Often times the day-to-day issues that human resource professionals encounter with employees are not necessarily the legal “can we or can’t we” types of issues but, rather, are related to employees’ interactions with one another and overall employee morale. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that investing in the creation (or maintenance) of a positive and supportive company culture will yield benefits far beyond what can be measured and reported in any annual survey.

I am always encouraged when I work with companies that truly dedicate their resources to improving the community—through not only their services/products but also by working to improve the well-being of their employees and those around them.

I had the opportunity on Tuesday to speak with my fellow ATHENAs, Melissa Sanderson and Leah Fregulia, at the SRP Women in Network Luncheon at the SRP Pera Club. Melissa, Leah and I were invited to network with a packed room of superstar SRP women and were also invited to share some of our advice and experiences about the challenges and successes we have encountered in our professional lives, while mentoring others (and being mentees ourselves), and as active members of our communities.

The luncheon reminded me that such a simple thing—bringing a group together—in this case, the women of SRP, can be a great morale booster for employees and an opportunity to challenge employees to think outside the box about their own roles in the organization and what they hope to achieve. As I shared during our panel discussion, I think it is important that employees feel empowered to speak up and share what it is that they want from their careers and also to be accountable to doing the work to get there.

There are many ways companies can work to build morale, create a stronger workforce, and increase employee retention—from initiating wellness programs to holding annual retreats to sponsoring community events. I think every company would benefit from taking a step back and evaluating what the company does and what more can be done. SO, while you do that, I will share my “Top 10 Words of Wisdom” that I shared at the luncheon today. When I was deciding what words of wisdom I wanted to share at the closing of the luncheon, I realized that some great words of advice that I have in the back of my mind originally came from songs. After living in Nashville for three years and experiencing the best music one could find, it only makes sense that the words stuck in my head are backed by a guitar and drums.  Here they are:

TOP 10 WORDS OF WISDOM (Nashville-style)

1. “Be a best friend, tell the truth.  And overuse ‘I love you.’  Go to work, do your best.  Don’t outsmart your common sense.”

“Love Like Crazy,” by Lee Brice

2. “Don’t sit upon the shoreline and say you’re satisfied.  Choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tide.”

“The River,” by Garth Brooks

3. “My next thirty years will be the best years of my life.  Raise a little family and hang out with my wife/husband.  Spend precious moments with the ones that I hold dear.  Make up for lost time here, in my next thirty years”

“My Next Thirty Years,” by Tim McGraw

4. “If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and then make a change.”

“Man In the Mirror,” by Michael Jackson

5. “Sometimes I’m hard on me, when dreams don’t come easy.  I wanna look back and say, I did all that I could.  At the end of the day, Lord I pray, I have a life that’s good.”

“A Life That’s Good,” by Lennon & Maisy (Nashville cast)

6. “May good fortune be with you.  May your guiding light be strong.”

“Forever Young,” by Rod Stewart

7. “I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.  Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens.”  

“I Hope You Dance,” by Lee Ann Womack

8. “If you’re faced with a choice, and you have to choose.  I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.”

“My Wish,” by Rascal Flatts

9. “Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t.  Maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t.  Maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the ‘Funky Chicken’ on your 75th wedding anniversary.  Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either.  Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s”

Baz Luhrmann – Everybody’s Free (to Wear Sunscreen) 

10. “What it all comes down to is that no one’s really got it all figured out just yet.”

“Hand In My Pocket,” by Alanis Morissette