Kronos CEO Aron Ain on the Importance of Workplace Culture

As somebody who frequently writes about employee engagement as a business issue, I am fortunate to work for an organization that is very committed to its employees - inside and outside of work.  That employee-centered ethos starts with our CEO, Aron Ain.   As you can see from the current Glassdoor data pictured here, Aron has off-the-charts high approval ratings from Kronos employees.  There are very good reasons Aron has so many fans, as you'll hear for yourself in this podcast.

I sat down with Aron to ask him about how he thinks about our culture. During our conversation, Aron shared his perspective on why the Kronos culture is such an important part of our success.  One of the things Aron said during this interview that really struck me was that "Kronos should come a distant second in your life to your family". His point was that he recognizes that people are much more than their jobs at Kronos, and that if we want to create an environment in which high performance flourishes, we need to honor that by expressing appreciation for the time that performance takes away from their family and their lives outside of Kronos.  If you want to get inside the head of a CEO who inspires employees not only with his message, but by his actions,  you can listen to our conversation here.

Here are some of the topics we discussed:

• How has Kronos created such a high-performing and engaging culture?
• How does the  Kronos executive team view the role of HR in strengthening and preserving our culture?
• Do C-level executives at other organizations _get it' when it comes to the connection between employee engagement and bottom line success?
• In recent research issued by The Workforce Institute, the unfortunate takeaway was that HR and management are NOT on the same page with employees regarding workplace culture and what keeps people engaged at their jobs. How do Kronos execs stay in tune with how Kronos employees feel about the company and ensure it remains a place where people are proud to work?
•  Another takeaway from our recent study was that HR professionals and people managers both identified _company growth' as something that can have a negative impact on workplace culture. As Kronos continues to grow, what will be important to maintain an engaged and productive workforce?
• What advice does Aron have for C-level executives who want to create a better culture in their own organizations?

What do you think about Aron's message?  Does the culture where you work inspire employees?