Leader Letters are monthly letters from the Maintex Leadership team. This month, Maintex President Linda Silverman discusses shaping a company culture.
A company culture is the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize the institution or organization.*
I strongly believe that at Maintex, our company culture sets us apart. It is the “voice" of our business. Put simply, it is what we stand for. The Maintex company culture is key to ensuring that we remain successful as an independent, privately owned firm in a constantly and rapidly changing competitive marketplace.So how have we created and maintained the culture we want and need?
1. Rigorous Hiring
Company culture begins with finding people who are the “right fit.” You cannot achieve a great company culture with the wrong people. In hiring, we value team players who are honest, hardworking, trustworthy, accountable, passionate, respectful, and committed. We have found through experience that a great skill set is not enough. The right attitude is also essential.
2. Camaraderie
Team members spend the better part of their waking hours at work and we strive to cultivate an enjoyable workplace and a friendly, familial atmosphere. At Maintex we are fortunate to have an amazing and creative Social Committee. They develop, coordinate, and direct all of our monthly events and special activities.
We have a wide range of events and traditions. Some of them include:
- Monthly healthy snack days
- Monthly themed luncheons
- Birthday, holiday, and retirement celebrations
- Fun competitions, such as our May salsa-making contest (complete with judges, prizes and bragging rights!)
Some of my favorite events include our Halloween Costume Contest and the Annual Company Picnic. Our Halloween luncheon is legendary. The costumes are extremely creative and our judges always struggle to pick the winners. The Annual Family picnic includes games, snacks, ice cream, the In-N-Out burger truck, and door prizes. The picnic is a great opportunity for team members to bring their whole family to relax and enjoy one another. (You can see photos of all our events on our Facebook page!)
Prioritizing our team, affording them opportunities to connect, and celebrating their unique talents helps keep everyone excited and motivated to come to work each day.
3. Our Core Values
Our culture has been indelibly influenced by our Founder, Ralph Silverman. My father was a humble, generous, kind, and thoughtful man. He always encouraged us to give back and engage in community activities.
Maintex supports many charitable causes. Our team participates in an annual holiday toy drive, an adopt a school program, group exercise events, and the company itself supports many other worthy non-profits. We encourage our employees to honor Ralph's memory and his values by participating and volunteering as they are able.
Read More: The History of Maintex
4. Opportunity for Advancement
Another component of our company culture is an environment of empowerment and encouragement. We are a company where it is possible to “rise in the ranks” because hard work, capability, and talent are recognized. Many of our teammates have grown in their role at Maintex, starting as office or production staff and becoming supervisors, sales consultants, and vice presidents.
We value personal improvement and ongoing learning. We encourage mentoring and have utilized professional coaching for select team members. Our Maintex scholarship program, implemented through ISSA Charities, offers tuition assistance annually to one Maintex employee or an immediate family member.
Read More: Leader Letter: Mentoring will take your team to the next level
5. Communication
Communication is at the forefront in maintaining a positive company culture. This includes how we share information, exchange ideas and promote understanding, both within and outside of the company.
We encourage honest and open lines of communication within all levels of our organization. At Maintex, we emphasize that everyone is a customer. We have both internal customers (our Maintex co-workers) and external clients. Regardless of their roles, we must treat everyone honestly and respectfully and strive to understand different perspectives. Our department team meetings, monthly management meetings, email briefs, and quarterly published internal newsletters all reinforce the importance of consistent and open communication.
The Benefits of Investing in Culture
Our company culture is a reflection of what Maintex stands for. It is the way we behave and treat one another.
In addition to making Maintex an enjoyable work environment, our culture actually improves our bottom line performance. When we work collaboratively, our teamwork is enhanced. Because we respect each other, have fun, and enjoy ourselves, our weekly work time together is time well spent.
