Visiting Manila gave me the chance to meet many of our VAs face to face, which in itself was deeply rewarding. But beyond that, it also gave me a clearer understanding of the impact of our work. From conversations with these employees, I learned how we foster a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork in more ways than I realized.
I went to Manila mainly to show my appreciation to them. To me, that alone was worth the trip. My wife, Beth, and I held an evening banquet and then another at lunchtime the next day, inviting whoever could make it.
I’d wondered if a lot of these employees would come out of some sense of obligation. But as we met them, I could see that wasn’t the case at all. I felt truly humbled at how genuinely excited they were to meet us. Some even grew emotional about it, with tears in their eyes as we shook hands.
I was also humbled by how far people traveled to meet us. Many traveled two or three hours each way, giving up their off-day — one woman rode for three hours on the back of a motorcycle. One of our employees, Elijah, rode for eight hours on a bus to reach us. (I offered to put him up somewhere for the night, but he took another eight-hour bus ride home later that day.) Traffic is terrible in Manila; it takes forever to get anywhere. And obviously, it wasn’t about the food. You don’t travel six hours round-trip just to go to a buffet. It was about building a relationship and sharing appreciation with each other.
Some brought their whole families, too. It was a big deal to them. And our conversations helped me understand why.
We have close to 70 employees who work with us or with our clients, and every one of them represents a family we have an impact on. That’s why I don’t take matching employees and clients lightly. I want them both to be in a much better place than they would have been in otherwise. That’s been a priority from the beginning.
Hannah, the first employee we hired for ia Blueprint, started off in an entry-level role with us. I’d hired her from a competitor where she earned less money in a managerial role. Looking at her background, I knew that wasn’t right. In that higher-level role, she should’ve been making at least what I was paying. With our company, she knew we valued her hard work, skill, and dedication. Over time, Hannah has come up with brilliant ways of making sure our VAs and employees feel supported. And she’s been able to move into a more comfortable living situation instead of having to live and work in the sweltering heat. It’s been a total win-win.
Elijah, the employee who traveled eight hours to meet us, recently bought land in the province where he lives. After we offered him a raise on his anniversary date, he decided to find land where he could build a home for his family and parents. His mother had just beaten breast cancer, which had been a difficult battle for his whole family, and being able to live together meant a lot to them. He was the first person in his family to own property, and he told me, “It’s because of you and ia Blueprint that I’m able to do this.”
Some of our employees have had the chance to travel for the first time or do things for their families. They enjoy hiking trips and concerts — things that might’ve been out of reach before. They get air conditioning and upgrade their living situation. Their quality of life improves in significant ways, and they take steps toward goals that may have once seemed too ambitious. By supporting people in fulfilling their dreams and achieving greater well-being, you gain their loyalty and commitment to their work.
From talking with our employees, I’ve learned that many companies don’t pay like they ought to. Leaders often micromanage and create a lot of unnecessary stress. They don’t value their employees like they should. And that keeps them from building strong bonds and a sense of teamwork among their people.
Do you find yourself wondering, How could we improve employee satisfaction and retention? Take a hard look at whether working with you is truly enhancing their quality of life. As an employer, you need to strike a balance between what’s best for you, your employees, your clients, and your company. You might not be able to pay the salary you wish you could offer, but you need to think about what you can do, because it has more of an impact than you may realize.
Your decisions have far-reaching effects on your people and their families. When you center your employees’ needs, understand their life goals, and value their hard work, you’ll ignite a spirit of teamwork. Without that sense of teamwork and camaraderie, people will just be showing up. With it, they’ll bring genuine commitment and passion to their work — and the possibilities for what you can achieve together will be limitless.
At our gathering in Manila, I shared my deep gratitude for the service our employees provide, and they shared gratitude for how working with us has changed their lives for the better. The whole experience affirmed for me how important it is to focus on creating a strong and supportive culture. Getting to know each employee as a human being, and centering their well-being, needs to be front and center. As an employer, I already prioritized these things, which is why we have a retention rate of 90%. I strived to pay a good salary and offer support that other companies didn’t provide. I knew I was a good boss and that the jobs we provide are good opportunities. But meeting people face to face brought home how much of an impact all of this makes for them.
This trip to Manila — and the one after that — affirmed why our work is so important. It also let me get to know our employees as human beings and learn about their dreams and life goals. All of this has helped us to foster an exceptional culture of collaboration and teamwork.
Set up a call to learn how partnering with ia Blueprint will help you find the perfect addition to your team. We carefully choose virtual assistants who can grow with our clients over the long-term, making sure they’re an ideal fit. As you hire people who share your values and work ethic, you’ll build a strong workplace culture grounded in teamwork and appreciation.