fbpx

Creating Culture 101

Leadership cultureFor the second year in a row SAS topped FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.” SAS, a world leader in business analytics technology, has made the list every year so far. What’s their secret? How do they create a culture that attracts and retains the best talent in their industry?

SAS CEO Jim Goodnight’s attributes it to a single, simple philosophy: Treat employees like they make a difference and they will.

Wow. That’s it? Yup, that’s it. People have a funny habit of living up to (or down to) your expectations of them.

Now, it doesn’t hurt that SAS can afford to provide on-site healthcare, high quality childcare, summer camp for kids, car cleaning, a beauty salon, a state-of-the-art gym, and other incredible perks. But those perks weren’t what sent SAS to the top of the list. It was employee feedback like this:

People stay at SAS in large part because they are happy, but to dig a little deeper, I would argue that people don’t leave SAS because they feel regarded — seen, attended to and cared for. I have stayed for that reason, and love what I do for that reason.

– Manager at SAS

You may not be able to afford the epic perks that SAS offers, but you can create an environment where your employees feel “regarded — seen, attended to and cared for.” That’s the first step in creating a winning culture and a great place to work.

What are your ideas for how to treat employees like they make a difference?

Trustworthy Weekly

One email every Thursday containing an actionable insight, an opportunity for feedback, and an update on the Trustworthy project.

Join us

Thanks for reading. You can get more actionable insights on intentional trust in my weekly newsletter. Each week I share an actionable insight, an opportunity for feedback, and an update on the Trustworthy project.