THREE WAYS EXPERIENCE WORKING IN BIG COMPANIES HELPS STARTUPS
Dr Rachel Shaw is VP of Ops and Comms at Eden Bio. She joined the start up from Cancer Research UK, the world’s largest independent funder of cancer research, where she worked for five years. Her role bridged the two main roles of the charity, the science and its fundraising, and was particularly varied. She now has lots of experience to draw on that’s been essential for facing startup challenges head on. Here is some of the advice she has for other startups looking to learn from the experience of bigger companies.
1. Put your employees first
A crisis of employee retention is hitting companies right now, with many choosing to ‘Quiet Quit’ even if they don’t actually quit their workplace. Big companies have seen this coming for years. They’ve done the research. They know their employees feel undervalued, underutilised and stifled, with no room for them to develop. They recognise that employees want more flexibility in their employment, but knowing isn’t enough. Companies need to change to make their work environments more inducive of staff staying on. But change – especially for a big company – is easier said than done.
Startups can take advantage of this. Making changes to your workplace culture is a lot easy when you’ve got 10 employees than when you have 500. By quickly implementing policies the larger companies struggle to adopt, startups create a more employee-friendly environment, allowing them to attract and keep better talent. So take a moment to look at your startup’s policies on flexible working, promoting from within, well being & mental health days. There are plenty of other forms of pastoral care you can offer at very little cost to your company. What’s important is to listen to the needs of your employees and act fast before things fester. You’ve got the freedom to break the mould, so don’t miss the opportunity and the easy wins.
2. Don't be afraid to ask
Any startup that needs to interact with larger companies knows the frustrations of getting into conversation with the right person for making things happen. You could approach a large company through a hundred different contacts, and still not get introduced to the person who’s in a position to understand the value of what you’re offering and make it happen. Be prepared for the frustrations of trying to connect with the right person in a big company, and don’t let the failed attempts stop you.
Potential customers and partnerships can make themselves known to big companies in lots of different ways. Making lots of approaches just increases the chance that your inquiry will eventually find its way to the right person. The best strategy is to try all routes. You never know which will work.