By John Stix. I have been an entrepreneur for my entire business career and have had to assume several roles throughout.  I started in sales and marketing and eventually became a CMO.  I transitioned a year and a half ago to become a workplace culture warrior and just over a year ago was named the president of Fibernetics.
Yet my dream vocation does not relate to any of those lofty job titles any longer. It’s all about human resources.
Over my career, I have been educated and mentored in all aspects of business – from sales to marketing to finance to operations and most recently to human resources.  Until I assumed the role as president, I never understood how critically important to the essence, survival and ultimately the success of a business was that under-appreciated department.
Indeed, I have learned and come to understand deeply that human resources is not just another part of a business, but the most important.
Today, there are many business leaders who have ripped the care and humanity out of their companies and reduced their greatest responsibility, their people, to files or numbers within files buried in some human resources office.
In fact the term, “Human Resources” is in itself dehumanizing, reducing real people to the level of a computer or a forklift. We toss off terms like “head count”, “work force” or ” human capital,” not thinking about what that implies. That, as leaders, we’re not thinking of our people as people. Rather we’re implying, through this dismissive phraseology, that they are simply business tools.
This is not what human resources should be defined as and not how leaders who wish to recognize their responsibility, as leaders should encourage. At Fibernetics, we have dispensed with the term “human resources” altogether, renaming that department the Human Culture team.
Some of the greatest companies in the world have the greatest cultures in the world.  Big names that are celebrated like Google, Zappos, and Southwest Airlines.  What most leaders don’t recognize is that great culture is great respect for human resources. That’s where it all begins.
As leaders, it’s time to recognize fully the ultimate transformation that can occur when we look to lift up our human resources department to the level it should be.  How can we understand what’s happening to our business without Human Resources being on our leadership teams? How else can we have a feel for our greatest asset that is our people that run all the important components of our businesses.
Great cultures start with a leader that can inspire, mobilize, and empower their staffs so that people feel united and bound together under a common cause and mission.
I’m asked in my public speaking appearances on how we transformed our culture at Fibernetics to one that is far more inclusive and enabling, “where does it all start and then how do we implement this culture shift?”
Well, first it starts with a leader wishing to make a profound difference. A difference that allows people to go home feeling well, being and feeling cared for and fully supported.
It all starts there and ends with mobilizing, empowering and recognizing that indeed human resources is the most important function within a business. It starts with believing that numbers and files stuffed away in some filing cabinet are not what defines employees, rather it’s who they are as people.
It starts and ends with care and realizing that revenue, sales, operations and amazing marketing campaigns are results from all the effort a leader puts in to enabling their people.
People want to feel engaged, empowered, supported and when they are, the transformation and results will blow your mind.
Finally, to all human resources leaders, professionals and workers, your responsibility is tough under far too many leaders who don’t care.  But know that you are indispensable, and your care is indeed noticed and needed, although far too often unappreciated. Please don’t lose your motivation in sight of that.
This is dedicated to the entire Fibernetics Family and in particular to the Fibernetics Human Culture Team.
John Stix, Co-founder and President of Fibernetics, one of the largest telecom companies in the country with points of presence coast-to-coast, it supports hundreds of thousands of Canadians with their telecommunications needs. John is passionate about culture in companies and what makes a great company become incredible. He lives it every day and is completely committed to this goal.
Follow John on LinkedIn HERE.