Dr. Rick Franza, Dean of the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he talks about the attributes of a good employer. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact.
ABD: Earlier this month, Forbes magazine named Augusta University and AU Health to its list of America’s Best Employers, the only Augusta-based company to make the list. Among the factors considered were salaries, working conditions, growth potential, and diversity. What puts AU on this list?
Rick: Our diversity is really good, not just demographics but views and opinions. The salaries are a mixed bag – faculty salaries are competitive, especially on the medical/professional side. We do provide a lot of career development opportunities, so that’s a plus. And the environment on the college campus has a mentality of development and innovation.
One of our core values is collegiality. This is my third non-military academic institution, and all have been good places to work. What they all had in common is collegiality. By that I mean, people are nice to each other, they get along with each other, and it’s not an adversarial environment. Some places have a lot of egos, which is fairly rampant in a lot of places of higher education.
ABD: What is so important about collegiality?
Rick: The word we often hear is culture – it’s the culture that makes a company a good place to work. A lot of that is collegiality, getting along with one another, of creating an environment where people like to go to work.
It’s being respectful and sharing knowledge. You don’t have an environment where people are trying to beat each other to get a promotion. Your talent will shine there; you don’t have to put someone else down to do that.
ABD: What are some of the keys to creating a good work environment for employers?
Rick: One is leadership. A leader has to lead by example. He or she can’t be an autocratic boss. There’s a lot of correlation that what makes a good leader is what makes a good organization.
ABD: So what makes a good leader?
Rick: Communication is key. A leader keeps people well-informed, even if it’s bad news. Part of the way you gain trust is by being communicative.
Getting to know people is another important part. As the Dean of Hull College of Business, I go out to lunch with every one of our faculty and staff. That way, I know more about them and they know more about me. They know me as a person and not just as “the boss.” It builds respect and trust.
Another key is valuing people, that no matter what job they do, they feel they’re part of the team. And it’s not just saying the words but doing things that include them. Be friendly toward everybody. The people who clean your office are just as important as everyone else. They’re going to enjoy working for your organization if they know you care.
ABD: At a time when good employees seem to be in short supply, how important is it to be considered a good employer?
Rick: Nothing is more important to the success of a business than to retain good people and this is how you do it. An important element of hiring an employee is to make the quality of the person the top priority. Never let talent dominate the person. If they’re good people, you’ll be able to work well with them if you have that culture.
I’ve talked before about Lane Keen of Keen Signs in downtown Augusta. He pays a good salary, but the key to the retention of his employees is having a culture where people like to come to work.
