In today’s ever-changing business landscape marked by market fluctuations and economic uncertainties, the role of organizational culture and leadership is crucial in shaping employee resilience. A culture based on trust, collaboration, transparent communication, focus on learning and development and employee wellbeing contributes significantly to building resilience. Additionally, recognizing and rewarding employees for their efforts boosts morale and reinforces a sense of purpose.
Resilience is integral to Amway’s culture, stemming from our Founder’s Growth Mindset (FGM) principles. This mindset encourages employees to ‘fail fast, learn fast,’ fostering an environment where expressing ideas and taking initiative are celebrated without fear of judgment. Amway’s leaders actively model FGM habits, promoting an entrepreneurial spirit that supports employees at every stage of their careers.
Open and two-way communication is pivotal in fostering a resilient culture at Amway. It enables employees to understand the ‘Why’ behind the ‘What’ and brings thought diversity to the fore. We prioritize providing diverse platforms for employees to voice their views and opinions. Monthly town halls, ‘Ask Us Anything’ sessions and biannual culture surveys contribute to a robust feedback system. Investing in competence and upskilling is integral to our strategy, emphasizing continuous learning and development. Our ‘Love to Learn’ cultural pillar encourages employees to step outside their comfort zones, take risks, and acquire future-ready skills. Targeted development programs cater to changing career circumstances. We foster an environment of endless curiosity, challenging assumptions, and driving innovation. Our partnership with Coursera and an online mentoring platform, MentorcliQ, ensures access to self-learning programs and collective experiences, promoting leadership skills and career development.
Encouraging employees to think beyond their immediate responsibilities and embrace their roles as organizational citizens is a key driver of resilience, enriching both their breadth of experience and depth of functional knowledge. Amway’s Innovation Portal, a unique platform, allows employees to submit ideas aimed at enhancing revenue, reducing costs, or improving efficiency. This program provides an opportunity for individuals to further develop and collaborate in the implementation of selected ideas. Its unique selling point (USP) lies in breaking hierarchical barriers, enabling employees to directly share their ideas with key decision-makers who are also members of cross-functional teams. It is worth noting that these decision-makers are not confined to only functional leaders, ensuring a fair and unbiased evaluation process. Additionally, engaging in cross-functional projects offers employees a chance to broaden their perspectives, taking ownership of project outcomes and contributing to our collective growth.
At Amway, our commitment to continuous evolution extends not only to our products and processes but also to ourselves. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) form the cornerstone of our culture. Prioritizing DEI empowers our employees to actively contribute to creating an inclusive workplace. Our employee-run DE&I Council ensures that DE&I is a top-down priority, fostering accountability and success. With an annual action plan featuring aspirational goals for each success parameter, we are dedicated to measurable progress. Additionally, we host two Inclusion network groups—Women Inclusion Network (WIN) and Amway Young Professionals (AYP). These forums provide opportunities for members to exchange thoughts, ideas, and learning, fostering both professional and personal growth. Recognizing the importance of addressing unconscious bias and promoting inclusive leadership, we conduct annual workshops tailored to the global setup of our operations, building cultural intelligence among relevant employee groups.
Another crucial element in fostering resilience is prioritizing employee well-being. Our dedicated employee wellness program, ‘Optimal U,’ is designed to support holistic well-being. Mental health is a paramount concern at Amway, and we have curated mental wellness sessions as part of our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to equip our employees with the tools they need for their well-being. The implementation of hybrid working has provided our employees with the flexibility to balance their professional and personal commitments, contributing to their convenience, empowerment, and trust levels. Additionally, our employee-led team, ‘Sampark,’ takes the initiative to regularly plan and conduct engaging activities at work, festival celebrations, and offsite events for both employees and their families.
Cultivating a resilient culture also requires a focus on employee appreciation, reward, and recognition. Our SPARK program provides employees with a fast and easy way to acknowledge their colleagues through thank-you cards or point-based rewards. We commemorate employees’ service milestones, ranging from 3 to 25 years of dedicated service. The highly anticipated annual ‘Red-Carpet’ Awards recognize exceptional performance by individuals and teams across various categories, including Employee of the Year, Women Achiever, Young Achiever, Significant Contributors, Most Valuable Projects, and more. This celebration is eagerly awaited, as engaged employees are more likely to demonstrate resilience during challenging times, and recognizing and rewarding their efforts not only boosts morale but also reinforces a sense of purpose.
Teams, when held accountable and given ownership of outcomes, feel empowered to execute strategic plans. Providing the information, they need to continually adapt or innovate fosters trust. Leaders who invest time in coaching team members through change and role-modeling a growth mindset help teams develop capabilities that accelerate adaptability and resilience to change. Resilience is intentionally built, not left to chance. Small steps accumulate, ensuring employees feel secure in taking risks. We are all partners in our success, with every employee contributing to our collective achievements.
