Culture Matters

I joined Ampersand nearly two years ago and would often get asked quotwhat do you think How do you feelquot My response was and continues to be that working at Ampersand feels like finding a shoe that you loved at the back of your closet slipping it on and remembering why you love it so much It39s a weird analogy but it39s my way of saying that it felt familiarChange however is inevitable Our vision is to move the TV ad industry forward which means readying our employees for what39s ahead and providing them with the information tools and resources to deliver on expectations Add to that the raging pandemic that39s still in our midst there39s a potential to revert to the status quo and become culturally lazyCulture has to be driven primarily by a company39s mission vision and values And if there39s one thing the pandemic made clear it39s that ping pong tables free lunches and yoga classes as culture while nice is a false equivalency The past year hasn39t been easy by any stretch of the imagination we39ve worked to balance keeping employees engaged and informed while staying hyperfocused on our goals directing our attention on empowering our employees to be and do their best byReinforcing Ampersand39s mission vision and values through our programs and policieswhether it39s our recognition program book club employee resource group or mentoring initiative Our goal is to retain employee39s way after helloInvesting in learning ampamp development With the quadrupling of the LD team we delivered programs that enhanced and bridged any knowledge gaps Employees participated in formal and informal sessions on everything from introducing our new AND Platform to the market to skillsbased training and unconscious bias workshopsDriving leader engagement so our people managers are equipped to provide guidance and inspire actionCommunicating transparentlyamp8212it39s been a hallmark of CEO Nicolle Pangis who believes that addressing employees directly and providing insight into the good and the not so great and why is integral to inspiring trust and fueling productivity In the past year some employees might say we overcommunicated to which we39d plead guilty But it felt vital to stay connected while working 100 remoteThe Ad Age recognition is a milestone on our journey We still have work to do including increasing representation at every level of our Company While diversity equity and inclusion has always been a part of our employee strategy we accelerated our efforts this past summer between training partnerships sparking conversations on our teams and listening to our employees39 lived experiencesFeedback has been imperative as we39ve moved forward so at times we39ve had to pivot It39s certainly a delicate balance but one we39re committed to continue working on and getting right That39s why the independent recognition of Ad Age39s Best Places to Work is inspiring if it39s any indication it certainly feels like we39re on the right trackOriginally published in Ad AgeClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNetamp160

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Culture Matters

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Natasha Dure

"About That with Carl Mayer": Involved Media Connected Audience Fall 2024 Report (Episode 5) - By Carl Mayer

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Natasha Dure

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