Here at aXcelerate we often talk about developing the H.E.A.R.T of your business and many of our clients may be wondering what H.E.A.R.T has to do with a software company. In the wake of Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we thought now would be a fitting time to discuss why matters of the heart are so integral not just to aXcelerate but to any healthy organisation.

Literally, the acronym H.E.A.R.T refers to the values of Honesty, Empathy, Acceptance, Respect and Trust. Symbolically, it represents all that gives life and maintains rhythm, warmth, circulation, connection and unity. Bringing the two together, we believe that these values are what determine the health of any organisation; the ability to have an open flow of communication, to have genuine encouragement, support and acceptance within the work team and to have all aspects of the system flourish with fresh ideas and inspired action.

The concept of developing the H.E.A.R.T of your business was first coined by our parent organisation VM Learning, which has delivered dynamic training and development programs to individuals and corporate organisations for over 25 years. During these 25 years VM have focused on highlighting the importance of combining H.E.A.R.T with intelligence and technical skill, within an organisation, as studies have shown that these key concepts help to motivate employees and further their engagement within the company.

For example, a British research company conducting studies in workplace happiness from 2002 to 2009 found that employees that trusted their executives and colleagues were 50% more likely to be engaged with their work than those that didn’t feel they trusted their colleagues. Within this same study 63% of participants who didn’t feel respected claimed they would leave their organisation within two years[1].

These are important statistics as employee engagement is crucial to greater productivity and profitability within the workforce. The most recent Work Foundation Report found that[2]:

• More than 66% of managers surveyed that claimed they were highly motivated and engaged at work, also claimed high productivity levels (defined as more than 90%).
• Engaged organisations grew profits as much as three times faster than their competitors. The study reported that highly engaged organizations have the potential to reduce staff turnover by 87% and improve performance by 20%.
• a 1% increase in employee commitment and engagement can lead to a monthly increase of 9% in sales.

Ultimately, it has become evident within the corporate world that a greater recognition to the well-being of individuals and their relationships with others contribute to the overall health of business and achievement of successful outcomes. Values like honesty, empathy, trust and respect are becoming the lifeblood that keep our business processes alive.

Consequently, when we at VM Learning began developing our software system aXcelerate, it made sense to maintain this focus on H.E.A.R.T. We wanted to demonstrate this approach outwards as well as inwards; towards our clients.

Software systems can often paint the image of a well-oiled machine; efficient and reliable but cold and devoid of personality. At aXcelerate, we strive to differentiate ourselves from this image; we wish to provide quality service to our clients whenever they need it, be that through face-to-face training, weekly webinars, a dedicated service team, multiple client forums, and through individually and carefully assessing each new client’s business requirements before initiating training.

To find out more about how we put H.E.A.R.T into action click here:

http://axcelerate.com.au/heart/

[1] The Social Workplace. (2011). Social Knows: Employee Engagement Statistics. http://www.thesocialworkplace.com/2011/08/social-knows-employee-engagement-statistics-august-2011-edition/

[2] Anderton, Emily & Bevan, Stephen. (2014). The Work Foundation: Job Enrichment and Employee Engagement in Low Wage, Low Skill Jobs. http://www.theworkfoundation.com/DownloadPublication/Report/350_Constrained%20Work%20Final.pdf