A lot of businesses will consider themselves ‘people-centric’. They’ll have a company people policy. They’ll have constructed an environment designed to offer a relaxed, comfortable experience. They’ll pride themselves on their communication and collaboration. They’ll have a social aspect to the workplace that brings people together.



For many of those businesses, and the managers who work for them, this period of working from home has highlighted that a lot of what they thought was ‘people-centric’ about their business, was actually ‘employee experience’. And it couldn’t be replicated through remote working (no matter how many team quizzes and cocktail hours were hosted over Zoom).

While every business has its own unique recipe for a solid culture, people-centricity should always be the magical potion. That means leaders should genuinely care about their employees as individuals.

A people-first company culture embodies shared values and attitudes. It stands for a common purpose and mindset that provide a strong sense of belonging and form the basis for leadership, collaboration, empowerment and resilience.

People-centric or people-first businesses should have one thing in common: a performance structure that places the individual at the heart of everything.

"People centricity is the magical potion

Why foster a people-first culture?

To get committed employees
Employees will be more committed to their organization if they are the central focus of the company and feel they are more important to their leaders than profit margins.

To see a more than positive impact on the business

A people-centric workplace that places the focus on human concerns and interactions will lead to more productive employees and empower them to make decisions based on interactions with internal and external co-workers, partners and customers.

To come to effective communication
When managers and leaders of a people-first organization come to work, they put the needs of their employees first. In doing so, they are effectively practicing servant leadership and displaying high levels of emotional intelligence. This leads to more positive communication and relationships both inside and outside the organization.

To get highly satisfied customers
When employees are treated as valuable and are committed to and engaged with an organization, they will practice positive and effective communication and have more positive interactions with customers. They feel empowered to handle customer concerns and put their customers first, following the people-first mentality of their company culture.

To obtain higher profits and organizational growth
When your employees are engaged and productive and your customers are highly satisfied, your organization will earn higher profits and be able to grow.
When you focus on your people first, satisfied customers and organizational success will follow.



How to implement a people-first culture?

Gain alignment

Align with all layers of the organization on the expectations of a people-first culture. Ask questions like: ‘How can we define a people-first culture for our organization? What will it look like? Are our values and goals aligned to support this culture? What are we going to do to make it tangible and sustainable on the workfloor?

Know your people

Do you know what they have done in their lives before they started working with you? Most importantly, do you know their hopes and dreams? Getting to know them in a more personal way will make them feel valued and increase their respect for you as a leader.

Show recognition & provide honest feedback

Everyone wants to be valued. It is critical as a leader to give your people credit and recognition for the incredible things they do.

With genuine feedback, managers can act as coaches rather than simply evaluators. This allows them to assist in employee development – both personally and professionally – while also giving employees a clear sense of how they are performing.

Empower your people
Everyone wants to be trusted to make decisions. Empower your people to make certain decisions. Allow them opportunities to shine rather than discounting their abilities and doing it yourself. Being empowered will make them confident and help them strive for larger-than-life goals.

Leave your ego at the door
People are going to do better than you. You will have people on your team who have significant achievements. They may get another degree, get a certification, or move on to a new position. One of the biggest compliments you can receive as a leader is to have one of your people move on to a better opportunity. Be proud, not jealous.

Walk the talk

If leaders cannot demonstrate how to embody a culture that values its people, employees will not embody it themselves.

" Leadership: it’s not about you.      

People make a place, so let them be the north star that navigates your journey to success. By letting your people be your guide, culture will thrive, innovation will flourish and your employees will be empowered to create real change.

 “The irony is that when your top priority is to take care of your people, your people will take care of the numbers“. (Simon Sinek)