Terry Roberts is a Columbia, Missouri, native and serves his local and veteran communities as EVP of Innovation at Veterans United Home Loans, a Board Member with Welcome Home, Inc., and as a volunteer with Team Rubicon and Veterans Treatment Court. He’s passionate about creating value and serving others and he’s blessed with his wonderful wife, Kerri and three children, Taylor, Kaitlyn, and Keegan.
We asked Terry a few questions about how they create a positive company culture at Veteran’s United Home Loans, and his thoughts on company culture, creating a positive work environment and providing customer delight. We think you will find his answers inspiring and full of great ideas!
Name two keys to creating a positive company climate?
- Purpose
- Autonomy
What scheduled activities do you consider essential to your company’s culture?
- Community involvement, i.e. food drives, 5k’s
- Company celebrations, i.e. Christmas, Field Day, Golf Tournament, Breakfast with Santa, Swim day, Bowling, etc…
- Veterans United Foundation
If you could display only 3 items in your company’s trophy case what would they be?
- Our Values
- Our Founders
- Our nation’s heroes
What characteristics you look for in candidates during the hiring process? Name three.
- Passion/Purpose
- Integrity
- Capability
What’s “culture training” like at your company? Sure, a new hire has to learn the job, but what about fitting in and thriving – what do you do to acclimate someone to the way your company views each other and the world?
It doesn’t feel right to say we “train” our culture. It’s more like we search for applicants who highly fit the characteristics that make up our values. So once they start serving with VU, they become a compliment to their team, to their processes, and to our ability to meet the needs of the heroes we serve.
How do you balance a high level of productivity with a positive work environment?
In most organizations, this can be quite the challenge. With VU, we have a much higher representation of the workforce who seems to have a deep understanding and strong support for our purpose. As a result our people set the example as good stewards. They work hard when duty calls and they play hard when it’s time to celebrate.
How does your company reward your employees?
Intentionally. And with sincerity. All employees get gift cards to local restaurants for their anniversary or birthday, but when they accomplish a challenge that above and beyond their call of duty, the reward is unique to their character, to their life, and is different for everyone. (Examples include: all expense paid trips to Europe or the Caribbean Islands, a BMW 3 series, prime parking, discounts to local businesses throughout Columbia, free gym memberships, congratulatory cards for moving, having babies, getting married.)
How do you effectively transfer the feeling of delight to the customer?
“Effectively” is definitely the key! Good question! One example is our “Wow Team”. This is a team that’s dedicated to researching our customers’ passion or what they connect to emotionally, i.e. a rock band, a sports team, motorcycles, family, etc… This team works in concert with the LO for that particular customer and discover what this item or person is and they buy it and have it delivered to the customer on closing day. Examples are concert tickets, lunch box for their children, bottle of champagne, etc…
What companies do you respect and look to as examples of model corporate citizens?
United States Marine Corps, Hobby Lobby, Chick-fil-A, IDEO, Veterans United, Rainbow House, and Woodcrest
What is your favorite toy and why? OR If you were a beverage, what would you be? OR Which toy best represents your company’s culture and climate? OR If your company was a beverage, what would it be?
I happen to be biased towards beverages because of my love for quality microbrews! So, if I were a beverage, I would be a frothy Extra Special Brown Ale because it’s refreshing year-round and it’s reason to bring people around the world together and enjoy one another’s company.
