What helped make these and other initiatives successful is they came from the employees, Arthur says.
“These are thing that are just organic. The staff want to do it,” he says. “We want to make sure that we’re supportive.”
Mills James doesn’t have a predictable workflow — it ebbs and flows differently each year, Arthur says. When employees have more availability, they tend to participate in the internal programs more.
Communicate the big picture
One ongoing challenge is communication across the organization. Arthur says Mills James implemented an enterprise social networking platform and increased the frequency of staff meetings. It also did a training tract, Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, as way to build soft skills that eliminate some silos.
“We’ve also become more intentional about sharing financial information and how day-to-day decisions affect our future and our long-term success, both for the company, but also for those employee owners who stand to have a solid retirement in part because of this ESOP if we can perform well,” Arthur says.
When Mills James unveiled its branding, the team had a list of ways to continue to roll out that rebranding, like changing the main office sign. Arthur says leadership had to share that some ideas weren’t something the company could do right now.
“That goes back to preserving our financial health and making smart decision so that we can secure our long-term financial future,” he says.
Communication has been the most challenging piece because few people get to really understand the big picture, Arthur says.
“They are all working diligently, contributing in their specific areas of expertise. And even though we’re doing a better job communicating, it’s tough for people to understand some of the decisions that are being made,” he says. “They might even seem counterintuitive in the short term because they are for the longer-term benefit.”
Based on Arthur’s experience, it’s important for leaders to be as transparent and honest with employees as possible, especially if it’s challenging or tough news. Don’t be tempted to hold things close because it might not be well received.
“You’re not going to make 100 percent of the people happy 100 percent of the time,” he says. “The right solution doesn’t exist that makes everybody happy. But you want to be benevolent and make smart decisions that are in the long-term interest of the company and the employees who are here who have made it what it is.”
