How To Create Workplace Culture And Values Loved By Employees New And Old

As a new member of TTEC’s Talent Attraction family, I recently had the privilege of sitting down with Vicki Steere, our Executive Director of Talent Attraction and Employee Experience. We discussed something that has been embedded in my training since day one – our workplace culture and values and how we experience them.

I wondered whether our thoughts would align or differ, me being in my first 100 days here and her having been a TTEC leader for so long. I’ve just started to see our values in action, and she's helped shape our positive workplace culture for years.

I was eager to learn from her, a Talent Attraction veteran in the customer experience industry talking about creating a company culture that people can love. I learned a lot from our chat.

We elevate each other

From day one, I've felt the support of my TTEC community worldwide, all willing to share their knowledge and extend a helping hand. It’s a part of the TTEC experience that I love, and I couldn’t help but share it with Vicki.

It's shaped my onboarding experience here on her wonderful team and started me off on a great journey so far.

Her explanation of why our community loves to work together and support each other really struck me: "One plus one doesn’t equal two… one plus one equals five."

We can only achieve our greatest successes together. It takes all of us working as one – more than 54,000 employees from across more than 70 global locations. One TTEC. I think that’s beautiful.

We are empowered to go above and beyond

TTEC is such a big company with so many moving parts. Sometimes, I feel nervous about asking questions and sharing new ideas as a newcomer.

But Vicki shared her perspective about going above and beyond in everything we do, from client work to how we treat each other.

Sometimes, that means innovating, asking new questions, or going against the grain which can all be daunting.

Vicki and my TTEC teammates remind me that taking risks is part of reaching for amazing. And that’s already made a significant impact on how I approach my work.

We ask so we can learn to succeed

As someone just learning the ropes, I'm always asking questions – now with less worry of course! What I've seen is that TTEC genuinely embraces and utilizes this curiosity.

Vicki shared with me her personal “three questions rule” which she uses at work: When asked a question, ask three questions of your own before providing an answer.

Even our most experienced leaders never stop seeking to understand! They know the key to providing the best solutions is getting all the right information.

So, understanding what’s needed is a big part of how we work at TTEC. And I love how our leaders champion curiosity and asking questions.

We lead by supporting

Speaking of our leaders, who they are and how they work is another thing I’ve loved experiencing.

In our conversation, Vicki emphasized "servant leadership" at TTEC. Here, leadership isn't about titles. It’s about working with purpose and elevating everyone to succeed together.

It's about more than achieving goals; it’s about continuous learning and innovation. And everyone’s empowered to lead in their own ways... and given the chance to pursue career growth with continuous learning opportunities. These have really resonated with me.

As someone new to the organization, I try to lead by having the confidence to ask questions and learn from everyone around me, regardless of their position. That’s helped me thrive.

We work with a purpose

I’m enjoying TTEC because of the awesome, positive workplace culture. It inspires passion in me. I genuinely love helping people find their place at TTEC, get hired for customer service representative jobs, and experience the same workplace culture and values.

I shared with Vicki how I often find myself thinking about work even during my off hours. TTEC promotes work-life balance and supports the pursuit of passions outside of work. But, finding purpose in what we do here at TTEC to help our candidates, employees, and clients is just as big for us.

Vicki helped me see that this passion at work is something that TTEC loves to ignite and could be what’s been sparked within me and how I approach my work.

We work with integrity

Our interesting conversation ranged from the togetherness at TTEC, our passion, our curiosity, innovation, and empowerment. As we wrapped up, one last thing emerged as a foundation for what we do.

Vicki spoke about integrity – how this serves as the compass that directs how we do things here.

I see it. Doing the right thing. It’s the foundation of our company. It isn’t always easy. In fact, I think it can require courage. But it’s always worth it. And it’s something we hold on to at TTEC.

Finding our place in TTEC

Talking with Vicki showed me something beautiful. Whether you've been here for 100 days or many years, TTEC’s workplace culture and values remain the same:

We Act As One. We Reach For Amazing. We Seek First To Understand. We Lead Every Day. We Live Life Passionately. We Do The Right Thing.

These are more than just words on a wall or a website. They're principles that guide us every day. They inspire everyone from the new hires to our tenured leaders.

"I actually love TTEC," Vicki told me. She’s a "boomerang" employee, someone who left and chose to return to TTEC.

As she told me about her TTEC experience – her journey from Director of Talent Acquisition Marketing to her current executive role, I could hear the genuine enthusiasm in her voice. She’s discovered that "the grass isn't always greener" elsewhere and loves where she is now.

As I continue my journey at TTEC, I'm excited to see how my understanding of TTEC’s values will deepen and evolve. One thing's already clear for me. I'm exactly where I'm meant to be too.

You could find your place with TTEC as well. Learn more about us – our customer service representative jobs, our people, our culture. This is where you can ignite your career growth with continuous learning opportunities and a supportive customer service community. We’re excited to connect with you and help you reach for amazing.