"At the timberline where the storms strike with the most fury, the sturdiest trees are found." 

This quote from Christian Missionary Hudson Taylor strikes a chord regarding resiliency at large. The most challenging circumstances can produce the strongest companies, similar to how trees that grow at high altitudes, where storms are fiercest, tend to be the most resilient. This is precisely where culture comes into the workplace.  Strong cultures only strengthen over time.

Not just in a company’s time, but over the span of an employee’s journey with Datamax. Older trees have thick, sturdy rings, just as companies with strong cultures cultivate loyal employees who grow with the organization, trust the organization, and feel as though they are part of something bigger than themselves. Whether it is employee interviews, onboarding, employee recognition and trust, tenure milestones and even retirement, we find great strength in the Datamax Way.

How so? We sat down with Chief Operations Officer (CO0) Steven J. Sumner to discuss just that. Sumner says that his vision for the company very much emphasizes an exceptional employee experience, from the moment they walk into the door and onward.

Strength lies in a great first impression.

That certainly begins the moment an applicant walks into the front door. From the manner in which the interview is approached, to an extensive introduction to our culture and our values, to a smooth onboarding process, applicants and new employees should already get a sense of the Datamax Way of conducting business and its treatment of its people.

“We should certainly go over the great, unique things that someone receives when they become a part of the Datamax Family, whether it’s the employee benefits, chili-cook offs or dinners, or the overall cultural atmosphere, it’s crucial that we highlight those things,” Sumner said.

Mentors establish cultural strength.

Sumner emphasizes that any supervisor should define himself or herself as a “mentor and leader,” not simply a “boss.” As any employee continues with the right level of training and support and job clarity to excel at their job, and extend its branches to greater lengths, the supervisor serves as the roots beneath them.

“People need to feel as though their manager really cares about them. That they know what’s important to them on an individual level, so that we can help them achieve their goals through career success and prosperity. That manager is essentially there to help them get where they want to go.”

Mentorship, support, and genuine care have a defining impact on employees… one that extends beyond the workplace.

“When that employee goes home, and they speak with their husband, wife, parent, or child, we want them to say ‘I’m proud to be part of Datamax,’” Sumner said. “When we host company events outside the office, they’re saying to their family, ‘You should come to this event.’ That’s a culture builder.”

Recognition builds cultural strength.

As the employee evolves and builds tenure, if they’ve made a career at Datamax, that should be appreciated and recognized, plain and simple. This happens in a variety of ways.

• The True Blue Loyalty Award Program, which honors employee anniversary milestones in a BIG way.
• Outside-of-office events that bring employees and families together.
• A streamlined, open dialogue with their managers, who recognize the efforts of their employees.
• The opportunity to promote from within.

“When employees have the right attitude, put the effort in, and are the right person for the right job, we love to promote from within. That is one of the biggest things that I personally want to see happen,” Sumner said. “We love to look back and say ‘I remember this employee when they started here,’ and they are able to look back and see that they’ve built a sustainable career path with us."

Strength begins – or ends - with trust.

Sumner is quick to acknowledge the three levels of trust that have been mentioned in Joe Goodreau’s Performance Group Meetings.  All of these levels must be achieved by a company to sustain cultural strength.

1. Character Trust- Otherwise referred to as “ethical trust” is doing what you say you are going to do.
2. Competence Trust- Otherwise referred to as “technical trust” is having repeated experience doing the job resulting in credibility.
3. Personal Trust- This is the repeated experience of caring, listening, and being fully engaged.  In other words, this is believing that the company and its leadership cares about the employees, its’ customers, and the overall prosperity of the organization.

A funny thing happens when trust reciprocates between both parties. Employees start to “believe.”

“When we’re doing the right things every day, the employees come to believe in the organization. They believe in the leadership. They believe in the way we do business, that we are honest and ethical. They are talking about it with one another, and now they’re coming together.”

So when that big challenge arises, when an unanticipated storm arrives with fury, the sturdiest tress are found. The strongest possible culture comes together to do whatever is necessary to win. And yet again, "Culture Wins."