Do Your People Really Matter?

In business, we’ve all heard the old adage, "people are our most valuable asset." But when push comes to shove, do we really treat our employees as if they matter more than the bottom line?

Let’s start with culture. Every person brings their own unique collection of experiences, needs, and emotions to work. I know that from a business and productivity perspective, we would love to think that employees leave their “personal baggage” at home, but let’s face it, unless you’re a character on Apple TV’s popular drama, Severance, none of us do.

It’s easy to say that people matter, but actions speak louder than words. As a leader, do you take the time to check in with your team? Are you aware of what's going on in their personal lives that might affect their work? Work-life balance isn’t a one-size-fits-all equation. Some days, your employees will be on top of their game, and others, they might be struggling. Taking the time to connect with your employees is critical. Ask them how they’re really doing—not just as a formality, but with empathy and a genuine intent to understand. Personal experiences shape everyone’s approach to work, and understanding this is key to building a thriving, high-trust culture.

The reality is that you have people's lives in your hands. Real people with real lives and real challenges. How you treat them, how you speak to them, and how you show up as a leader matters. It’s not about micromanaging—it’s about understanding what drives your team. Everyone has different needs – much like "love languages” – and as a leader, it’s your job to learn what resonates with each person and makes them feel valued.

Truth matters too. Do you trust your team? Can you name two people on your team who you would trust with your bank account information or would name as your executor? If not, that’s a red flag. Does your team trust you? If you’re not transparent with your team, they will speculate, and this can create distrust. Trust is the foundation of any high-performing organization, and if it doesn’t run in both directions, you’re running a competitive (not collaborative) culture.

The best leaders know their people well and set them up for success. Are you helping your low performers grow, or are you simply marking them off as a bad fit? Perhaps, if you had taken the time to understand them better in the interview process, you could have identified potential red flags earlier. The interview isn’t just about asking the "canned" questions on your clipboard or checking boxes—it’s about understanding the person behind the resume.

At job fairs, I often see HR professionals walking around with clipboards, telling people to "apply online" with little to no interaction. That’s not how we approach it. We engage in conversations, genuinely getting to know the candidates. When someone hands me their resume and asks, "How do I apply?" I tell them, "You just did." This is how you start building rapport—through conversation, not forms and checklists.

So, if you truly want your business to thrive, your people need to come first. Because if your people don’t feel valued, your business will struggle… no matter how impressive the numbers on your balance sheet are. After all, a business is only as strong as its people—and that comes right down to the heart of your company's culture.