A fundamental part of successful operations is a company culture that encourages productivity and growth. Employees are a company’s greatest assets, and cultivating their abilities is a key way to ensure that your organization can grow. But if you’re unsure about where to start, here are a few tips on how to go about it:
Offer flexible work options
HR Dive reports that 83% of employers have adopted some form of flexible work policies, as these options are becoming more important for employees. Many workers say they would be more productive at home due to fewer distractions and reduced stress from commuting, which ensures that your employees can make the most of their working hours. Consider setting days where employees can work from home, and be empathetic to their needs.
Motivate your employees
The reality of perks like free lunch or dog-friendly offices is that they are simply “nice to have” and have no major impact when it comes to attracting, developing, and retaining top talent. That said, it’s important to motivate them instead. The Startup lists plenty of ways you can do this, such as being transparent and radiating positivity throughout the office. You can also set small, reachable goals for the week, and motivate individuals rather than the whole team.
Constantly develop your talent
Offering your employees additional development and training opportunities does a lot more than improve their skills – it also helps boost employee morale, efficiency, and even job satisfaction. Not to mention, Maryville University points out that there is a growing demand for training specialist leaders who can help bring about organizational change. They can help define the expectations, values, and decisions that link the current culture and strategy to the future. That said, hire a training specialist, or work with managers who can help you create a curriculum on how to best teach new and old employees about the company’s strategy with the company values in mind.
Communicate on a daily basis with your employees
Having a steady stream of communication with your employees will help you stay on top of any misunderstandings and frustrations, and will show that their involvement is critical. Foster a culture where employees can share their thoughts at any time by inviting them to voice their concerns during company meetings and day-to-day operations. Moreover, provide options for anonymous feedback to avoid bias and complaints.
Encourage teamwork
Encourage collaboration among your employees to reinforce the idea that you are a team. Define clear roles for everyone, and set simple and easy-to-reach goals in a timely manner. An article by CNBC on ‘What Google Learned in its Quest to Build the Perfect Team’ also recommends fostering an environment where everyone feels safe to try new things and try highlighting the positive results of their work to keep the morale up. You can also consider holding team-building events or going out as a team once a month to build solidarity.
At the end of the day, putting your employees first will not only create a great work culture, but it will also ensure that your business becomes more profitable in the long run.
Written exclusively for betterworks.com
by Christine Lee
