TheMReport

MReport August 2022

TheMReport — News and strategies for the evolving mortgage marketplace.

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24 | M R EP O RT FEATURE Authentic Alignment Paul Gigliotti, COO of Pinnacle Home Loans, and CEO and Co-Founder of Axis Lending Academy, tells MReport how millennials are transforming the workforce and why modern candidates are seeking more intangible qualities than a paycheck and benefits package. By Demetria C. Lester A s the pandemic changed the dynamic of businesses world- wide, it forced many to transition themselves and their employees to remote work, leaving many organizations scrambling to adapt. Hiring and retention became an issue for some before, during, and after the pandemic. Paul Gigliotti, COO of Pinnacle Home Loans and CEO and Co-Founder of Axis Lending Academy took his time to discuss his experiences throughout and after the pandemic, amid an unpredictable market and mortgage industry. Regarding the mortgage industry, what were the main obstacles you found surrounding hiring and retention post-pandemic? C an I comment on that back- wards? What I think is—the hiring process is going to project and go forward. Twenty-five to thirty-five percent of our nation's workforce are the millennial gen- eration right now, and by 2025, that number is projected to be up to 75%; that's only three years away. As organizations, we must be ready to meet the needs of this generation, which has very different needs, desires, and goals than we are used to. This genera- tion wants alignment with their companies' core values. They are looking for an employer that has a strong concentration on mental wellbeing, supports the employee with a concentration on personal goals, and has a strong concentra- tion on continuing education and development. With that being said, I think the journey or process created and implemented for employee recruitment, culture growth, and employee retention has to be as robust as the organization's con- sumer journey. Magic really hap- pens when those two journeys or experiences are the same, this is what creates the authentically aligned experience. In order to create this authentic experience, I think we need to start figuring out who we are as organizations. We need to start having that conversation outwardly, not just for the consumer, but also to keep growing and maintaining the team that we've created. This authentic journey would create a cohesive culture and an amazing experience for the consumer. As organizations, let's concentrate on workflow, com- pany culture, employee growth, wellness programs, and employee education just as much as we concentrate on the consumer experience and service, to the de- livery of product. Going forward, organizations will need to make that apparent as they're looking to grow and scale. This culture growth will not only provide for a cohesive culture and improve the bottom line, but it will also support a more inclusive culture. Part of the reason why this is so crucial for organizations, is because the pandemic created the ability for remote working. How have factors such as the increase in migration trends, remote work, and the Great Resignation impacted your ability to find and keep the talent you need? M y head wants to ex- plode like one of those little emojis on your phone when I think about the Great Resignation, because we're seeing such an uptick of inflation. I get that people are burned out. I get that we're thrown into this chaotic world of everything oc- curring at home with little kids and our jobs. So, to answer your question, I think that, because of the pandemic and new landscape of remote working, what individ- uals need to feel right now is a sense of community in the work- place; a sense of understanding what people's needs are. What I've found to be bene- ficial at the organization that I support and run, as a leader, is to create relationships with every single team member, to engage and grow with not just other leaders or middle management, but really talking to people about what is going on in their day-to- day, about how things are going outside of work, creating a bond. Focus on ensuring the success of every individual in your organi- zation. I think that we lost some- thing when we, as a society, went through the pandemic and were all moved into remote work. We lost that sense of community. In regard to retaining your team, it's important for orga- nizations to start creating that sense of community within. I often look at work-life balance as extremely important. Be 100% of who you are in and at work, because if you look at the concept of a whole-self approach, being integrated as an individual provides this continuous flow The Team Issue

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