other business outcomes that matter to executives, it’s necessary to continue maturing the program by proactively optimizing strategies.
At ITA Group, we incorporated our five core values into our existing recognition program to track team member engagement and see how well team members internalize the core values when connected to the specific behavior of sending recognition.
Using a combination of crossmedia communication, leadership enablement, and monthly and yearly team member challenges to recognize each other for a specific core value, we saw significant improvement in valuebased recognition issuance—and greater acceptance of our brand’s core values.
Authenticity Having fun Ownership Problem solving Serving others
These results highlighted which core values team members most often used for recognitions.
By challenging team members to issue one recognition per core value a month, we increased their awareness of our core values and increased the likelihood of team members issuing recognitions associated with those core values. This led to diversified recognition type issuance among all core values.
Takeaway: Use recognition strategically to help employees internalize the behaviors you expect, and create a groundswell of support and enthusiasm at your organization around a specific behavior to ultimately improve culture.
We all know how important leaders are in guiding employee behaviors. But, proving that with data can present a challenge. That’s why helping a client do just that was an empowering win. We proved a positive correlation between manager participation and team member engagement.
For managers issuing 0 recognitions, their team members issue an average of 2.5 recognitions (and receive 2.6).
For managers issuing 1+ recognitions, their team members issue an average of 5.8 (and receive 6).
Employee engagement grows with manager engagement.
Employee engagement program manager participation
Takeaway: When a manager adopts a recognition program and consistently issues recognitions, their team is more likely to engage with the program. Not only did this give our client hard data to prove the ROI of recognition, but it’s also given them a solid case to ask leadership for additional funding, as the correlation is getting stronger quarter-over-quarter.
Not many metrics speak as loudly as financial performance when you’re building the case for your recognition program.
We helped a retailer with more than 2,200 stores show the impact of their program by evaluating the relationship between issued recognitions and store financial performance.
When we compared stores in the top and bottom quartiles, we found a correlation between recognitions issued and store profitability across every region.
Employee recognition program impact on store sales
Takeaway: Despite natural market fluctuation, the top quartile stores continue to outperform the bottom quartile counterpart stores when viewed over multiple years. The stronger a store’s recognition program is, the more likely it is to see a strong bottom line.
A consolidated recognition program saved the company $38.9M in turnover costs
It’s no secret turnover costs harm an organization’s profit margin, from hard costs like recruitment and onboarding to less quantifiable costs like decreased productivity and added stress on team members, who pick up extra duties.
This client’s employee recognition programs weren’t working. Besides lacking connection to the organization’s values, programs were siloed by business unit and geography, and administrators were bogged down with manual processes.
Additional acquisitions amplified issues, resulting in a fragmented culture without a sense of shared purpose and behaviors.
This all impacted turnover of new hires. Keeping new hires engaged—and employed—was a top priority.
To meaningfully connect and engage their people, they needed a big change. And with more than 163,000 employees around the globe, the change had to be universal.
The solution? Focus on consistent reinforcement of core values while prioritizing flexibility in when and how employees could recognize and be recognized based on business unit and geography.
In fact, when team members were recognized—even just once—in their first two years, they were retained at a 26% higher rate at year 2. With each additional recognition received, the retention rate increased an average of more than 2%.
Employee recognition program impact on retention
Takeaway: This trend toward higher retention of new hires has saved our client $38.9M since the program launch. It highlights not only that giving recognition matters but also that the quantity of recognitions received positively impacts retention. In other words, the more recognitions, the better!
The days of writing off recognition as a “soft” benefit without a quantifiable impact are gone. Organizations have more data available now than could have been imagined just a few years ago. The combination of improved data and better understanding of the metrics that matter most to your organization’s success is the key to validating your investment in this critical component of your culture. These examples are just a few of the ways we see HR leaders exercising creativity and strategic thinking to validate the need for and continued evolution of their recognition programs.
A committed and constantly learning member of the social sciences community, Mitch thrives when he uncovers prevailing stories found within data. Mitch leans into the mantra “remember the names in the numbers” through his unique blend of collaborative research, advanced analytics, experimental design and post-secondary interpersonal education in his role as Employee Experience Analytics Advisor at ITA Group. Personally, Mitch is blessed by his incredible wife and two constantly conspiring kiddos. Mitch holds a B.A. in Psychology from Central College and an M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Drake University.
By: Angela Fink, Strategy Advisor, Employee Experience
Organizations that rely on base benefits become a revolving door for talent. A strong employee recognition program can become a differentiator for your employer brand, enabling you to attract quality candidates and retain high performers.
Too often, employee recognition programs are limited to occasional gifts or milestone awards that take decades to accrue. Employers must do more to keep teams engaged. This isn’t to say organizations have to pack calendars with celebrations, but rather employers must find the right mix of recognition and appreciation for their team members to produce the best results.
