MightyRecruiterCompany culture. It sounds like one of those buzzwords you read about on small business blogs that are more sales pitch than information, and if you’re one of those people who knows that you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet, it might be tempting to scoff at the term and call it a day. Don’t do that! The truth is, company culture is a vital component to creating great places to work, especially if your business, like many these days, mostly employs millennials.
Why Company Culture Matters
When you were a child, your parents and grandparents probably went to work in the morning, came home in the evening, and that was that. Most of them considered the job a good one if it offered competitive pay, an affordable insurance package and some paid time off. Millennials aren’t so easily satisfied, however. Sure, they like a good compensation package, but they are even more interested in the culture of their workplace.
What Exactly Is Company Culture?
Simply put, your company culture is the community you provide for your employees. It is how you communicate with them, how they communicate with each other and how the entire team communicates with the world at large. Great places to work all have three things in common: – Employees who trust the company and their co-workers – Employees who understand the lines of communication are always open – Employees who have high morale and take pride in their work Does this sound like the people roaming the hallways of your company? Don’t fret if it doesn’t. There are things you can begin doing right now to boost company morale and create a better community.
Work on Flexibility
Facebook and Google, two companies you just might have heard of, routinely make the lists of great places to work. When asked what makes them so amazing, many people give one resounding answer: flexibility. Before the era of technology, flexibility simply meant offering first, second and third shift options, but today, flexibility isn’t just about an availability of different working hours, but also about allowing employees to work from different locations. Yesterday’s latchkey kids are today’s parents, and those parents want to be more active in their children’s lives. Allowing your employees to telecommute several days per week ï or, if possible, every day ï makes them happier and more productive. In fact, many millennial employees say the ability to telecommute is a higher priority than how much they are paid when they are deciding which company to work for.
Offer Professional Development Options
The ability to develop and grow in their careers is also more important to today’s employees than how much they are paid. Do you provide opportunities for your employees to grow in their field? Do you promote from within? If you don’t, it’s time to start. Many great places to work use a variety of professional development tactics. Some of the most popular include: – Workshops and seminars – Conferences – Cross-training – Mentoring – Team projects – Education reimbursement programs
Keep the Lines of Communication Open
Great places to work also provide transparency in the workplace. If you want to boost morale in your current employees, this is one way to do it. Encourage open lines of communication. Make it known that your office is always open, but also consider that you might have shy employees who would prefer to ask questions anonymously. In this case, consider allowing them to fill out an anonymous form and addressing questions in a company newsletter or weekly blog. Always be honest with your employees and consider having them fill out weekly or monthly surveys that allow them to rate the previous week’s or month’s work. You might even have them rate their own work and make goals for improvement.
Become a Part of the Community
There is something else great places to work understand. They are a part of their town. Millennials are more interested than ever before in creating a better planet, so consider how you can help them do that. Some ideas include: – Participating in 5Ks, 10Ks or marathons that benefit certain organizations or people with illnesses – Creating a program to help local families who need financial assistance during the holidays – Starting a committee that finds new places to volunteer each month – Building a community garden to help employees as well as other town or city residents – Asking your employees what issues are important to them and how you can help With the right company culture, your employees will begin to think of your business as one of those great places to work, resulting in more profits, lower employee turnover, and best of all, happier people. If you are looking for more ways to boost your company culture, check out the resources here at Mighty Recruiter.