Why is building a strong team culture so important? Well, according to our Why Workers Quit report, a strong team culture is one of the key factors that attract and retain workers in a company, particularly among office staff, millennials and Gen Z employees. Yet it’s easier said than done, especially in an industry with a lot of grime and dirt, such as the restoration industry.

Is it possible to get restoration employees excited to come into work? How can a growing restoration company build employee loyalty in such a hectic and unglamorous industry?

Thomasville Restoration is a company that has a killer brand and a strong team culture, and it hasn’t come by accident. We sat down with Andy Amrhein and Alexus Neidert from Thomasville to do a deep dive into their unique approach to branding and culture that sets them apart from other restoration companies. They shared some key takeaways on building a strong team culture in the first episode of the Restoration Playbook Podcast, and here are the top three:

Investing in Team Culture Despite Being Hard to Prove ROI

It can be hard to prove the ROI of investing in team culture, but according to Andy, if you want to really understand the impact brand and culture are having on your company, stop investing in it. Take away the cultural activities, eliminate the perks, stop showing your team you care about them, and watch how quickly the lifeblood of your company begins to whittle away.

Conversely, Andy and Alexus shared that doubling down on team culture has led to increased employee referrals, and significantly improved staff retention - a remarkable feat in such a volatile industry. In an era where so many restoration companies are looking to improve their employee experience to make it easier to attract new workers, Thomasville’s focus on team culture is paying dividends.

The Impact of Investing in Your Staff

What does investing in “your people” look like? Balloons on their birthday? Free Subway sandwiches out on the job site?

For Thomasville Restoration, the answer is to literally invest into them - put time and money into growing their skills, not just as a worker but as a person.

This led them to create Thomasville University, a platform for training and equipping staff with the hard skills, and soft skills, they need to excel in their role and in life. By showing their workers they care about investing and growing their whole selves vs just teaching them how to swing a hammer, Thomasville is showing their staff that choosing to work with them is choosing to invest in yourself.

The Importance of Telling Your Story

A lot of companies rightfully emphasize a strong team culture and workforce experience, but they fail to close the loop by ensuring that story is told to potential candidates, friends and family. As Andy describes, there are 3 key ingredients to building any great company:

• Build a great team
• Build a great product or service
• Tell a great story

It may feel like an unnecessary expense to invest in a professional videographer or all-star marketing team, but it’s important the world knows what your priorities are, so you can attract candidates and customers who value the same thing.

In conclusion, building a strong team culture is essential for any company that wants to attract and retain top talent, even if it’s hard to prove the ROI. Investing in your staff experience can have a positive impact on productivity, morale, and retention. Thanks to Andy and Alexus for sharing their valuable insights with us in this episode. To learn more about building a strong team culture and why workers quit, check out the Why Workers Quit report at whyworkersquit.com. And don’t forget to subscribe to the Restoration Playbook podcast for more valuable tips and tricks on growing your business.