Business Journal Op-Ed

Building Community

Whether in a corporate or non-profit setting, the most successful organizations provide a community that cultivates positive relationships and common experiences among co-workers.  An investment in community-building in the workplace pays dividends in higher productivity and retention of employees.

Community is not related to size — there are many examples of large and small organizations with excellent and poor senses of community.  Regardless of the number of employees, community is about establishing kinship among employees and giving them the opportunity to be productive and enjoy the benefits of belonging to the organization.

In his book, The Different Drum: Community-Making and Peace, M. Scott Peck states, “Community is a spirit – but not in the way that the familiar phrase ‘community spirit’ is usually understood. ... The members of a group who have achieved genuine community do take pleasure – even delight – in themselves as a collective.”

As part of its Strategic Plan for 2005-2010: Creative Leadership for the 21st Century, Guilford College is striving to create an institution that recognizes that employees are intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and physical beings who must interact as a community.  We encourage employees to work together to create a supportive environment.

At Guilford and other colleges and universities, a strong sense of community is especially vital for the recruitment and retention of students and staff and the development of a connected alumni body.  This is akin to hiring and retaining quality employees and establishing a bond with clients in the corporate world.

As part of its strategic plan, Guilford has a series of initiatives related to enhancing a sense of community.  Two of those initiatives were launched this fall:  the establishment of “community time” and the appointment of an administrative ombudsperson. 

The weekly, hour-long community time is a break in the class schedule on Wednesdays that allows for programmed and un-programmed gatherings of students, faculty and staff.  We have already noticed the unifying effect it has had on campus.  Our ombudsperson, a position that is unique among colleges and universities locally, works with employees and students in clarifying decision processes and resolving disputes, acting as a confidential source of information and referral and answering individuals’ questions about policies and procedures.

A superior community also depends on promoting natural interactions.  Toward this objective, Guilford has made a commitment to creating gathering spaces on terraces and in residence halls and office buildings as well as opportunities for cross-campus meetings and dialogue at art exhibitions, Bryan Series lectures and other venues.

Checking the “pulse” of the organization and honoring employees is also important to community building.  Many organizations measure satisfaction through periodic surveys, honor achievement and service with the presentation of awards and encourage employees to support charitable giving campaigns that create a sense of unity through philanthropy. 

Each year, FORTUNE magazine publishes a list of “The 100 Best Companies to Work For,” compiled by the Great Place to Work Institute in San Francisco, Calif. The list is based on an evaluation of the policies and culture of each company and the opinions of the company’s employees.

An employee survey asks about attitudes toward management, job satisfaction and camaraderie within the organization. Companies are scored in four areas:  credibility (communication to employees), respect (opportunities and benefits), fairness (compensation and diversity) and pride/camaraderie (philanthropy and celebrations).

Wegmans Food Markets, a privately held grocery chain headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., ranked No. 1 on the FORTUNE list last year.  It has the unusual motto of “Employees first, customers second.” The Wegman family’s rationale is that when employees are happy, customers will be too.  To achieve this, Wegmans makes every employee a part of the social fabric of the company – tapping their passions, providing professional development opportunities and getting input on decision-making. 

Wegmans and other organizations are successful because everyone feels part of the community.

This opinion-editorial was originally published in the Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area in November 2005.