The first company that I selected was Edward Jones, #7 on the Fortune 100 “Best Companies to Work for in 2020”. I currently utilize this company for various financial services, entrusting them with funds for investing and similar purposes. Financial institutions must have a concrete, solid level of trust with their customers, and after reading more about this company, this was further supported. Looking at the company profile, over 90% of employees said they are proud to work at Edward Jones. This number is significant compared to the low level of 57% at the average U.S.-based company. Additionally, 94% of employees across the board stated that extra time off work is accessible, as well as employees feel respected and welcomed by one another, including upper management. This is most likely due to the flexibility and individuality of a diverse and widespread workforce of financial advisors. Behind the scenes, there seems to be a focus on connecting with the customer first to form a solid relationship, then generating profit through various financial methods. For the last several years Edward Jones has appeared amongst the top companies to work for in terms of HR and workplace environments.
The second company that I selected was American Express, #9 on the Fortune100 list. “AMEX” has a 92% for “a great place to work”, scored by the employees of the company. One of the major terms represented on the company profile is culture. Over 90% of employees at this company answered that management is ethical and honest, and also able to take additional time off whenever necessary. American Express has won at least four awards every year since 2016 for its exceptional workplace environment and culture. This includes multiple awards for diversity and women’s inclusion for the last several years, which can be found on the company profile.
Coming in at #24 on the Fortune100 site, another financial institution on this list is CapitalOne. I also have a personal connection with this company, using one of their credit cards regularly for various purchases due to high cash-back. From a customer perspective, I have a positive outlook on the company as they have built and maintained my trust, as well as provided a positive customer support experience on multiple occasions. Analyzing their profile on the Fortune100 website, 92% of employees say that CapitalOne is “a great place to work”. Many of the photos and excerpts from the profile emphasize heavy themes of team building and collaboration throughout the workplace, contributing positively to their culture. Similarly to the other companies, consistency is key and allowed them to maintain their status on the Best Places to Work list for the last 8+ years.
As someone who has worked under managers of various ages for the last several years of my life, I have had the opportunity to experience a variety of management styles for each type of job and workplace. Going into the management field as an intern this summer there are some themes and traits of management that I would like to bring into my style. Some of the twelve questions found within the text First, Break All the Rules, employees should know what is expected of them while at work. Respect and trust are important values to me, and I anticipate that quality relationships can be built through team building and collaboration between employees. Similarly, consistent feedback and communication between management and employees can be crucial in terms of sustaining that positive relationship. Measuring results consistently benefits the company by allowing management to provide their employees with accurate feedback. I believe that one of the most difficult aspects of becoming a manager would be to provide negative feedback, just as the first question on the survey from the Google reading states “My manager delivers difficult feedback in a constructive manner” (Garvin 2013). Question eleven within the textbook further supports how providing feedback supports employee morale and productivity. I anticipate using many of the qualities and important “tips” found throughout all of my courses to develop my management style.
References
Buckingham, Marcus, and Curt W Coffman. First, Break All the Rules : What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently, Gallup Press, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/osu/detail.action?docID=1584214.
Garvin, David A. “How Google Sold Its Engineers on Management.” Harvard Business Review, vol. 91, no. 12, Harvard Business Review, 2013, pp. 74–82.
Edward Jones Company Profile: https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/1000348
American Express Company Profile:
https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/1000311
Capital One Company Profile:
https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/1000049
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