MightyRecruiterIt’s ironic, but many employers seem to think that work is supposed to be miserable, and therefore do nothing to change the circumstances that lead to employee alienation. According to a recent survey, four out of ten workers report feeling disengaged, which is a nice way of saying they are mentally checked out at work, because of dissatisfaction or boredom or frustration. When people are asked to describe their ideal workplace, some amazing facts emerge that show that a well-defined company culture is key to creating the best workplace on Earth and bringing out the best in every worker. Everyone seems to be talking about company culture these days, but it is a truism that the most successful companies have crafted a culture and their employees have adapted it wholeheartedly. This does not destroy individuality, as some detractors may claim, but rather creates a social space within which workers know how to interact with one another and communication is optimized. Expectations and work habits synch up when an organization has a well-defined culture and set of values, which not only drives up productivity, but increases employee engagement.
How to Create the Best Workplace on Earth
An organization must create an environment where people feel they belong and are at ease to be themselves. In the old economy, supervisors kept employees engaged through direct guidance. Nowadays, workers are more likely to be subject matter experts who are working on their own, and who primarily need bosses who craft a space for them in which to work; this is a cultural space as much as a physical space. Employee engagement is the new Holy Grail, with studies indicating solid engagement can increase retention by 54 percent and improve customer service by 89 percent. The following points outline how engagement can be crafted in a company culture to create the best workplace on Earth.
Keep Work Relevant
First, employees want to know that their contribution is needed. Working for the sake of work will disenchant anyone in a short period of time, but people come alive when their efforts are seen to create something of value. Every team member should be able to state without hesitation the contribution his or her work makes to the company’s goals.
Diversity Should Be Celebrated
Not everyone is the same, nor should they be. Workers who have a different perspective or approach to a project or a problem would like to see that acknowledged and appreciated by their organization; sometimes that just boils down to a worker being able to speak his or her mind without negative repercussions. The best workplace on Earth is not a place where fear and intimidation rule.
Transparency Builds Trust
Trust is destroyed when managers give their employees too little information, or misleading or incomplete messages about what is happening. Workers can only feel like a part of a team and true members of an organization when they are included in key information regarding their workplace and what is taking place there. If good things are going on, workers will feel praised and appreciated. If problems are arising, workers will feel threatened or scapegoated if they are not kept informed.
Leave Room to Grow
Employees don’t want to be robots, doing the same things year after year at the same position. A sense of growth and accomplishment keeps the mind active and challenged, and stimulates creativity. Workers want to be treated like adults, and be permitted to reach out for newer and bigger activities.
Integrity Builds a Foundation
Your company should be ethically sound, and workers want to be associated with an organization they believe is doing good things and has sound principles. Employees thrive in companies where volunteer work and community responsibility is encouraged and promoted. Your public relations message should always match the actual values and behaviors of the company; you may be able to hide inconsistencies from the public, but the workforce will know about it sooner or later.
Limit the Bureaucracy
People are easily frustrated by burgeoning paperwork and procedures, especially since it is inevitable that some employees will receive favors to bypass some of it, which creates a climate of injustice and unfairness. Having your work stymied by byzantine rules will just kill the impulse to make the effort. If your organization implements these six pillars of company culture, you can build the best workplace on Earth and keep your employees engaged and satisfied and reduce attrition. To read more about hiring the best employees and improving your business, have a look at the resources available at Mighty Recruiter.