5 Tried and True Ways to Build a Team Aligned With Company Values

RCS Influencer Ashley Pietsch shares lessons she has learned building the best possible team for the company. 

Ashley Pietsch highlights the importance of choosing a team that shares the values, attributes, and characteristics of your organization. Some of these ideals are often learned through trial and error in most new businesses. These are a few of the lessons Seth and Ashley have learned along the way and the advice they would give to other business owners about protecting your business from within. 

1 - Being slow to hire/quick to fire – “I think it is important to slow down when hiring and make sure your candidate marks all the boxes you need them for. Make sure to do your background research to verify they are a good fit for your company. When you know someone isn’t going to work out, I think it is important to make the decision to part ways sooner rather than later. This avoids frustration and also avoids other employees seeing what people can get away with if they are not performing.” 

2 - Being all business all the time – “I think it is important to make sure you are leaving time for your family and life outside of work. It is important to set boundaries. Not to say a customer can’t reach us at any time but also setting designated time to turn off the computer and focus on other things in life that bring us joy.” 

3 - Setting clear expectations and job duties – “I think this is important so everyone knows what is expected of them. Having something written on paper allows both parties to review the expectations and meet to make sure those expectations are being met. As our agency is growing, I think it is important to constantly revisit those expectations along the way and make changes as needed. This allows employees to feel confident in their job.” 

4 - Addressing issues/concerns as they arise vs waiting – “Being direct is something all parties within the company need to be transparent about. It’s not about hurting feelings but about expressing feelings and continuing growth.” 

5 - Forming a person to fill a spot needed vs highlighting what they are good at – “I think it is important to have right person right spot vs right person wrong spot and trying to make that work. Focus on people’s strengths and use those where they are best needed within the company.” 

At Integrity we strive to make our message of Honesty, Transparency & Consistency a part of everyday culture. Personally, and professionally, we have come to realize the massive impact these qualities or lack thereof have on our business and our team as a whole.  

We are mindful as we continue to add to the team to create an environment of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We believe a successful company culture is one that boosts morale, one where the core values are being bought into by everyone from the CEO to the newest members of the team. We want to encourage curiosity, new ways of thinking, teamwork, and employee health. 

Statistics tell us that only 13% of employees identify as being engaged with their peers. Companies that actively pursue ways to implement team bonding boast 40% higher employee retention. When a strong bond is formed within these highly engaged teams, they outperform their peers by 10% in customer ratings, 21% in productivity, and more than 25% in profitability. 

So, after much thought about “Protecting Our Business & Mistakes Made” the takeaway is the team you build makes all the difference, it is the best way to protect your business, when goals and values are aligned. When our customers AND our employees AND the management grow, we all grow.

 Ashley Pietsch is the Vice President of Integrity Insurance & Bonding Inc. See her full bio here.