With workplace burnout on the rise – especially among professionals in managed IT – MSP executives and leaders have, more than ever before, an obligation to understand the relationship between workplace environment and employee health and success. A positive and supportive workplace has innumerable benefits for a company's employees, and is proven to drive engagement and creativity among team members, while lowering stress.
In this article, we'll explore why a healthy work environment is more relevant to MSPs than ever, as well as share insights on how to create and foster a strong company culture.
The importance of a healthy work environment
Your first order of business as the leader of your MSP is really quite simple: refuse to treat a healthy work environment as an afterthought or peripheral benefit, and instead, view it as a critical component of your business's long-term health. In fact, it's not a stretch to say that a thriving workplace culture is fundamental to your company's success, as it undergirds every part of your business.
If you fail to prioritize the things that help your MSP's culture thrive, you can count on this negligence coming back to bite you. The overarching principle here isn't difficult to grasp: a poor work environment makes for unhappy employees, and unhappy employees make for subpar work in the long run.
But let's dig a little deeper. Here are a few reasons why you should begin prioritizing a healthier work environment – if you haven't already.
- Boost productivity: When employees feel supported and valued, they're more likely to be engaged and motivated. A study by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that 92% of workers believe it's important to work for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being.
- Increase employee job satisfaction: Employees who feel their mental health is supported are more likely to perform better and stay with the company longer. The 2023 Work in America survey reported that 77% of workers are satisfied with the mental health support they receive from their employers. You have the power to raise that number even higher.
- Improve your company's overall success: Positive work cultures are more productive and profitable, plain and simple. Organizations that prioritize employee wellbeing report higher levels of customer satisfaction and lower staff turnover, both of which drive profitability.
The Collabrance Code: Four pillars of a healthy team culture
We're biased, of course, but we're proud of the culture we've built at Collabrance and firmly believe it to be one of the strongest in the industry. From our commitment to excellence to our belief in the power of relationships, our values shape every aspect of our business. We take pride in sharing these values with the customers we serve and the IT channel as a whole.
Our vision and core principles are something we've long upheld, but as time went on and our team expanded, we decided to put these values into writing. The result? Something we call The Collabrance Code.
The Collabrance Code is a set of values and behaviors we stand by, based on four guiding principles: lifelong learning, communication, time management, and attitude.
How did we put these pillars into practice? And how can you leverage this approach to build a successful team culture? Let's talk about that!
1. Lifelong learning
At Collabrance, we see every day as a chance to grow, and we encourage our team to take charge of implementing new projects, ideas and skills. Moreover, we believe in explaining the "why" and not just the "what." For instance, it's not enough to tell customers and team members that robust data backup and disaster recovery is imperative; you should also explain why, so they can conceptualize the value and get the most out of their solutions.
This culture of shared learning is what makes Collabrance so collaborative.
We also believe in "failing forward." Mistakes, whether in troubleshooting a support request or implementing a new tool, are seen as valuable learning opportunities, not setbacks. This reminds us that learning is an ongoing journey. It also creates a safe space for experimentation and risk-taking, which we view as indispensable to continuous progress in the fiercely competitive managed IT space.
The key to maintaining a mistake-tolerant environment isn't theoretically complex – reward those who speak up, normalize feedback and (appropriate) risk-taking, etc. – but it can be difficult to carry out in practice.
Take an honest look at your operations. Ask yourself, when was the last time an employee challenged a superior or pointed out an inefficiency?
Keep in mind, most MSPs fall far short of the mark when it comes to encouraging critical feedback, so if you can master this aspect of a thriving work environment, it will give you a tremendous advantage over your competition.
2. Communication
A positive workplace starts with how we communicate. At Collabrance, we believe clear, direct, and empathetic communication strengthens relationships with both our customers and colleagues. Take, for instance, our network operations center (NOC): we encourage team members to share insights and support each other in resolving issues quickly.
You will be amazed by how much camaraderie free and open communication unlocks. It’s not hyperbole to say that it's what makes a team, well, a team.
Here's one concrete way we pursue the goal of making everyone – customers and colleagues alike – feel valued and respected: When in doubt, we make a phone call instead of sending an email. This doesn't just add a personal touch; it also helps resolve issues faster, while strengthening relationships and fostering trust. This simple practice is especially important for our service delivery team, where quick and effective communication is paramount.
Empathy and professionalism are cornerstones of our approach to communication – and they work in tandem to boost workplace morale. Think about it. When you're professional in your communication, you give your full respect and attention to the people and issues right in front of you. And when you do that, you're better able to understand what and whom you're dealing with. In other words, you're better able to empathize. This is a recipe for workplace wellbeing, if we ever saw one!
3. Time management
Time management is more than just clocking in and out; it's about using time and resources intelligently to promote efficiency while bolstering workplace satisfaction and employee wellbeing.
