Norms Restaurants

Amir Durrani is the Senior Vice President of People & Culture for Norms Restaurants, LLC, an iconic Southern California restaurant chain operating since 1949. Amir joined the restaurant industry over 33 years ago in Southern California and has worked for national companies to include Olive Garden, Tony Roma’s, Wolfgang Puck and Hilton. As an HR professional, Amir is focused on compliance, building high-performing teams by overseeing talent acquisition, employer branding and retention initiatives. He champions a people-first culture, improving employee engagement, inclusion, workforce planning, and succession strategy. Amir has a PhD in Human Resources from Iowa State University, a Professional of Human Resources (PHR) certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) and a SHRM-CP from the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). Amir has been with Norms since 2006.

Workplace Culture as a Strategic Business Advantage

In today's competitive environment, a strong and positive workplace culture is no longer a “nice-to-have", it is a strategic business advantage. Organizations that invest in creating a culture built on trust, respect, collaboration and accountability are better positioned to attract top talent, retain employees, deliver exceptional customer experiences and achieve growth. Workplace culture influences every aspect of a company, from team member engagement and productivity to financial performance and brand reputation.

Driving Engagement and Retention Through Culture

One of the greatest business benefits of a positive workplace culture is increased team member engagement. Employees who feel respected, valued and connected to their organization’s mission are significantly more motivated to perform at their best. 

Research from Gallup shows that employees with a strong sense of purpose are 5.6 times more likely to be engaged, while employees' connection to company’s performance goals experience higher profitability, lower turnover and fewer safety incidents. They take greater ownership of their work, collaborate more effectively with colleagues, are committed to achieving organizational goals and are more than twice as likely to outperform less engaged teams.

A healthy workplace culture also plays a significant role in employee retention. According to Society of Human Resources Managers (SHRM), replacing an hourly employee typically costs employers between 50% and 75% of the employee's annual salary. For a California employee earning $20 per hour, turnover can cost approximately $21,000 to $31,000 per employee. Needless to say, replacing experienced employees can be both expensive and disruptive. Organizations that foster an environment where employees feel supported, recognized and given opportunities to grow experience lower turnover rates. Retaining skilled employees preserves institutional knowledge, strengthens team performance and reduces recruitment, hiring and training costs.

Creating Better Customer and Business Outcomes

Customer satisfaction is another important outcome of a positive culture. A 2024 Gallup survey found, 18% higher sales productivity and 10% higher customer loyalty. Employees who enjoy their work and feel supported are more likely to provide exceptional service, respond positively to customer needs and consistently represent the organization’s values.

Leadership Shapes Organizational Culture 

Building and sustaining a positive workplace culture requires intentional leadership and consistent action. Leadership plays a critical role in shaping organizational culture. Gallup research shows that managers account for at least 70% of the difference in employee engagement across teams. Employees who trust their leaders are three times more likely to be engaged and 61% more likely to stay with their organization. When leaders consistently model organizational values, employees are nearly 10 times more likely to rate their workplace culture as excellent. Employee surveys are a great way to measure engagement.

"Investing in workplace culture is not simply an investment in employees, it is an investment in the long-term success, resilience and future growth of the organization."

Managers set the tone for workplace culture by modeling the behaviors they expect from others. They have to lead from the heart. When leaders consistently demonstrate integrity, accountability, respect, empathy and open communication, employees are more likely to adopt those same behaviors, resulting in greater trust, engagement, collaboration and organizational success. In a 2013 study, Deloitte found that 62% of employees who intend to stay trust their leaders, compared with only 27% of those planning to leave.

Investing in Growth and Employee Engagement

According to LinkedIn, 94% of employees would stay longer with an employer that invests in their learning, while organizations with strong learning cultures are more productive, more innovative and more profitable. Investing in employee growth is not only a talent strategy, it is a business strategy. Technology mixed with fun can be more attractive to job seekers, especially younger generations.

Regular recognition, open communication and meaningful feedback are essential drivers of employee engagement. Doing regular check-ins with team members and providing channels to voice concerns anonymously allows leadership to stay connected and proactively address issues.

Building a Culture for Long-Term Success 

Ultimately, workplace culture is reflected in the everyday experiences of employees and customers alike. Organizations that intentionally cultivate a culture of respect, collaboration, continuous learning and accountability build stronger teams, improve business performance and create lasting competitive advantages. Investing in workplace culture is not simply an investment in employees, it is an investment in the long-term success, resilience and future growth of the organization.