Engineering Leader
Culture can contribute more to the success of a company than nearly any other factor. And I cannot think of a value with a more positive impact than the People First mentality. While other values, like being Client Focused or promoting Work-Life Balance, may sound similar, they do not carry the same weight. This is because the People First value truly embraces a Win-Win philosophy. People First means valuing employees, clients, customers, and the general public—everyone—above metrics like the bottom line or excellence in product. When championing People First, these goals will likely follow, but they are not the focus.
When a company preaches and follows through on putting all people first, it creates a positive feedback loop. An employee who is treated well by their employer will treat the company’s clients with respect and care. This, in turn, leads to clients valuing the company and its employees, fostering long-lasting business relationships. Additionally, word will likely spread to other potential business partners.
It is not always easy to embrace People First. There are many competing pressures on leadership when running a company—they may be struggling to make a profit, scale, or navigate changes in their market. However, I have never seen embracing a People First value do long-term damage to a company. On the contrary, I have seen good companies lose their People First mentality, and I have never seen that improve the company’s long-term success.
