Inside the Evolving Workplace: Leadership, Employee Expectations, and the New Hiring Landscape

Q&A with Courtney Branson, Head of People at Grocery TV

• What are the top three priorities for leaders? Employees?

• • Leaders
    • Sustainable Business: Building an effective and efficient company through clear performance expectations and focused goals instead of over-hiring or overwhelming their team. 
    • Team Growth: Investing in the company’s future through holistic training, feedback, and diverse talent.
    • Communication: Creating internal communication frameworks that align and motivate hybrid or fully remote teams.  
  • Employees 
    • Equity: Employees crave equity, fairness, and transparency in pay, promotions, and growth opportunities. 
    • Reputation: Candidates seek kind employers with values aligned with their own and an active presence in the community. 
    • Support: Employees want inclusive + family-friendly benefits, caring managers,  reasonable workloads, and energy for life after work. 

 

• How can companies adapt their recruitment strategies and processes to effectively attract and engage the younger generation?

The younger generation grew up in a world with unlimited access to knowledge. As a result, they value authenticity in all aspects of life. Companies have to demonstrate trustworthiness and sincerity in order to attract and retain them.

The best way for companies to achieve this is to be transparent about the company culture and details of the role during the hiring cycle. Candidates want to learn about the good and the challenging.

Grocery TV prioritizes trust from the start by including salary info, growth opportunities, and the interview process in job postings. We’re also responsive,  accommodating, and willing to give feedback, which shows that we truly care about the candidate experience, even when there isn’t a good fit. 

 

• As many of the newer generations in the workforce started their careers amidst the global pandemic, what are the benefits of a more flexible hiring process (i.e., hiring folks near and far, leaning into remote/hybrid work style; opening up the door for a larger range of applicants)?

Grocery TV employs a mix of hybrid and remote employees. Most of our team is based in Austin and New York City, with 20% working remotely.

By not having a one-size-fits-all approach, it opens up the door to more diverse candidates:

• We attract individuals that seek flexibility, including parents, neurodiverse individuals, and those living with chronic illnesses. 
• Diverse hiring broadens our perspectives, as it brings together unique experiences shaped by regional culture, upbringing, and socioeconomic backgrounds. 
• Flexible work options allow individuals to thrive in their preferred settings.     

 

• We see a shift in our talents’ mindsets, demanding more from brands and companies, more inclusivity and transparency. What does your company instill in your higher-ups in order to make sure these traits are honored?

A multi-generational shift towards embracing humanity and authenticity is happening in the workplace. To retain employees, leaders should be transparent, kind, and self-aware.

Grocery TV honors that in a handful of ways:

• Executive Coaching: Our leaders undergo executive coaching to cultivate authenticity, acceptance, and open-mindedness.
• Clear Communication: Our leadership team fosters transparency through internal newsletters and bi-weekly all-team meetings. We also include training for leaders and managers to practice, provide feedback, and address questions before sharing important updates with their teams.
• Transparency: To support inclusion, we promote transparency in salaries, stock options, promotions, financials, team priorities, and decision-making processes. Ensuring equal pay for employees in the same role eliminates the emotional burden of questioning fair compensation.

 

• There’s been recent talk about how diverse and creative workforces lead to organizations’ success in more complex areas such as analytics and AI – What’s your agency/company’s take on diversifying teams for stronger initiatives?

The nuances in technological advances require thinking about what’s possible and what’s ethical- and they don’t always align. Companies need diversity of thought to look at complex and gray topics from many angles. At Grocery TV, we bring together individuals from many industries, including data privacy, home repair, and advertising. Our collective experiences, personalities, and influences help us scrutinize facts and generate potential solutions. To orchestrate these conversations, we gather a cross-functional team and executive sponsor for all major objectives. 

 

• What is one piece of advice you can share with younger talent coming into the workforce today?

A company is only there for a chapter of your career story, so your career should never cost your soul or spirit. Get to know yourself and find companies that align with your values and aspirations to create an authentic life.