We made it to February! I don’t say that lightly. January always feels intense. We turn the calendar page, and suddenly everything feels a little heavier and more serious. That’s why I’m especially grateful for my team. They bring humor, perspective, and positive energy into our work and our client relationships every day.
Each year, I choose an intention word to guide both my professional and personal goals. This year, our Ethos word is Community — which feels like a natural follow-up to last year’s focus on Kindness.
At our annual Ethos planning retreat, we asked our team what community means to them. The words they shared were support, inclusion, belonging, strength, and looking out for each other.
We All Belong to Many Communities
When I think about community, I think about how connected we all are. We each belong to many communities — our families, friends, neighborhoods, workplaces, social circles, favorite sports teams, the cities we live in, and so many more. I picture myself surrounded by “rings” that represent each of these communities. It reminds me that community takes many forms and that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves.
Making Work More Human
Community is also how we make work more human, which ties directly to our tagline, The Magic of Human Connection®. But community doesn’t just happen. It has to be built. Engagement isn’t automatic.
Professionally, I think about our clients and the communities they are building inside their organizations. Do employees solve problems together, or do they blame one another? Do leaders communicate clearly and consistently? Do people feel supported, valued, and part of a team? When they don’t, engagement drops, affecting not just morale but also performance and retention.
What The Data is Telling Us
Gallup recently released its annual Employee Engagement report, and the numbers are concerning. There are 3.2 million fewer engaged workers than in 2023. Yikes, that is concerning!! Gallup attributes much of this decline to unmet basic needs, particularly communication
Looking deeper into the research, Gallup also found that employee engagement should be a manager’s primary responsibility. Manager engagement itself has declined sharply — and because managers influence roughly 70% of team engagement, this has a significant impact on overall results.
The Role of Leadership
That leads me to a few important questions:
- Are your managers equipped to lead?
- Do they know how to communicate effectively with their teams?
- How do they create connection and trust?
- What does community look like inside your organization?
Culture Starts with Community
In a world that feels increasingly digital and divided, community is both a competitive advantage and a human necessity. It’s okay not to have all the answers — and it’s okay to seek expert support. Most businesses rely on accounting professionals to ensure financial accuracy and compliance. So why wouldn’t you seek expert guidance to help your leaders communicate, connect, and build stronger teams? If you are unsure, reach out to our team. We have the tools and training to help get you on track to building a better culture and community within your organization.
A Question to Ponder
The strongest organizations aren’t perfect. They are connected. As our team discusses how we will show up for our community, I will leave you with this question:
If community is a competitive advantage and a human necessity, how well does your community’s culture support the people who make your organization work?
I’m always interested to hear whether you set an intention for your company and how you plan to bring it to life throughout the year. How do you want your organization to show up?