Could your workplace benefit from a designated workplace culture leader?
What exactly is the role of a workplace culture leader? Can a workplace culture director make a difference in your workplace? And how do you make sure employees understand that it is still their job to contribute to the workplace culture? To answer these questions and more, on this episode of “Five Minutes With…” I sat down with the Director of People and Culture for Schill Insurance, Natasha Purnell.
What role can a workplace culture leader play in your workplace?
MICHAEL: Hey everyone. Michael Kerr here with another five minutes with interview. In this case, five minutes with Natasha Purnell, who just happens to be the director of people and culture for Schill Insurance. Welcome, Natasha. So what is your role as a sort of dedicated culture champion? What do you do?
NATASHA: Yes. So well, as the director of people and culture, I am charged with ensuring that we have a people first culture within our organization. And really what that means is I hope support our leadership and executive team and everyone in the organization that we are, all decisions that are made within the organization are revolve around what is going to best serve the employee. How is this going to provide our teams with the best platform to show up to be the best versions of themselves, to not just survive, but thrive in the environment and it be engaging, inspiring, and motivational.
MICHAEL: Fabulous. Now, putting people first sounds like something most organizations would say, “Yeah, we’re on board with that. ” But it sounds like you’re making sure by having this dedicated role that you’re in, that you’re not just paying lip service to it, you’re actually backing it up with your actions and behaviors.
NATASHA: We are. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And it has to be more than just lip service. It has to be in the actions that you’re doing and how you are providing platforms for people to show up to be themselves and to be real people, to be humans, who have emotions and lives outside of work and needs and wants. And I think that’s where a lot has changed from the typical human resources roles more into people and culture, is that people don’t want to be seen as a resource in an organization. They want to be more than just a number. And we’re striving every day to implement things to make sure that that happens.
MICHAEL : Yeah. I’m glad you mentioned that. That term has always bothered me a little bit, human resources.
NATASHA: Resources. Yeah. And very much traditionally human resources is all about policies, upholding policies and rules. And typically HR managers, they only show up when something’s wrong or somebody’s getting fired. So no wonder nobody wants them at the Christmas party. And so a large part of my role is really trying to get to know all 200 of our staff, mentor and coach or managers and leaders into how they can get to know their staff and how we can work with them to have a mutually beneficial relationship that is both productive, engaging and positive in the workplace for both parties, for the employer and the employees.
MICHAEL: right. Now, I actually have a sidebar mentioning you in my last book, Small Moments, Big Outcomes, How Leaders Create Cultures that Fuel Extraordinary Results. And I suggest it’s a great idea to have a dedicated position with an important caveat, which I’m sure you must agree with, that you cannot be the sole responsible person, human for culture. You can’t be the only champion of it, right? So how do you deal with that?
NATASHA: Yeah, exactly. But I think it’s important to have a title that says people and culture. I think that says something to your employees to start with beyond having an HR manager. And I really think it starts with that talent acquisition, right? And it’s talking to people and finding out from them the recruiting process, what is their ideal workplace environment? Is that in alignment with what your workplace culture is? Are you hiring the right people in the right roles? And then it starts with the onboarding and talking about that mutually beneficial relationship, right? What our positive workplace culture looks like and how they can also be an ambassador and a champion of it. Because yes, if I was responsible for making 200 people happy solely, I would fail, right? Yes. But again, that’s a large part of my job is educating, training and informing not only our leaders and our managers, but also all of our employees right down to frontline staff about how they can also be participants in having a positive workplace culture and having a people first organization.
MICHAEL: Fabulous. We’re under the one minute mark. So let’s talk about the fun because I know you’re all about the fun just like I am. So what are some of the fun things you do to bring some fun into the workplace?
NATASHA: Well, I love finding out all the national days there are and planning something at least once a month around them. So for example, we just celebrated National Recess at Workday, or it’s coming up, sorry, in June, we did it last year and we had a paper airplane throwing contest, a basketball garbage bin contest, and an are you smarter than a fifth grader trivia contest? And there was some prizes for winners, but then everybody also got a popsicle at the end. And just taking 15 to 20 minutes out of your day to get out of your desk, connect with your employees, recharge those batteries, you go back to work being more performing and productive than you ever were before and gives you something to look forward to next time.
MICHAEL: Love it. And creating those rituals and traditions, so important. And popsicles, yes, let’s end on that note. Everybody needs popsicles. Popsicles!!!!!
NATASHA: Popsicles!!!!
MICHAEL: Thank you, Natasha!.
Michael Kerr, known as “The Workplace Energizer” is a Canadian Hall of Fame speaker on workplace culture, culture leadership, and humor in the workplace. He has been recognized as one of the most entertaining and thought-provoking keynote speakers in Canada. Michael is the author of 9 books, including most recently, “Small Moments, Big Outcomes: How Leaders Create Cultures That Fuel Extraordinary Results”
