When you hear that XYZ Company
is known as a great place to work, you know they’re doing something right - but what? Find out here.
It will only happen with a lot
of leadership focus and time, but it’s well worth it.
If you get things right, over
time your reputation for being a great employer will get out there and the
pay-off is huge. Top quality people will beat a path to your door and fewer people
will leave. People will do their best in
their job. You won’t have to pay a premium in salaries and bonuses because
people know that time spent with your company will be enjoyable and rewarding
in other ways. With the growing levels of commitment and
enthusiasm in a great employer culture, you can expect to notice improvements
in absenteeism, service levels and productivity, making a real difference to
your bottom line.
So
what characterises a great place to work? It varies hugely but generally it’s a
bit more than a tablefootball and free fruit on Fridays, although they may be a
small part of it. For example, employees
in the top 10 companies in Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work 2016 say:
·
Strong, friendly work culture - Work
life balance is seen as very important by all - Very supportive management team
- So many perks! Free breakfast once a month, travel, health etc.
·
I find the most important aspects of
most jobs are (a) whom I work with, (b) what I work on, and (c) whom I work
for—in that order. At Expedia, I've been happy with all three. My co-workers
are fun, competent, and have a decent work ethic. The projects are technically
challenging and relevant to the company. And the engineering department I work
in is well-run, fast-moving, and the values are all in the right place.
·
Ethical and socially engaged. Good
work/life balance. Technically challenging and fascinating work. innovation and
proactivity recognised and rewarded. Very friendly.
In
a nutshell it’s doing what you say you’re going to do, having a consistent set
of behaviours that people sign up to. If
you want all the business benefits of being known as a place where people want
to work, this is what you need to get right as employer:
· Treating people with respect. Not a soft
option as that includes being open and honest and that can be tough, but most
people can cope with proper feedback delivered well.
· Recognition. Everyone appreciates
recognition for a job well done provided it’s warranted. Simply telling
everyone they are “Great” is vacuous, doesn’t fool anyone and quickly becomes a
joke.
· Trust. Most people want to do a good honest job. Yes you need
to take sensible precautions against the one in a hundred who doesn’t, but
don’t punish everyone in advance for the possible shortfalls of the few. Deal quickly with anyone who doesn’t meet your standards.
· Work. The quality of work is critical.
Give people good quality work that is right for them and they will generally
flourish. Push people to their realistic limits and watch them grow. Most will
surprise and delight, some will struggle and you recalibrate what they can do, but
most people want to be challenged.
· Career growth. This can be tough in
flat organisations but you can find ways of giving people scope for growth, for
instance by representing the organisation externally or putting them on
projects that build skills. Career growth doesn’t have to be hierarchical.
· Fairness. Not to be confused with
equality; but treating all people by the same standards. There is no room for
favourites or special privileges as that quickly leads to cliques forming and
groups being set against each other.
If
you get these right, over time your reputation for being a great employer will
get out there. Being known as a good
employer isn’t some woolly nice to have.
It sets you apart in a crowded market and delivers tangible business
results. It also makes life a lot more pleasant. What’s not to like?
For help with getting all these
principles firmly established in your workplace in 2016, contact The Human
Resource on 07884 475303 or info@thehr.co.uk
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