BUILDING A CULTURE THAT STANDS OUT ABOVE THE REST

Every successful team has something unique—a secret sauce—that makes it stand out above the rest.

In the sports world, we can turn to the court or field for examples. The Indiana Pacers made an impressive (and perhaps unexpected) run through the NBA playoffs this year thanks to a determined group of players—rather than one mega superstar—that bought into a team-first culture and thrived in part because of a strong trust their coach cultivated.

The dominant Alabama football teams that won six national championships in 11 years between 2009-2020 were known for their focus on process over results, preparation, discipline, and the development of mutual respect between the coaching staff and the players.

A supportive, family-first environment fueled by respect and open communication drove the San Antonio Spurs during a period of sustained excellence under coach Greg Popovich in the 2000s and early 2010s.

The secret sauce for each of these teams was instrumental in laying the foundation and maintaining a culture that helped their players and teams reach their potential and the highest levels within their respective sports.

At G&A, we have an undeniable secret sauce that brings out the best in our employees. It’s a mixture of valued feedback, shared passions, and a strong culture developed through consistent leadership for 30 years. And it’s enabled us to grow at a relentless rate—G&A recently earned a record-breaking 20th recognition on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America.

Our recipe includes:

Valuing employee (and client) feedback. Asking our employees to give us feedback regularly and providing an anonymous method to do so gives our workforce the opportunity to express their ideas, thoughts, and opinions. It also gives our executive team an understanding of where our workforce is. We believe happy employees provide better experiences for our clients, and consistently measuring how our employees feel gives us a clearer picture of where we are as an organization.

Evaluating and acting on feedback. How we respond to our employees’ voices is arguably more important than asking for their feedback. At G&A, we value each and every response we receive to our employee and client surveys. Again, anonymity is an important component of our employee surveys, so executives don’t know who provided the feedback they review. Our executive team regularly dedicates time to evaluate employee responses, identify potential problems, and determine how to address them.

Being transparent with our workforce. Some employee feedback is easy to address; other responses may be more complex. We’re transparent with our employees. If we can’t address an issue, we’ll explain why and, when possible, offer an alternative solution. If we can, we’ll let our employees know that a change is a direct result of their feedback. We want our team to know that we value their feedback, and whenever possible, we’ll act upon it.

Growing with intention. Part of our mission is to help build thriving businesses, and that starts within G&A. As we continue to grow and evolve as a PEO, we’re committed to fostering the same environment of success, support, and opportunity for our own team that we strive to create for our clients.

That means taking an intentional approach when we acquire companies and bring their employees into G&A. Our goal is to retain as many of the seller’s employees as possible. When we cannot, we provide outplacement services to help them land softly. Today, 25% of our workforce comes from the companies we’ve acquired in the last five years.

Approaching each day with a shared passion. At G&A, our employees come to work each day with an unmatched level of commitment to their clients and colleagues. Magic happens when employees care so much about their colleagues and clients and wake up every day with the intent to make G&A a better place.

A strong culture doesn’t happen by chance; it’s built on a foundation of trust, transparency, and a shared purpose. Just like the best sports teams, a successful organization has a mission and a set of core values that guide every decision and action.

At G&A Partners, valuing feedback, acting with transparency, and fostering a shared passion—all part of our secret sauce—are keys to our continued growth and success. By investing in our people and cultivating a culture where they feel heard and valued, we not only improve our own organization but also strengthen our ability to help our clients achieve their own goals.