If you want to see your team and your organization flourish this year, start with your company culture. Your employees want the same thing your customers want—to be treated with respect and to feel cared about. Still, many leaders have a hard time prioritizing company culture. They just don’t see the return on investment.

Jeff Bevis, co-founder and CEO of FirstLight Home Care, says that investing in your team pays off. When you take the time to create a culture of care, you make caring for others central to how you do business. The results are better employee retention and lower onboarding costs. When your employees feel happy and cared about, they’re empowered to make your customers feel the same.

In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we share Bevis’s five ways to start creating a culture of care today.

1. Get to know your team. Bevis says that your company’s leadership should take the time to get to know everyone on your team. As the lifeblood of your organization, your team members deserve your attention. Listen to them, get to know what makes them tick and give them plenty of opportunities to give feedback. Let them get to know you, too. And be sure to live the culture you want to see them emulate in your business.

2. Invest in your culture. As the old saying goes, “Put your money where your mouth is.” If your employees see you making a tangible investment in building a culture of care, they will see that you are serious about it, notes Bevis. Professional development is a great place to start. Provide training so employees can expand their skillsets and grow in their careers.

3. Hire with care. Bevis advises leaders to be vigilant about all new hires. When you’re developing an ideal company culture, you can’t hire seat-warmers. You need actively engaged team members who believe in the culture you want to create. Adhere to a strict screening and onboarding process to ensure new hires meet your requirements and will enhance your team.

4. Get referrals. According to Bevis, your existing team is a great source of referrals since they probably know more people like themselves. Create and reinforce an employee referral program to incentivize your existing employees to find more great additions to your team.

5. Celebrate success. Everyone likes for their good work to be recognized, so don’t forget to celebrate success. Offer continual recognition to your employees for work well done. Acknowledge birthdays and work anniversaries. Take a personal interest in their careers by creating a professional development plan for each team member, says Bevis.

Creating a culture of care isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s also a wise business decision. When your team members see that you care for them, it gives them a renewed perspective to care for customers and other members of the team too. When this happens, you’ll see your team thrive for all the right reasons.

Source: Jeff Bevis is co-founder and CEO of FirstLight Home Care. He has more than 30 years of experience in franchising and has been designated a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE), meeting rigorous requirements from the franchising industry.