Factor 10 – Cultural Factors

part 2 | Chapter 12

faCtor 10: Cultural faCtors

Having a strong common culture in an organization is a key element in Employee Engagement . Employees want to feel like they are a part of something that is impactful, something that is greater than themselves . Your team wants to feel a connection with their work and the people they work with .

Luckily, we are part of a meaningful company that makes a difference . At the American Bath Group, we are all a part of something bigger and more impactful than ever before . Our work makes a difference . We are making a positive impact, both within the bathtub industry and in people’s lives . The work that we do and the impact we create stems not just from what we do, but how we do it .

our Culture

American Bath Group has accomplished what no other entity in the bathtub industry has been able to do; take a host of separate companies and successfully roll them together under one roof while maintaining a multi-brand strategy alongside a decentralized business model . Our culture, the collection of our beliefs, values, ideas, and attitudes, is the organizational glue binding us together . Without this glue, we, as an organization, will fall apart .

Organizations, in order to operate successfully past the size of 150 individuals, need strong cultures consisting of a shared set of beliefs, such as a mission and vision, as well as values, to operate successfully and effectively together in large groups . These shared set of beliefs, attitudes, and values form the cultural bond of an organization and its members .

At the American Bath Group, we have already formed and continue to form and reinforce our strong and growing shared beliefs, ideas, mission, vision, and values . We are Building a Better Bathware industry, Making a Positive Impact on People’s lives, Focusing on the Experience, Driving Innovation, Pursuing Operational Excellence, as well living the ABG Way – Taking Care of Each other, Taking Care of the Customer, and Doing Good Work .

As we continue on our journey together, continuing to form and reinforce our common culture is paramount toward long-term success at ABG . The onus is on our leadership teams at all levels in the organization .

As we continue to grow and evolve together on our journey toward becoming industry leaders, we must look to our leaders to continue to grow and support our organization’s cultural values . Leaders are the most important entities that guide a team down the path toward success . If we are to continue to win as an organization, our leaders at every level, from the executive, director, and team manager level, must contribute to the reinforcement of ABG’s organizational culture throughout their teams . Without this leadership commitment and subsequent guidance of their team, ABG will fail as a result of lacking commitment from its leaders . At the American Bath Group, our culture, our way of doing things, is what makes us who we are and drives how we accomplish what we accomplish together . Our teams want to feel that they are a part of our culture, the ABG Way, and that they make an impact within the ABG culture . As a leader to your team, (1) it is up to you to live and demonstrate your dedication to the ABG Way . Your dedication to living the ABG Way through taking care of your team members, taking care of the customer, and doing excellent work will set the tone for your team . (2) In addition to living the ABG Way, it is just as important that you, as a leader, frequently discuss with your team the principles behind the ABG Way and how they can dedicate themselves to making an impact in the ABG culture . This not only will make your team feel that they are a part of a company that is meaningful, it will unite your team with a common purpose and common expectation that will bring a connection between team members that wouldn’t be there otherwise . All of this will increase Employee Engagement .

01

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Live and demonstrate your dedication to the ABG Way

02

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Discuss the principles behind the ABG Way

brIdgIng the generatIonal gap

In addition to establishing and promoting a common culture that brings us all together, a second aspect our 10th factor involves (3) learning to effectively work with, engage with, understand, and lead individuals from younger generations, which is essential to effectively engaging your team and team members .

Interacting effectively with millennials (individuals born between 1981 and 1996, age range from 22-37 years old present day) or Generation Z (born 1996-present day, aged 21 or below), calls for open-mindedness and an understanding of the values that younger generations hold .

Each generation holds it subtle idiosyncrasies in relation to the next as social values and norms, economic trends, and major events shift human values and behavior . As work has become much more specialized after World War II, coupled with a rapid increase in technological advances since the early 90’s that has opened entirely new avenues of career paths and opportunities, younger generations view work differently than generations preceding them . Younger generations in the workforce do not feel compelled to stick with one company the rest of their lives as previous generations sought to .

Younger generations place greater emphasis on experiencing numerous professional experiences before determining what is right for them . Younger generations want to work in a position where they make a difference, receive regular feedback about their performance, complete tasks that suit their strengths and interests, know that they have a future with a company, and that the company they work for makes a difference in the community . Given the influence technology has had on younger generations, young professionals want to know the detailed reasons why things are the way they are and why decisions are being made (perhaps search engines such as Google are to blame) . However, their inquisitive natures and technologically influenced minds offer tenured employees and management innovative ways of viewing and doing things, and in return these more tenured employees and management offer younger generations the vital knowledge that only experience can bring .

In short, younger generations want to understand the WHY behind our products, processes, reasoning, etc . more so that previous generations . Younger generations also want to receive more praise and feedback than previous generations . This isn’t a bad thing . It is just simply a part of motivates younger generations . As leaders, it is your responsibility to get in tune with what drives and motivates your team members, including members of younger generations .

faCtor 10 summary

We can engage our team members by:

Living the ABG culture as the leader of your team

Uniting your team through a common purpose and common expectations aligned with our cultural values, the ABG Way .

Common culture connecting us all (division leaders and team leaders)

Frequent discussion about our culture, mission, and vision – bringing us all together under a common purpose and common expectation .

Dedication towards effectively working with and leading those belonging to younger generation .