At Collabrance, we train and encourage our whole team – from tech to exec – to seek solutions using the tools at our disposal, like IT Glue, Google, and HubSpot. These resources streamline our workflows and create a culture of preparedness and proactive problem-solving.
We also encourage every team member to be ready to take a call or meeting at any time. This initiative is about being present, being engaged, and being ready to contribute to our collective goals. And when we meet, we're careful to include only relevant team members and keep these interactions within a reasonable timeframe. Doing so shows respect – respect for your team members' and your customers' time.
Our challenge to you: Think deeply about your company's approach to time management. Force yourself to reflect on more than just policies around tardiness and deadlines. Drill deeper into the fundamental values that inform the way you and your team interact with each other and with customers. Is respect at the root? Or something else?
4. Attitude
At Collabrance, we believe nothing affects culture and morale more than the attitude we bring to our desk every day. A winning attitude is about one thing above all else: giving our all. Every call we take, every meeting we attend, every project we take on – we're committed to doing our absolute best and using the tools at our disposal to achieve optimal outcomes.
To this end, we try to remind ourselves and each other: Your work isn't just about you, but about the impact you have on others. This perspective helps us to not take things too personally, and to view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning.
Maintaining a positive attitude isn't about being cheerful all the time; it's about creating an atmosphere where wins are celebrated and accomplishments recognized. It's about taking pride in your work and in the way you present yourself, knowing that you represent not just yourself, but also your company. But perhaps most importantly, it's about standing behind your teammates in all situations. Understand that you are part of a team, and that your success is tied to the success of your coworkers.
By committing to maintaining a positive attitude, you can contribute to a workplace environment that isn't just productive, but also supportive, positive, and fulfilling.
Testimonials: Hear it from the Collabrance team
Our Collabrance Code – and any company’s mission statement – is something that’s easy to recite. But what does it look like in action?
A genuine glimpse into a company’s culture and values, day-to-day experiences, and quality of the work environment can only be revealed in one way: by the people who live it. Below are a few testimonials from Collabrance team members that underscore the significance of our core values: continuous learning, communication, attitude, and time management.
Voices of the team
Virgil Dolley, one of our service desk triage specialists, appreciates working at Collabrance for the daily learning opportunities and teamwork. He shared, "Every day is a learning opportunity that I take full advantage of to grow in my knowledge."
Recently, Virgil and his team were involved in resolving a significant firewall issue that required contributions from a dozen employees. The swift communication that occurred led to a speedy resolution and reinforced a powerful lesson: we are stronger together!
Randall Pugh, service desk automation analyst, values the camaraderie at Collabrance. He said, "I have fantastic and personable conversations that make my day that much better." Randall also fondly recalls team potlucks that strengthened his bond with his colleagues.
Remember, a team that enjoys working together isn't just 'nice to have'; they're a powerful driver of business. That's because people who get along will be much more likely to interact, share knowledge, ask for help – in short, get work done quickly and efficiently!
Network Engineer J Newlin also spoke about the inclusive, supportive, and just plain fun environment at Collabrance. "I was diagnosed with Autism two years ago…everyone has been very supportive. It has never hindered me in any way…I have never worked in an environment that truly showed that team-building matters as much as at Collabrance. From human foosball to laser tag to escape rooms, I have found those situations extremely good for the team."
We love to hear these things from our team members, as we know that happy, healthy, and engaged people are the lifeblood of our company – and the key to our long-term success.
Leadership perspectives
Now that we've heard from a few team members, let's turn to Collabrance leadership. Their insights and guidance are, after all, keys to creating the thriving, collaborative environment we all enjoy as a team.
Hollie Braid, Director of Service Delivery, shared, "I encourage and seek out frequent communication and feedback from all levels of our organization. Making time to chat with all team members fosters the inclusive culture that we work hard to maintain. Our culture has enabled me to work through issues I have had in my life and allowed me to support our team members when they have had issues. This ability strengthens our team and is a core piece of our work culture."
Service Desk Team Leader Chris Buckman added, "My main role is to make sure our team has the tools and resources available to help our end users and grow professionally. I meet with each person on my team at least once a month to connect, see how things are going, what we can improve on…It's important that I'm available to them at any time. Making sure you stay connected to your team's day-to-day is the best way to understand what they are working through."
Brian Wells, Director, Product Development, said, "IT is complex, and it can be a real pain, so I try to have fun at work. Your team needs to know you have their back, and that they can come to you for anything. Whether it's picking raspberries from our garden or borrowing tools to keep their dogs off the new grass, it's a healthy work environment when your team is more than just a group of employees."
Now that's what we mean when we talk about a healthy team culture. We hope the grass is thriving!
Conclusion
The importance of a healthy workplace environment cannot be overstated. You could call it an important part of your business's overall health, and in actuality, it is your business's overall health.
Sure, the metrics matter. Of course, profits matter. But be careful not to think of those things as somehow separate from your company culture and values.
Bottom line: do not neglect your people! Prioritize your team, your customers, and your relationships, because in the end, they're what matters most.
