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Company Culture | 4 minute read

Corporate Culture Series: Living our DNA [Collaboration]

September 16, 2015

From a very young age, we are exposed to collaboration. It starts on the playground, where we build a sandcastle from an old sand box and some grainy sand. It is here we develop a form of communication with our peers, agreeing that the sandcastle must be this tall and this wide. In order to collaborate, we must come to an agreement on this small yet difficult architecture. As we grow, these actions become habit. From high school sport teams all the way to college study groups, the art of collaboration is a skill that allows communication among us. Here at WilsonHCG, we recognize collaboration in the workplace as a core DNA trait of our people. However, how we communicate has progressed over the years which has given us a chance to reinvent the skill of collaborative communication.

Want to learn more about improving teamwork in the workplace? Check out article No. 2 from our corporate culture series on [Communication].

Communication is a driving force of our company, whether it is the internal team extending an offer to a potential candidate, or myself writing this very blog. Technology has given us various tools to collaborate with one another. “It's no secret that technology is obviously one of the biggest driving factors that is enabling collaboration today,” writes best-selling author Jacob Morgan. From emails to conference calls, we have the ability to collaborate from anywhere in the world. In our case, this has allowed WilsonHCG to expand to an organization with offices around the world.

When we look at this expansion, collaboration brings us all back to that very first sandcastle we built. Imagine trying to do this between two sandboxes without a paper cup string phone. Next to impossible! This is why there is big effort to communicate through our open door policy. Whether you are across the pond or located in Toronto, WilsonHCG wants their employees’ voices to be heard. Through collaboration on various projects, we improve the organization and our output. The open door policy here allows us to communicate ideas at any given time. Granted there are the risks and benefits of an open door policy. However, according to management consultant Steve Tobak, “If you want a high-performance team of individuals who are motivated to do great work that makes a real difference, show them they matter by occasionally getting up off your butt and challenging them to get their head in the game and take risks.” Our people are the reason for the growth here at WilsonHCG.

Open door policies are fantastic. They work, plain and simple. They allow management to gain perspective on their entire team through a collaborative leadership style. However, some team members may know there is an open door policy but not feel so comfortable with it. Similar to that of a classroom setting — how many times did teachers say it is OK to ask questions! — we were told no question is a stupid question. But still some may be uncomfortable making the initial contact.

Therefore, as much as we need to look at various departments as a whole, we also need to understand a team member’s needs on an individual basis. What are their career aspirations? What improvements do they think need to be made? What solutions do they have? Here at WilsonHCG, our employees are the driving force of the organization and this is proven through regular standing one-on-one meetings with managers and team members.

Overall, collaboration is a skill we use to enhance communication with one another. Though the way in which we conduct these activities will vary, technology has allowed us to get into a mindset that collaboration is unlimited. It can happen and anywhere at any time. In addition, organizations need to start by empowering collaboration through that open door policy. However, they must go one step further by accepting individual ideas and contributions to the organization. At WilsonHCG, our motto is “Better People, Better Business” and this why our corporate culture is 100 percent employee driven right down to my opportunity to create and publish this blog.

CORPORATE CULTURE ARTICLE #2: COMMUNICATION

About WilsonHCG

WilsonHCG is an award-winning, global leader in total talent solutions. Operating as a strategic partner, it helps some of the world’s most admired brands build comprehensive talent functions. With a global presence spanning more than 65 countries and six continents, WilsonHCG provides a full suite of configurable talent services including recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), executive search, contingent talent solutions and talent consulting. TALENT.™ It’s more than a solution, it’s who we are.