Research shows an employee’s connection to the employer brand and their coworkers is an important driver of employee engagement.
Companies must find ways to continually foster employees’ pride, self-esteem and sense of belonging to create a culture of appreciation. Putting together an effective combination of recognition and appreciation tactics that align with the brand and values helps reinforce individual contributions and boosts employees’ sense of purpose.
To build a strong employee experience program, focus on the following four core elements.
Studies show 75% of employees would be satisfied with their job if they received at least one recognition a month.
To have the strongest impact, weave motivational strategies into all employee activities. The “easy” answer is to launch and support an awards and recognition program. But employee engagement shouldn’t be siloed within the human resources department.
Important employee engagement activities across the organization need to be encouraged and highlighted. Support from C-suite champions to socialize employee engagement activities helps cascade excitement from the top through the department leaders and managers who help set the tone for the employee experience.
Taking a more strategic approach helps organizations identify opportunities to maximize overall visibility around employee engagement and evaluate organization-wide impacts. (Unifying programs can benefit the budget, too.)
The best employee engagement programs are an extension of an organization’s brand promise. A tailored communication plan should reinforce organizational values, mission and brand voice through the program touchpoints. Everything from program name to the tone of a push notification should resonate.
Mass communications can help create broad program awareness but shouldn’t be the overarching strategy. Segmenting messages by business area and for in-office, remote and hybrid workers will help hit the right note with each audience. An all-staff “treats in the break room!” communication could have a souring effect if there isn’t parity for remote teammates.
Don’t look past data-driven, individually targeted messages, either. We’ve seen this tactic activate 20% of previously unengaged participants. Tapping into that hard-to-reach audience will boost program outcomes in a big way!
As you evaluate technology solutions to support your employee engagement efforts, look for tools that will reduce the administrative burden of managing the program while capturing relevant data.
For example, we help our clients monitor and report on user data as it exists within their workflow. The efficiencies they gain by using technology that’s integrated into the system(s) their program administrators use every day create space to focus on other critical functions.
Our solution gives clients the ability to monitor trends, identify what’s working and understand exactly where they need to make adjustments.
In-depth data shouldn’t sit in a spreadsheet. Leading engagement solutions rely on robust, real-time analytics. Current, visualized information helps managers measure performance alongside defined organizational goals (e.g., retention, eNPS, NPS, etc.).
This powerful combination helps prove ROI and support revenue growth. A strong dashboard provides immediate insight into your program’s engagement.
At ITA Group, our tailored technology solutions can track whatever metrics your organization deems critical. Dashboard insights on program performance will help you focus on engagement areas that need attention.
These core elements can make or break your employee recognition program. A strategic approach supports consistency and efficiency. Strong communication ensures the program is recognizable to everyone and promotes engagement— especially when paired with tailored technology. Using analytics to assess and inform strategy evolution keeps the program fresh and functional. Only when all elements are integrated can recognition programs reach their full potential.
Keep in mind, building a recognition culture is not a “one and done” process. It’s a continuous, multi-faceted initiative. That’s why many leading companies choose to partner with outside employee engagement experts.
Working with a full-service vendor can bring many employee engagement programs under one umbrella. Employee incentives, milestone recognitions, employee events and experiences, and employer branding should be connected, and efforts in one area should support the others. Having a trusted team to help manage and monitor program effectiveness reduces the administrative burden of program management. This lets leaders focus on the strategic alignments that elevate the most successful employer brands.
With almost 10 years in the industry, Angela is passionate about solving clients’ business challenges to drive value and make a positive impact on their employees’ lives. Creative thinking, building connections and continuous learning keep her energized and excited to start each day. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling to explore new places, reading, outdoor activities, puzzles and spending time with her husband and dog.
We have the right people with the right tools and expertise to create authentic experiences your people crave.
At the heart of every great workplace is a culture where employees feel valued, celebrated and empowered. That’s why ITA Group’s employee experience team started the Love Your People podcast. Each episode dives into the strategies behind exceptional workplace cultures. We spotlight insights directly from the leaders who make them happen.
In 2024, we had the privilege of speaking with innovative leaders from G2, McLarens, ICON and CAVA. These experts covered everything from remote work to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). They shared valuable takeaways for any organization committed to enhancing their employee experience.
Here are four key lessons learned from these real-world leaders.
Get instant access to all episodes of our podcast, Love Your People. Listen to all the episodes here.
info.itagroup.com/podcast
To grow workplace engagement, tie everything back to your company’s purpose
PRITI PATEL CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER, G2
For Priti Patel, Chief People Officer at software marketplace G2, purpose is at the core of every successful organization. Her team, aptly named the Employee Success Team, drives employee motivation through a shared purpose.
