The Importance of Leading Inspired Employees
Let‘s face it, it‘s 2020 and the way we work has drastically changed. Regardless of what is going on in the world, companies today must adapt to the times and advocate home office-friendly policies, flexible working schedules and a general high-trust culture. This way, employees will be happier, more successful and take more pride in their work. At Freeletics, we believe that creating this culture of having engaged employees comes from investing in strong company leaders. No matter if working remotely from across the world, or (one day) in person at the office, Freeletics has always valued this “new normal” work culture.
Theory Y
Freeletics managers embrace MIT Professor Douglas McGregor‘s “Theory Y2” mindset. Theory Y communicates that managers should be the ones standing ahead, encouraging employees to keep pushing and inspiring action, rather than behind, cracking the whip. It also represents the view that employees are ambitious, self-motivated and find fulfilment in their physical and mental tasks at work. When guided in the right direction, employees are more likely to continue with their company and have the desire to do their best work. “Freeletics managers should be role models,” explains our CEO, Daniel Sobhani. “It is our job to promote a corporate culture that helps motivate employees to become the best version of themselves, no matter where they are working.” Sure, at Freeletics, our managers are clear with goals, deadlines, and expectations, but they also trust us and let us work on the projects we are passionate about and contribute to our overall company mission. That‘s an awesome feeling.
Personalized Relationships
As a company, we are known for standing out from the crowd. In fact, it‘s kind of what we do best. Just as we are no cookie-cutter startup, our employees are unique and far from average. Each has different needs than the next. Acknowledging this fact, Freeletics managers hold weekly 1–1 meetings to not only check in with us on how our work is going, but also to see how we’re doing personally. These meetings cover everything from “hey, how are you?” to “did you see that TED Talk on how sleep is your superpower?” In doing so, managers are able to create a comfortable, personal relationship with their employees. Furthermore, both parties can speak openly about what is working well, not so well, or any needs that must be addressed. Over time, this builds trust and good rapport between the two.
Growth Mindset
A study from employee culture organization, Gallup, shows that 70% of an individual’s engagement is driven by their manager. At Freeletics, our leaders strive to inspire a growth mindset within their employees through several initiatives. The first is setting quarterly goals. These goals help both sides to set clear expectations for the future and put employees in the driver‘s seat. Additionally, our managers hold development talks twice a year. Just as the name suggests, these talks help our employees advance their careers within the company. More than just a performance review, it’s a format for the manager to provide insights on the individual‘s unique strengths and assess how to ensure that person is developing personally and professionally. Just as importantly, it is also an opportunity for employees to express their desires and visions for their futures. This year, the development talks happened remotely via Google Hangouts. While this format was different than usual, the same sentiments of pushing for growth and individual improvement certainly came through.
Credit where Credit is Due
Recognition is a big part of making people feel like they are seen at Freeletics. In team meetings and on Slack, employees and especially managers are always showing appreciation for the hard work and dedication of others. We also use a software tool called OfficeVibe, which has a special feature that allows employees to send a few kind words to each other. Additionally, in our company-wide All Hands meeting, we have the tradition of honoring someone’s efforts with the legendary “Dorsch” award, to show appreciation for the awesome job done on a project. It may be a simple, silly idea, but it stands for much more. “I was blown away to receive the ‘Transformation Dorsch’ from my manager a few weeks ago,” says Community Manager Elodie. “First of all, I wasn’t expecting it. I had just finished a 12-week transformation project with the community which yielded awesome results for our participants. This was a lot of hard work and the recognition really made me feel appreciated. It was another reminder that my work is very valuable for the company.”
Constantly Improving Ourselves
As a company, we are continuously adjusting our initiatives to match the needs of our employees. We will continue to take this introspective approach to manager-employee relations across departments. With this, we hope to inspire everyone at the company to be a leader, no matter their position.
In conclusion, it doesn‘t matter if someone is working from their living room couch or in person at the office. We set everyone up with the tools they need to be successful and develop into their best selves.
