Company Culture and Values

Andy Bartels | Director Of Operations

In today’s modern world, with nearly limitless technology at everyone’s fingertips, things move quickly. Consumers are used to speed and expect immediacy, especially when they are spending money. Page loading speeds, ordering forms, and delivery options need to be fast and seamless. Companies have adapted to provide this, and the successful ones have exploded with the ability to distinguish themselves above their competition. But in this climate with the focus on speed and growth, have company values changed? If so, is that good for the labor force?

A popular ride sharing app has grown to become a staple of transportation in cities across the world. In under a decade, this company has grown its consumer base to over 75 million riders. One of the key tenants of its success has been the ease of use and the company’s ability to bring on drivers. You can pull out your phone, type the name of the restaurant you want to go to, and summon a car to your location. The company is designed to scale. They can grow into new cities quickly, hiring drivers as independent contractors who can set their own hours and schedules which requires little-to-no active management. The background checks and safety mechanisms within the app keep the riders experience consistent, which keeps them coming back. The drivers’ experiences; though, vary widely. Sure, you can set your hours, work until you’ve made the money you need, and call it a day, but there is some substance that is lacking. Because the drivers are not employees, there is little they can do to influence the company. The company’s ability (and interest) to help and work with drivers on an individual basis is very limited. The cultural piece is also missing, as drivers do not interact with co-workers, have events to share their success, or have a social network to lean on.

Another company that has taken over is an online retailer. With options like free, next day shipping and one click purchasing, they have embodied the spirit of speed. However, customer satisfaction has been growing at the expense of the workplace. Employees are directed to criticize their coworkers’ abilities to keep their feet to the fire and the corporate mechanism moving steadily. What happens to the employees that decide this isn’t the place for them? Well, if you leave inside of a year, you may owe a portion of your signing bonus, and if you can stick it out to the second year, you may owe a portion of your relocation fees. Is this cutthroat culture adopted by some of the most recognizable names really going to be the most successful model?

Whitebox Real Estate does not think so. We have bet big on company culture and believe that with the right team and ability to attract top talent, we will continue to grow and outperform our competitors. As a real estate brokerage firm, competition and results are cornerstones of how we operate, but they are not so important that we lose sight in our values and obligation towards our employees. We want to be the best, highest producing firm in the metroplex, and we know it is our team that will take us there. That is why we focus on supporting their needs, and not mandating they support ours. We want to overcome our competition by providing top tier training, team development, and team building events. Our bet is simple, if we can continue to grow excellent brokers, create a culture of success and solidarity, and attract talent from the market; we will continue to take market share and expand. Operating in an economy running at full employment, we have expanded our offices and grown our team by focusing on our mission to create an environment where people want to work hard and succeed. This has given us a tactical edge, and we are going to continue to exploit that advantage. If you are in the brokerage business, you want to work at Whitebox. Because as we expand, we will continue to focus on our team when others may be focused on speed over values. Our commitment to integrity, responsibility for our team’s success and happiness, and our desire to be the best are the values that will carry our growth.