Transformation starts with people

So often, when companies – whether thriving or struggling – talk about making a transformation, they are talking about finances, or as many put it, the “bottom line.”

But actually, what our management team - and especially myself - are learning is that it’s rarely just about the money. This has become pretty self-fulfilling for us; right now, at Yard, we have NEVER had a more experienced and talented team - across the board.

With this comes a whole gamut of benefits. The most exciting and interesting piece to watch unfold is the confidence of a team who are loving their work.

A new kind of energy

The energy this confidence creates internally and with clients is palpable. People that are given the autonomy to do good work, shout about it – when those people are put in front of prospects, they can authentically say “hey, do you want to work with this amazing bunch?” and clients feel that confidence, and in turn decide that this is a great business to work with.

So, you land more, and better, clients. This, in turn, attracts good people who want to do good work.

If transformation starts with the right people, how do you go about achieving that? Whilst the hiring and retention process is important, instilling the right company culture and purpose is paramount. Creating a culture where each person feels valued, genuinely moving forward with purpose, striving for a better workplace and – wherever possible - a better world.

Better work, great ideas, and stellar results; these are the after-effects of putting people first.

This all starts with a strong foundation. Attracting top talent is dependent on a number of factors. Proving that your company is striving to make an impact goes a long way in bringing the right people in. Once you have the right people, the sky is the limit.

Riding the rollercoaster together

I talked before about providing people with the “autonomy to do good work.” That comes from trusting your people to do the jobs you employed them to do. Ensure they know you’ve got their back and you will support them however you can and watch that energy feed itself.

Let’s be honest, business is a rollercoaster ride day to day, nowhere is this more true than in digital. The pandemic taught us that we can find energy and fun through great work, even whilst we aren’t in the same building.

At Yard, we have a culture committee made up of the people who work together, so they understand their teams, their workplace, and are best placed to decide as a collective what’s important to them. As leadership, we believe in screaming about your amazing team from the rooftops; tell your clients, your sector, your marketplace. Sexy attracts sexy.

Team-wide transformation

We’ve transformed Yard in a number of ways over the past few months. A new low-carbon website coupled with an even clearer purpose. We want to make a lasting positive impact.

There’s a long way to go, but the foundation is there. As we have covered in recent newsletters, digital carbon is a genuine global issue and we want to make digital sustainable. We believe that digital can be done better. That change starts at home.

Efficiency has always been at the forefront of what we do, but it’s now more important now than ever. That passion has impacted our own team, who already cared about these issues but have had their vision sharpened and energised by a leader who can shape with confidence where we need to go.