CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — Former Home Depot CEO Frank Blake led his company through some very challenging economic times, and now he’s offering his wisdom to other business leaders to help them through rough patches.
He advised businesses struggling with hiring issues to be sure to take care of their employees, which will build their reputation as a good place to work and draw more talent. He said that with turnover as high as it is now, employees need to believe their employer is thoroughly invested in their success.
“Morning in America” host Adrienne Bankert asked Blake what businesses and government agencies like the Seattle school district, which is dealing with a teacher shortage that’s caused the entire district to shut down for a day, can do to improve their culture and take care of employees.
Blake stressed the importance of staying in touch from the top down, citing an example of a CEO he works with who starts every meeting going around the room asking attendees how they’re doing and how their team members are doing. The personal touch, the caring, means a lot and breeds loyalty.
When asked what wisdom he had to share with the business community regarding handling the unique challenges presented by the current business climate, Blake said, “What’s reassuring in a way, listening to the business community, the leaders I talk to, is the extent to which they’re focused on their employee well-being. That’s a topic that was always there, but it has come to the forefront.”
Blake now devotes much of his time to his podcast, “Crazy Good Turns,” in which he celebrates people who commit acts of kindness and generosity. He said it was a way to inspire people and show them the good things going on all around them, and the good things they can do.
He shared one of his favorite stories, in the current edition of the podcast, about a woman who lives in Atlanta and was saved by an anonymous trucker. He was coy about revealing any further details.