How Brighttail Builds a Winning Team by Putting People First

There has been a drastic shift in how employees view work. While factors like salary, job satisfaction, and career progression remain as some of the key motivators for job seekers to accept a position, a growing number of employees are also seeking out organizations that value them as a whole person, and not just for their talents.  

In fact, a survey by McKinsey found that many employees are not willing to stay in unfulfilling jobs or work for employers that don’t treat their people well. They expect a working environment that fits their lifestyle, ambitions, values, and personalities. 

The status quo is that a positive work culture where people are prioritized is crucial for quality employees to join an organization.

Continue reading as we explore the meaning of the putting-people-first approach, why it is important, and how Brighttail incorporates it in our daily work. 

What Is a People-First Approach?

The people-first approach can mean different things to different organizations. But essentially it is when leaders care for their team members and put them as their top priority even before profits, customers, and business opportunities. 

After all, happy employees make happy clients, and this will eventually lead to a profitable business. An added benefit is that it attracts and retains top-tier talent.

Why Is Putting People-First Important?

Employees no longer put up with organizations that view them as just another “cog in the wheel.” They seek employers who prioritize their satisfaction in life over job satisfaction. A true people-first approach requires a seismic shift in attitudes, behaviors, and actions at a fundamental level.

You have to believe that your employees are the nucleus to the success of your business. To achieve that, you’ll need to continuously assess and improve your approach and strategy. 

When employees feel that they are part of an organization that helps them grow as an individual, advance their career, and contribute to society, they will also be motivated to go all out to produce their best work, which translates to a flourishing business in the long run. 

Six Ways Brighttail Puts Our People First

Putting people first is more than just offering occasional free lunch or discount vouchers for merchandise. It means going above and beyond to provide a fertile environment for employees to grow and thrive, proactively reduce potential burnout, and celebrate both personal and professional achievements. 

Here are six ways Brighttail implements such a culture.

Add a Sense of Purpose to Work

Creating a culture of purpose at work is the core of a people-centric approach. One of the fundamental ways to do this is to trust your employees by giving them more autonomy, accountability, and responsibility. And this is exactly what we practice here at Brighttail. 

Although there are role titles, we do not believe in hierarchy. We know that great ideas can come from anywhere, which is why all team members are given the opportunity to share their unique blend of experience and brilliance with the rest of the team.

We also encourage innovation and creativity within our teams. Since we have an open environment with a relatively flat hierarchy, all employees are given the platform to express new ideas, suggest new ways to solve issues, and voice any concerns or blockers they have at work. 

Our mission as a business is to help people and businesses unleash their full potential. We believe that this all starts with our people and are sincerely committed to helping our teams thrive inside and outside of work. One of the ways we practice this is by creating a knowledge base platform where all employees can have access to all information about the company, business, and clients.

Champion Work-Life Balance

We spend a minimum of eight hours of our day at work. But the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the traditional working hours to change completely. Employees are now expected to be on call 24/7, causing their work-life balance to take a hit. 

A study by global staffing firm Robert Half found that nearly 70% of professionals who transitioned to remote working due to the pandemic say they now work on the weekends, and 45% say they regularly work longer hours than they did before. 

Here at Brighttail, we wholeheartedly discourage this practice. We focus on creating a work-life balance for our team members because we believe that people get their best work done when they have the time to do personal things outside of their work too. 

In fact, some of our employees participate in marathons and ultramarathons or spend quality hours with their family and friends during their free time. 

Provide a Flexible Working Environment 

As more and more people get a taste of remote working, it’s crucial that businesses support hybrid and flexible working options when possible. By doing so, your staff know they are valued, and their happiness and well-being are prioritized. 

At Brighttail, all staff are given the flexibility to work from home or come to the office on days they wish to. We strongly believe that creating a comfortable and conducive working environment for our staff will enable them to push boundaries and deliver great work. We also offer health insurance so employees won’t end up feeling stressed when faced with medical emergencies. 

Encourage Cross-Pollination

When we say cross-pollination, we are not talking about someone from sales dating someone from marketing. In the business world, cross-pollination is the process of exposing employees to new ways of thinking by sharing knowledge. 

The idea is that by bringing people with different expertise together, we open a platform for them to brainstorm and achieve innovative solutions. 

At Brighttail, we have faith that innovation often comes when ideas from disparate places are brought together. As an agency, we practice agile marketing and work in smaller scrum teams. Our scrum team process breaks down traditional department silos and creates a positive environment where new ideas and innovations can thrive. 

Promote Career Progression 

Every one of us joins an organization wanting to progress in our career. But the term “career progress” isn’t solely about the milestones we set in terms of promotion and career development. It’s more of an ongoing process of learning and growth, which can give us the skills to succeed in our long- and short-term career goals.

In fact, a study by a career advice platform found out that 82.39% of employees would call it quits if there isn’t any career progression at the company. 

Knowing the importance of career growth, Brighttail pays close attention to our employees’ career progression and goals. Staff in leadership positions constantly check in with their team members via bi-weekly meetings to discuss their career plans, opportunities for talent development, and areas for improvement.  

With regular 1:1 discussions, our people are able to explore different fields of interest and climb the corporate ladder faster. 

Create Relationships

Have you thought how enjoyable work would be if you have friends as colleagues? We bet this would be the dream. Gallup found that people who have good friends at work are more likely to be happy. What’s even better is that good work relationships are connected to better customer engagement and higher profits for businesses.

Now while it’s great for you to find friends at your workplace, companies can also play a part in providing an environment where such relationships can be nurtured.

Brighttail provides plenty of social events to encourage staff to get to know others on a personal level. Over the years, we have organized Ping Pong + Happy Hour every Friday at 4pm (read:TGIF!), Chinese New Year dinner, and Secret Santa gift exchange, which lasted for nearly the entire month of December. 

We also communicate openly among peers via Slack and scrum meetings to build long-lasting friendships!

Join Our Winning Team

When an organization focuses on putting its people first, it can be certain that growth will follow. We believe Brighttail is a testimony of that.

Our business grew from just two people to over 40 individuals in the span of just over three years. As a purpose-driven agency, our business also more than quadrupled in revenue over that time. All this is possible because we were able to attract, nurture, and empower the right set of talents.

Come join us as we continue to put your growth as our number one priority!