For this blog, I am going to bring different perspectives from other professionals that are helping their clients pursue their goals. Here is how Mary Erlain, Business Coach, Consultant, and Owner of Peak Development Strategies is helping her business owner clients. If you are interested in contributing, please let me know!
We have experienced a dramatic change in the way business is done. There will come a time when we will return to work. What that means will be different for every business.
For many, this was a time where they said “FINALLY! See, I told you we could work from home and be productive!” Then there are people who were not ready to do business via the internet. This has caused stress and they cannot wait to get back to how they used to do business. Potentially, you have people that live in both camps.
And during this time, the business owner has been faced with trying to cover rent and payroll, work with finance people to get PPP and EIDL loans, work with IT to secure the company’s information, cut expenses, layoffs or furloughs, etc.
My message to the business owners is “Once the dust settles around the operations of your business, DON’T FORGET YOUR PEOPLE.” This pandemic has forever changed your employees and you. Employees may have been directly impacted, lost a loved one during the isolation, are in a relationship with a healthcare worker or 1st responder, were ill-equipped to home-school their children, etc. There is a post-traumatic stress effect that will affect people in different ways.
Bottom line: your culture in your organization has changed. Your strategic plan that you were working is out of date to some degree, if not completely. Getting the money, payroll, inventory, technology, building back in line is a small chunk of what needs to be focused on. At the end of the day, focus on where culture meets strategy to align your people and your company to what is now a different future than you once thought or were working towards.
The 5 Generations in the Workplace has evolved. The gap between the generations can significantly narrow or become a larger gap if not attended to. It is up to how you manage the culture going forward.
There are huge opportunities of advancement that lay before you. Don’t ignore them.
BIO:
Mary Erlain is a business coach and consultant. She has published 4 books and is a sought-after speaker and facilitator. She works with owners to identify the core of the issues that stand in the way of growth in companies. Two of Erlain’s books focus on generational diversity. Empowering the Multi-Generational Workforce is a challenge in most organizations. She brings her knowledge and expertise in this area to any of the services she offers. Peak Development Strategies was founded in 2007 by Mary. “Connecting the dots and removing barriers!” ™ truly conveys the company’s mission in helping business owners and their employees.
COMPANY DESCRIPTION:
Peak Development Strategies was founded over 10 years ago by Mary Erlain. We look at your organization and culture from the enterprise perspective. Typically, we evaluate everything from the company’s organizational structure to individual management responsibilities.
Our services include:
• Cultural/Organizational Assessments & Planning
• Peer Support Groups
• Coaching
• Targeted Recruiting
It is crucial that businesses create both an effective forward-looking strategy and a values and goals focused culture. We work with startup business owners who may be overwhelmed with juggling clients, operations, and employees to established business owners who get stuck in a rut and the business is suffering from lack of growth, employee turnover, and reduced profitability / productivity.
Mary Erlain is not affiliated with Waddell & Reed. The information presented is for educational purposes only. We believe it to be reliable, but it is not guaranteed by Waddell & Reed, Inc. as to the accuracy and is not intended to be used as the basis for any investment decisions. Please consult your financial advisor before making financial decisions. (04/20)