Here at Next Wave we strive for greatness. We aspire for it in the services we provide our clients, in how we operate our workplace, and of course in growing and developing our business. But beyond this, and beyond the bottom line, we believe that a company is only as great as its workers and how it treats them.
In light of that, we hold that the following are vital in reaching the level of greatness we are aiming for:
Living Wage
How can an employee work well when he or she isn’t paid right and is on the verge of hard times, or if a single health or family crisis might send them spiralling into poverty?
We believe that employers have a responsibility to provide their people with a living wage so they can in turn provide for their households and live better and more comfortably. This is one of the hot topics of the time, and we’re taking a stand on the side of the workers. This American Psychological Association article details the benefits of a living wage and the harm of being deprived of it. In short, it’s a real lifesaver!
Stake in Success
Any company’s achievements are due to the labor of its workers, the time and effort they’ve put in. Thus as the company succeeds they must be rewarded in kind so that they’ll know that their efforts have meaning and value, and that they in turn are considered important members of the organization. Through this recognition, they’ll be invested in the company’s success and will be driven to contribute to its greatness.
Good Environment
This is crucial for maintaining happy and healthy employees, which is something to do for its own sake. Aside from being the right thing, happy and healthy workers are also more productive and more creative, contributing to a better company.
Healthy Food
In this day and age of stressors, environmental hazards, stifling commutes and soul-sucking hours spent in The Grind, it’s vital to nourish the body with healthy food.
Adequate Rest and Relaxation
Likewise, we encourage our people to take breaks, we don’t consider having some R&R to be a mortal sin or grave offense. We trust our employees to do a good job while knowing their limits and taking the time they need to stay healthy and well rested. It is known that the pace of the modern workplace is taking its toll on people’s health. The hustle and grind culture isn’t all it is cracked up to be, and nothing is worth dying for a paycheck.
Gym Provisions
The body and mind aren’t separate entities, they’re part of a greater whole. A fit body will contribute to a sharper mind, and vice versa. This isn’t the 1980s anymore, we’ve outgrown the “nerds” and “jocks” cliches. Do those reps while listening to some science podcasts, hit the treads while watching a Critical Role Dungeons & Dragons session.
Not to mention that yoga will do wonders for the typical office worker posture.
Clear Expectations
Employees need to know what they’re working for. And leaders need to know where they are going before issuing directions to the rank and file. The company itself must orient clients on the results they should expect. Communication is the key to any relationship. Our leaders do their best to set realistic expectations and convey to the crew what their tasks and goals are, so everyone on board can take the necessary steps to meet these (or raise concerns if the goals aren’t realistic).
Two Way Reviews
As we said, communication is key and the same goes for input and feedback. Honesty is the best policy.
Management That Treats People with Respect
Everyone matters in Next Wave, people aren’t just figures in an Excel spreadsheet. They’re actually human beings - to the shock and surprise of many in the corporate world. Remembering this and acting accordingly is just the right thing to do, while it also has the benefit of cultivating a motivated and loyal workforce.
Time to Pursue Possible Projects
Google was lauded for allowing their employees to do this and it was very cool, helping keep the company innovative… until they stopped doing this. Other companies have continued the practice and have benefited from it. Fortunately, in Next Wave we still give our people the time to play around with their personal projects, have fun, boost their creativity and potentially come up with something groundbreaking.
Ongoing Learning
The aforementioned point takes us here, in that we encourage everyone in Next Wave to continue on learning. We want to cultivate a growth mindset, not a fixed one, because we want our company to grow rather than stay static. So everyone from the rank and file to the head honchos have to remember that they’re still learning, that they’re still students, and that it’s always possible to pick up new tricks and change things up for the better. This keeps life exciting.
Stand for Something Beyond Profits
After the long near-eternal hours spent in the office, inside those mazes of cubicles, don’t we head back home? Aren’t we doing this so we can live comfortably or provide for our families and loved ones? The work we do and the income we make is for these things that exist outside The Business.
We can’t and should not forget this. We have to remember why we’re doing what we do and give something back to the greater community that we are part of. Charity, volunteering, supporting good causes, or pursuing passions that enrich our lives and those of others… these help us stay human and drive us in our daily lives.
From the Big Picture, with all the problems in the world, to the personal level where maintaining a decent work-life balance is vital to one’s health, maintaining this perspective and acting accordingly is just the right thing to do. It’s the same as providing our people with a living wage, encouraging healthy diets and amount of rest, exercise, and treating them with dignity.
While this may strike some as surprising, we view these as innate and inherent, something that must be upheld. These are supposed to be attributes of a great company, and greatness doesn’t come from just sitting on your hands. And if these values and convictions are something new and different - like the “Next Wave,” if you will - then we’re here to push it and shake things up a bit, do what we can to improve the world.
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