Non-Cash Motivators for a Successful Workplace

Leaders have so much to balance and to get done, but I believe strength comes in recognizing not just what you’re trying to accomplish but also the importance in how you accomplish it.

The HR Digest: Workiva was recognized as one of the “Best Workplaces in Technology 2022”. What according to you led to this achievement and how did you motivate your employees to do so?

Emily Forrester: Workiva’s values-based culture is really what drives our success as an award-winning place to work. When you uphold company values in everything you do – from how you make decisions to how you communicate with employees, you build a lot of trust. When employees know they are valued and trusted, it creates a healthy work environment where everyone can be their best self and do their best work. A key part of being successful in the technology field is how well you can innovate. At Workiva, innovation is what we’re built on, it’s part of everything we do, and it’s something that everyone contributes to regardless of their position in the company. So naturally, it’s also one of our core values! We celebrate innovation with internal awards that recognize people who are thinking differently and driving success through innovative changes that bring measurable benefits to Workiva, our partners, customers, or users.

You have experience of more than 15 years as a human resource manager and you have worked for several industries including technology, financial and professional services. What is one mistake you have seen in your professional life that can make or break the company’s work culture?

Culture is built and upheld everyday by every employee. Recognizing that every single one of those employees is a human being with their own unique story and life beyond the job is so important. I think forgetting that fact, and instead treating people like a number or a cog in a machine, is the single fastest way to erode a great culture.  We can’t be everything to everyone, but an employer has a responsibility to demonstrate care for the individuals who make the company what it is.

What according to you is the most effective non-cash motivator?

Nothing beats a sense of connectedness. It’s empowering to see how your work on a project connects with the company’s ability to accomplish its objectives and when you also understand how achieving those objectives are critical to the company’s longer term success.  Feeling like you’re working toward a common goal and with a strong sense of trust that the team is going to help each other get there also creates  accountability. Recognition runs right alongside that, too.  It’s really powerful when a peer, manager, or leader takes the time to acknowledge the work that individuals and teams are doing by connecting it back to the bigger picture and affirming how their work is making a difference. Something as simple as taking the time to recognize and celebrate meaningful milestones is an important way to acknowledge hard work and progress being made. All of these things tie back to that sense of commitment to one another, to work together on a mission everyone believes in – the sense of connectedness and being a part of something bigger than yourself.

What do you see as the greatest leadership strength?

There are a number of common traits of great leaders – communication, integrity, and courage immediately come to mind. But one thing that is sometimes overlooked is humility. Leaders have so much to balance and to get done, but I believe strength comes in recognizing not just what you’re trying to accomplish but also the importance in how you accomplish it. Leaders who take time to listen to other viewpoints, ask for feedback, demonstrate gratitude, and admit to mistakes (because we are all human, and everyone makes them!) contribute to creating a healthy workplace where all employees can thrive. At Workiva, we are fortunate to have leaders who model these behaviors every day. We see this in action during live Q&A sessions with employees, when leaders encourage honest feedback on our company surveys, and when we aren’t afraid to admit when we’ve missed something. Little things can make a huge difference, and I think it comes back to how leaders demonstrate a commitment to the success of the company and to their teams over their own individual success.

What skills do the global HR managers of the future need to acquire?

If the last three years have taught us anything, it’s the importance of flexibility and creativeness. Adaptability will always be a critical skill because it’s true that change is the one constant, and the pace of change seems to be only picking up speed. If you can develop a mindset of respectfully questioning the status quo and thinking creatively about a better way of doing things, you’ll stay ahead of the game. Flexibility means staying open to new ideas and not getting stuck in the mindset that just because something is tried and true, it must be the only or best way to accomplish the goal. New ideas might not always work out, but we all learn a lot along the way. As far as being successful in an increasingly global work environment, curiosity has proven to be an incredibly valuable skill. We are well aware of the benefits of diverse teams – different backgrounds offer new perspectives and ideas about how to do things. But with that diversity often come different cultural norms or ways of communicating. When we are curious by asking someone to help us understand how they are thinking or what they meant, it helps us learn about one another and fosters a team that is stronger because they embrace and value diversity.

Emily Forrester,

Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Workiva

Emily Forrester is the senior vice president of human resources at Workiva, the world’s leading platform for integrated regulatory, financial, and ESG reporting. Emily brings more than 15 years of experience in HR leadership to Workiva and is responsible for defining and executing an HR strategy that supports rapid global growth. She’s a passionate advocate for workplace culture and has played an integral role in securing Workiva’s multiple recognitions on the annual list of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For.

Photo: Workiva

This profile was published in the January 2023 issue of The HR Digest.

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