In our latest episode of Test.Learn.Grow., Myles Biggs, and Allyn Reynolds welcome Laura Greenawalt and Brad Stephenson from Level’s leadership team for a discussion diving into how we create a functional culture.
Rather listen than read? Check out our podcast episode to hear all about how Level Agency cultivates community & culture.
Where Do I Start?
Before doing anything, you need to identify what you are doing (or not doing). Know that there is no magic bullet, you just have to say, “this isn’t working- why not? What specifically isn’t working?” and go from there. Developing a culture that makes sense and works well for your organization doesn’t happen overnight, it is built on consistent communication and habit. Begin with these three steps to start building your culture:
Ask for feedback – prioritize and categorize feedback based on the areas that people feel need to be improved or the areas that matter most to them.
Come up with ideas – identify activities and tactics that you can deploy to ensure that people feel supported within your organization.
Test. Learn. Grow. – put your plan into action and assess the results so you can determine whether to continue it or readjust the plan.
Being Mindful of Mental Health
Anxiety has been on the rise since we had to completely change our work structure at the drop of a dime with the transition to working from home in 2020. It is certainly not changing right now with global events, but the positive aspect is that people are having more open conversations about mental health & wellness.
Some companies have always been mindful of mental health, but even more so now it is being put at the forefront. Level has been one of the companies where there has been an existing conversation around mental health, but there is always work to be done so that employees feel that their mental health is being taken care of. Making sure your people are being seen as complete humans and not just employees is important, but organizations should make sure that their messages on mental health extend into the structure and activities of the organization.
Level has planned a variety of activities not just with our internal teams, but also in partnership with our clients as well. Having your organization show how you care across the board will strengthen the culture since all stakeholders, from the employees to the clients and anyone else will see the organization’s values being put into action.
How Level Cultivates Culture
Having everyone on the same cultural page is important. Level has a shared purpose and shared vision to make sure everyone understands where we are heading as an agency. We have “rocks” that help us get to our goals, whether those are goals for the year or our 10-year vision. Rocks are priorities that are the work we do every day. Level encourages people to work towards these goals and track progress regularly. As a whole, Level is transparent with its goals and progress. Showing where your organization is heading demonstrates that you care enough to involve everyone in the organization’s development.
On your first day at Level Agency, culture is evident in the onboarding process. Everyone gets a buddy as a designated person the newly hired individual can reach out to for support on a different team. This helps create connections across teams for the new hire and hopefully provides a sense of community. Starting a new position can be challenging, especially in a virtual environment, but Level aims to make it as easy as possible for new additions to the team to see that they belong & matter.
Another way that Level strives to keep a positive culture is through weekly meetings with the entire company. Everyone from the president of the company to new interns come together for a meeting that shares any updates, accomplishments, goals, and more. These meetings show transparency as well as an appreciation for the team. Accomplishments don’t go unnoticed. Highlights are shared with everyone to show how Level cares about everyone, which makes the team stronger and helps to keep everyone in the loop of what is going on across the organization.
Interested in experiencing Level’s culture for yourself? View our job openings here!
Did we miss something? Feel free to share the successes of your organization’s culture or other thoughts on the topic!
