People-First: The Most Overused Descriptor Businesses Use - And How To Live Up To It

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Several years ago, I served as CEO of a multi-national brand. One day, I took a call at home from a member of our team. He could hear some sporadic shuffling in the background, so I explained that I happened to be doing laundry while we spoke.

His response astounded me. Seemingly baffled, he asked, “Why?”

I replied with equal confusion: “What do you mean, ‘why?’”

He said: “Well, you are the CEO….” trailing off.

I laughed, of course. “I am not the CEO of my house, dude.”

My co-worker’s incredulity was a wake-up call for me. Amid the baked-in hierarchy of corporate culture, we often overlook each other’s basic humanity. Even in “cool” industries like cannabis, it is hard to escape this habit.

Power to the People

The first thing to think about when creating a “people-first” ethos is the creation of a level playing field. Everyone in the organization should feel entitled to rest, support and respect.

Unfortunately, managers and executives often prioritize climbing the corporate ladder or padding the bottom line over taking care of the people who actually get them there. But if you are going to emphasize a people-first philosophy, it needs to be hard-wired into the DNA of your company.

That means it must be the lens through which your company views policy. Its practice should extend outward into how you interact with each of your employees. As a manager, your job is to understand what gets your people up in the morning, what their goals are and how you can help them get there — by giving them the tools and space to do their jobs.

What Even Is ‘Work-Life Balance?’

This brings us to that highly desirable, seemingly mythical unicorn of “work-life balance.”

Years ago, work-life balance had a different meaning. Before technology crept into every corner of our lives, most of us had to leave work at the office — out of necessity. Nobody’s boss could ping them from their pocket at dinner time.

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Now, with the ubiquity of technology, we can be everywhere at once — and feel sometimes as if we have to be all things to all people. Hustle culture and technology are natural bedfellows, and we live in a world in which it can be painted as lazy or even rude not to reply immediately to an email or text.

But when we always feel tethered to our work, it can creep into even our most sublime private moments. Putting people first means making sure that your employees understand that although you are connected, they are not required to shift into work mode at any given second. While some might call it “work-life balance,” we might also admit there is no truly perfect balance to be achieved. You may as well just call it “life.”

If you are going to put people first, you must acknowledge that work is just one part of life in all its messiness. You must strive to let people work and live on their own terms — as long as it fits within the ecosystem of your business.

With this philosophy, you treat your employees like the grown-ups that they are. You empower them to handle their work and lives as they see fit. They can feel secure in the knowledge that your provision of a long leash, as it were, will ensure not only the best return on investment for the company, but also a loyal workforce built on a foundation of mutual respect.

Trust Me

Some of you might be thinking: “Well, this all sounds heartwarming, but how do we safeguard bottom lines with all of this ‘people-first’ brouhaha?”

To be clear, I do not advocate getting rid of all guardrails or encouraging a total free-for-all. Deliverables, benchmarks and goals still matter. Putting people first does not mean you will suddenly become laissez-faire about metrics or business objectives.

I believe you can live a people-first policy while still holding people accountable. In fact, I think treating people right will produce better results for your bottom line. When your team believes in the mission, you believe in them and there is buy-in on all sides, employees are willing to go the extra mile.

A Brave New World

The pandemic served as a wake-up call for a many of us. What is the so-called “Great Resignation” if not evidence that people want their work to have value? Perhaps more people felt confronted with their mortality. Maybe some front-line workers decided it was no longer worth putting their lives on the line to ensure business continuity.

People want their work to mean something. They are looking for purpose. And in my view, it does not matter if you are selling shoes or driving a bus, you can find value and meaning in it. But if a toxic or micromanaging culture is allowed to thrive in your organization, it will interfere with your employee’s sense of value in the business. Company culture is — by necessity and design — a purveyor of meaning.

You can work at the most well-respected non-profit in the world, but if the culture is rife with misogyny, it will invariably impact your staff’s sense of purpose, value and meaning.

Offering a people-first culture can bolster that crucial sense of purpose. An environment of mutual respect and advocacy can take us so far.

In reality, you can talk a good game, but if your actual business practice does not allow people their humanity, support them in their goals and help them live their best lives, you will not get the best out of them. You do not buy trust, you earn it. And actions speak louder than clichés or promises.

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