Success
through culture:
THE REZZI WAY
Nothing is more important than our culture.
Maintaining a great workplace culture requires deliberate action by everyone on our team. It’s a never-ending project, and a worthy one.
Our culture reflects our real values - The ones that bond us to our teammates, that show up in unguarded moments, that come to life in the stories we tell. They’re what make us plead with people to stay and shed tears when they leave. Everyone on our team is responsible for living our values, and anyone who doesn’t is guaranteed a short tenure.
How well we live our values dictates how
well we can foster a culture that makes us
proud. Everyone on our team contributes to
the culture we have and the culture we want. The description of our culture that follows is therefore part aspiration and part observation. It’s both who we are and who we want to be.
So, what does this culture look like?
Good workplace culture is a collaborative work of art.
Transparency, openness, and empowerment
Within our walls, there are no secrets (well, aside from those we’re compelled to keep by law). There is no place for people who hoard information, contacts, or resources for their own benefit. There are no secrets, because we have nothing to hide.
We share our strategies, goals, plans, and results openly and freely. This is how we know how we’re performing, how each person is contributing, and, most importantly, where we’re going. It’s the only way we can truly work as a team.
We lead and manage by principles, not rules. We value, encourage, and support independent decision making, and we give people the information they need to make considered decisions in the best interests of the company, the client, and themselves.
A spirit of generosity
We say thank you a lot. We say it to our teammates, we say it to our referrers, we say it to our clients. We say it to anyone who’s sacrificed something of themselves to help us achieve our goals. We never miss an opportunity express our gratitude to our teammates, because without each other, none of us would be here. But we don’t just say thanks. We show our thanks, on desks, on doorsteps, and in the way we treat one another.
We’re generous with our time and attention. When someone is talking, we listen, and not just to the words. We listen to the silence, to the things unsaid. We’re generous with our resources. Our office is a space where our community can learn and grow. We’re generous with salaries and flexibility. We give our team members the freedom to work however they work best.
Fairness and respect as our foundation
We’re here to lift each other up.
We treat people fairly, not just because it’s the Australian way, but because it’s the right thing to do. We are committed to eradicating bullying, harassment, racism, and sexism, in all their forms. Sink-or-swim behaviour simply isn’t tolerated.
We treat people with respect regardless of their position in life or their level of influence. All human beings deserve the same degree of respect, whether they’re a wealthy CEO or a struggling first home buyer. But we expect the same treatment in return. Respect does not mean deference. We serve, but we are no-one’s slave.
When working with clients, we state our position calmly and clearly and allow people the time and space to make a well-i ell-informed decision. And we respect that decision, even if we don’t agree with it. Our job isn’t to make a sale, it’s to provide the information the client needs to make the right decision for themselves and their circumstances.
Building trust - inside and out
We take our clients’ trust seriously. We maintain their confidence and actively protect their sensitive personal information. The security of our trust account is of the highest importance and is maintained at all costs.
We take our trust in each other just as seriously. We share everything with each other, but nothing to the outside world. What’s said in-house stays in-house. Lying or deception is unacceptable, be it to a client, a teammate, or an industry colleague.
Teamwork beyond process
We’re informed by numbers and KPIs but no more than by our gut feel, our intuition.
First and foremost, we are a team. People and results come first - always. Process, important as it may be, must always come second. Our team is open and inclusive, and we encourage and support one another. We support teammates when they are down, and we make new people feel welcome. We listen for the sounds of uncertainty, and we offer our help. We treat each other as equals, always. We don’t tolerate thousand-pound gorillas, no matter how good they are at their job or how much business they bring through the door.
We listen to the length and quality of phone calls, to the tension or laughter in the air, to the sounds of stress or of happiness and connection in people’s voices. Because numbers are no substitute for knowing what’s going on around us. We meet regularly both as a team and one-on-one to share our knowledge, coach each other, and develop ideas to improve our processes and performance. Our managers regularly provide team members with respectful, direct, open, and honest feedback on their performance.
Empowerment & insight
Prioritising people, results, and intuition
We work with only the best people. People at the top of their game. People who dream big. People who pass the “Would you try to talk me out of leaving?” test. We actively look for ways to measure our performance, but we use that data to inform us, not rule us. We each have clearly defined goals. Everyone knows what their role is and how they can contribute. And this is the basis of our salaries. We get paid based on what we know, what we contribute, and how we live our values - not on hours. worked, seniority, or CPI. Learn more, deliver more, play well, and be paid accordingly
Excellence in expertise
Continuously learning and innovating
We’re experts in our field. We know what we’re talking about, and we know where to find answers when we’re unsure. We continually strive to make our processes more efficient, protect our clients better, and make ourselves more effective. That means prioritising accuracy and technical competence. It means taking the time to understand the regulatory frameworks that govern us. But no matter how much we know, there’s always more. We’re constantly learning, and we place a high value on education, both formal and informal.
Mastering communication
Speaking, listening, and acting with purpose
We are great communicators, capable of carefully articulating our meaning both verbally and in writing. And we communicate a lot! With our clients, with our teammates and with our suppliers. We have a genuine interest in others. We converse easily and smile a lot. People know where we’re at because we let them know.
We listen attentively and we understand that clients’ anger and frustration is just fear about what lies ahead. Our job is to understand the source of that fear and explain things in a way they can understand.
We’re positive. We tell people what we can do, not what we can’t. And we expect the same from others. We don’t tolerate negative, sad-faced people. Instead, we respectfully request that they take their business elsewhere.
We speak as adults. We don’t huff and puff, roll our eyes, or give others the silent treatment. We value contrary opinions. We’re calm under pressure. We’re peacemakers. Our communication is proactive. We don’t wait to be asked or prompted. If a client calls to ask for a progress update, we’ve failed.
A reminder about a future finance due date is far more valuable than a belated request for a finance extension. Like a bodyguard in a dark alley, we anticipate risks and act before things take a turn for the worse
We ask questions, we anticipate obstacles and hurdles, and we contribute ideas.
Beyond the role
Embracing initiative for growth and impact
We believe that taking initiative personally and professionally helps us to live and serve better. We take the time to understand the business’ goals, objectives, and strategies. We know the company’s risk policy inside out, and we understand how that policy affects our day-to-day decisions.
We look for ways to cut costs, minimise paperwork, and reduce our impact on the environment. We fight for higher fees and charge for extra work. None of us is just an employee’.
We make it our business to know the key stakeholders, influencers, and referral sources in our business. We don’t wait to be asked for help. We anticipate the needs of our clients and act accordingly
We are proactive in generating business from repeat clients and referral sources. We understand that it’s everyone’s business to develop a professional referral network.
Owning our journey
From health to productivity
We take responsibility for our personal health and wellbeing and encourage each other to make healthy lifestyle choices. We take responsibility for our workload. If we can do more, we put our hands up. If we’re overloaded, we put our hands up.
We take responsibility for our working environment. If it’s broken, not working, or hampering our productivity, we get it repaired or replaced. We don’t walk past rubbish - if something needs to be done, we do it.
We take responsibility for our successes and failures. We do everything possible to avoid mistakes, but when they happen, we don’t make excuses - we treat them as an opportunity to learn and improve. And just as we own our mistakes, we own our successes. We meet success with pride and humility in equal measure.
Interested in joining our team?
We’d love to here from you!
