Over the past few years, big corporations and small-sized businesses alike are starting to realize that workforce is the greatest asset for any business. This has caused a global revolution, with most companies transforming their work culture to be more welcoming, inclusive, and engaging. Business owners and managers are finally understanding the importance of attracting and retaining the talent coming into their organizations. So, they are finally focusing their efforts on creating long-lasting relationships with their employees through loyalty, trust, and growth opportunities.
Trying to incorporate this new and improved employee-focused culture into your business can seem like a herculean task. With limited resources, space, and capacity, how can you uproot your current workflow and transform it completely from the ground up?!
Well, you'll be glad to know that your employees don't expect grand gestures and efforts that cost thousands of bucks. They just want a respectful, accommodating, and productive workplace to come to every morning. Here are some tips to make your workplace more engaging for higher employee satisfaction, which will directly offer your business better work performance and long-term revenue generation.
Form an Engaging Onboarding Experience
Let's start from the beginning of an employee's experience at your business. Employees form certain perceptions about your company and its work culture on the first day itself, so first impressions do matter!
To ensure your employees are eager to work for your company and look forward to returning the next day, you need to create an engaging onboarding experience for them. This doesn't mean you should throw a huge welcome aboard party in the office or anything, don't worry!
You simply have to show them that you respect their time and effort. First, make sure the office space looks open and inviting instead of being dull or dreary.
Next, make sure that your work culture is welcoming to the newcomers and offers them the opportunity to receive proper training and instructions on how to get started. Give them access to any essential resources and introduce them to other team members.
P.S. It is important to communicate work expectations to new employees as well. Instead of waiting it out, experts recommend clarifying job descriptions during the orientation and training sessions. It ensures that the new employees understand exactly what is required of them without getting confused or intimidated by your organization.
Support Employees through the Authority You Have
Most businesses have different levels of managerial positions, each answerable to someone higher up in position than them. This often puts managers in a place where they simply don't have the authority to act on the employee feedback or complaints that they have received. But, this is quite a sensitive matter and needs to be treated delicately to ensure that the staff doesn't feel discouraged or unwilling to engage with you.
If an employee comes to you with a tough situation regarding a customer or even another employee, the most important thing is to make sure you hear them out. Your staff needs to feel like they are being heard and understood, even when things aren't going right. Once you've figured out the problem, take any steps you can to rectify the situation and support your team member. If the problem falls outside of the authority you have, make sure that it reaches an official in the upper management so your team members can see you've made all the efforts possible within your authority.
Having an open-door policy with an inviting office that is furnished with electrical standing desks and ergonomic chairs from FlexiSpot can help!
Host Team-Building Events
All work and no play will definitely make your workplace a dread to be in, and no employer wants that!
If you want to make sure your employees come to the office eager to work and perform, it is important to let them have some fun every now and then. Team-building events are the perfect way to achieve this. They offer a great time while also helping your employees learn to collaborate and work together more efficiently.
These events go a long way to cultivating a relaxed yet productive work environment. They inspire team members to continue working for your company and foster creativity for better success rates. The best part about these events is that they can be sized however you like!
If your budget permits it, you can throw a fabulous Christmas dinner for all of your employees. On the other hand, if your business is new or on limited resources, the great idea is to grab some doughnuts and coffees and ask your team members to gather around for some fun activities.
Celebrate the People, Not Just Their Work
Most workplaces celebrate important milestones and work progress quite nicely. It is a wonderful effort to ensure your team members feel appreciated and valued within the business. But just celebrating their work isn't enough; your business should be celebrating its people too.
Your employees are an essential part of the business. Without them, your company really can't function at all. Therefore, you should be celebrating these people too, not just the work they produce to benefit your company.
Remember that your team members are more than their work accomplishments. They choose to show up every day to drive your business to success through their hard work and determination. So, take every opportunity to celebrate their presence in your workplace. Keep a note of birthdays, community participation, and wedding dates. Buy your new intern a graduation present and treat your newly-wedded manager to a nice lunch. These acts may be small, but they do an excellent job of making your employees feel seen and valued.
Cubicles and Cabins are a Big No!
In the past, most businesses associated cabins, cubicles, and individual workstations to showcase a highly productive and functioning workplace. However, research has proven that these closed-off spaces do little more than decrease employee engagement and make the 9-5 needlessly unbearable.
Having an open space in your office will naturally turn the atmosphere more lively, inviting, and engaging. It sends a strong message about how your business refuses to conform to a certain flow of 'hierarchy,' and everyone is treated with the respect and trust they deserve.
Just place a few electric standing desks around the workspace, and you'll be quite surprised at the creativity and higher productivity levels that flow in. Employees will collaborate and work together to offer better solutions, and the strategies your sales and marketing teams come up with will be more polished than ever before.
Moreover, these open spaces establish your work environment as approachable and friendly. You'll find interns and newer employees more eager to learn from the senior members and managers.
Give them the Opportunity to Make a Difference
Giving your employees the power to impact the inner workings of your business positively will not just create a more engaging environment but also lead to business success. It is important for business owners and managers to realize that the employees care about more things than just producing effective results for the company. You might have people who are focused on reducing the use of paper, recycling, taking a stand against animal cruelty, etc.
Therefore, creating opportunities for them to make a difference within your organization is an amazing way to keep them engaged and motivated. It also helps your business focus on important causes that you might not have the time or resources for.
If an employee wishes to incorporate better recycling measures or sustainable processes into the workspace, ask them to create a plan and share it with you. Work together to see how it can be carried out within your business. You can even form a new department to overlook such activities and ask around for volunteers since most people are willing to put in extra hours for a cause they are passionate about!
Enhance Your Business Mission and Impact
Lastly, your business mission and vision need to be clear and impactful. This doesn't just help you bring in more clients and establish your company as high-functioning experts in the field, but it also attracts motivated and dynamic employees who are eager to work for your cause.
A strong company mission allows your employees to form a solid connection with the business. It earns your business their respect and determination to see it to success. Your employees won't just be working to earn money; they will perform to excellence because they genuinely want to see the business do well. This level of engagement is just what a business needs to stand out among the competition and reach new levels of success.
You can develop social strategies and volunteer activities alongside the usual business operations too. They put your business in the spotlight for being socially responsible. Even your employees will be more determined to meet your corporate commitments when their passion projects are being benefited.