Priti’s approach to leadership is inspired by Simon Sinek’s book Start With Why. The framework focuses on purpose and its power to inspire and unify teams. It’s been a cornerstone of Priti’s strategy since her days in executive coaching and leadership development.
In the Love Your People interview, Priti shared why starting with why resonates with her on a personal level. She spoke about how it shapes her vision for the employee experience at G2.
“Our co-founders knew that if they created a company around these four values—performance, entrepreneurial spirit, authenticity and kindness— they could stand the test of time,” Priti explained.
G2’s values are more than words on a wall. These core values are embedded in the day-to-day work of every team member.
OUR CO-FOUNDERS KNEW THAT IF THEY CREATED A COMPANY AROUND THESE FOUR VALUES—PERFORMANCE, ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT, AUTHENTICITY AND KINDNESS— THEY COULD STAND THE TEST OF TIME.
To attract top talent, determine what makes your employee experience unique
SONYA TOLSON CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER, MCLARENS
Sonya Tolson, Chief People Officer of global claims management firm McLarens, discussed how they reassessed their employer value proposition (EVP). Their EVP needed to deliver on the unique aspects of McLarens’ employee experience. And have the power to retain key talent and attract skilled professionals. More importantly, it needed to resonate with their workers.
Creating an impactful EVP is no small feat. McLarens is a large organization with diverse teams spread across the globe. To engage employees, they hosted focus groups from all levels and from all regions.
Their fact-finding uncovered key themes that motivated their people. McLarens’ employees loved the impact of their work. They valued McLarens’ investment in their career growth. Team members also saw the work environment as a place where they could thrive, share ideas and be heard.
Sonya emphasized that aligning around this unified brand and purpose was critical to success. Her team developed clear messaging to highlight what it means to be part of McLarens.
“Doing that authentically is an important part of the puzzle,” she noted. In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, authenticity isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a critical element of organizational success. When employees see a genuine commitment to their values and growth, they’re more likely to stay and thrive.
TEAM MEMBERS ... SAW THE WORK ENVIRONMENT AS A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD THRIVE, SHARE IDEAS AND BE HEARD.
JOE CRONIN CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER, ICON
ICON, a global provider of drug and medical device development services, faced the challenge of building a cohesive workplace culture across 40+ countries during a period of rapid growth. Joe Cronin, Chief Human Resources Officer, shared his strategy for unifying a diverse global workforce.
One of his first steps was to establish a clear, consistent framework. This allowed ICON to operate seamlessly across various regions.
“Trying to get to that point where you have clean data in order to run on a globalized basis—that isn’t easy,” Joe shared. But ICON understood the benefits would pay off.
A more connected culture increases employee motivation and innovation. For ICON, unifying organizational culture meant they could continue to grow without forgoing a positive employee experience.
The team implemented a global system to standardize everything from rewards and recognition to DEIB practices. They embedded culture and their values into performance management and development.
Standardization helped ICON build consistency for the employee experience, no matter the location. This enabled ICON to invest in AI-driven recruitment tools efficiently and fairly across regions.
ICON could scale globally while staying true to their values. And it empowered employees to connect and contribute to a unifying, shared mission.
THE TEAM IMPLEMENTED A GLOBAL SYSTEM TO STANDARDIZE EVERYTHING FROM REWARDS AND RECOGNITION TO DEIB PRACTICES.
To foster connection within your organization, listen to employees and create space for their voices
KELLY COSTANZA CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER, CAVA
CAVA, the leading fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant chain in the U.S., is driven by a mission to bring heart, health and humanity to food. For Kelly Costanza, Chief People Officer, one of the key ways to support this mission is by fostering human connection. To start, they brought their mission, values and competencies (MVC) to life through the employee experience. CAVA certified MVC trainers from their general managers. They recognized team members displaying any MVC. They also invited employees from different CAVA locations to the corporate town hall each quarter. They celebrated these team members and gave them time with executives to share insights and speak to their needs on the floor.
CAVA also created an internal allyship group, Allies in Motion (AIM). AIM invites team members to celebrate and learn about underrepresented groups. “People don’t want to be told what to think; they want to understand and connect with each other,” Kelly explained.
Each month, CAVA highlights a different underrepresented group, sharing personal stories that emphasize belonging and appreciation. “This is just one of the many ways we bring our EVP to life and really support that human connection,” said Kelly.
Creating a space for all voices to feel a strong sense of belonging develops employer trust and helps employees grow in their roles. CAVA understood that and saw these systems and programs as a priority.
These lessons show that creating an exceptional workplace isn’t a one-time effort. It’s an ongoing commitment that requires intentionality, innovation and authenticity.
As we heard on the podcast, whether it’s through fostering purpose, defining an EVP or establishing a global framework, companies that prioritize employee experience set themselves up for long-term success.
