It's no coincidence that companies that continually rank highest for employee satisfaction are also some of the most successful and productive workplaces in the world. Employees at these companies are engaged and excited about their jobs, coming up with more innovative solutions and working more productively over the course of the day. If you want to foster a work environment that’s both happy and productive, use these five keys to get your company culture on the right track.
Treat Employees as Individuals
It's easy to talk about employees in terms of departments or job titles, but recognizing and honoring that each employee is an individual with distinct wants and needs is essential to cultivating a happy and productive workforce. Rather than grouping employees together, focus on what sets each employee apart. Ask employees to outline what they enjoy and don’t enjoy about their daily tasks and how they want to evolve within their position or within the company over time. Use this information to optimize their job to fit their strengths and achieve their goals. By focusing on what each employee excels in, your company is not only a happier place to work, but employees can work more efficiently.
Provide a Purpose
Today’s workers need more than just a paycheck, they want to find a job that supports their community and their values. Engaging employees in altruistic endeavors that are near and dear to their heart is just one way that employers are ensuring their employees are happy and fulfilled, which happens to increase company productivity. When employees feel passionate about the job they perform, they work harder, so consider how to you can help employees support the causes that are most important to them through your organization.
Foster Learning
If you're hiring the right candidates for your job openings, you have employees who are passionate and engaged in their career and their field. To gain the most from your employees, you need to encourage that natural curiosity and engagement in their industry. Support employees as they gain advanced degrees and provide financial means for employees to attend national conferences. Not only does this keep your company on the leading edge of technology, it also engages your employees by demonstrating their value in your organization.
Ensure Adequate Compensation
While money isn't everything, it can play a pivotal role in employee happiness and productivity. The best employees flock to workplaces that not only provide the best opportunities but also that provide competitive compensation. If your business isn't keeping up with your industry in terms of pay and benefits, you need to address that now. Conduct a market assessment of your pay and benefits to determine whether your employees are being adequately compensated. If not, implement a market adjustment and commit to keeping competitive with wages in the future.
Honor Employees Personal Lives
One of the biggest stressors on employees is feeling as though they cannot take time off. Whether it's because their position is highly specialized or the company doesn't have the manpower, having that stress often leads to decreased productivity during work hours and plummeting job satisfaction across the board. Employers who honor and accommodate themselves to provide employees with work-life balance not only have more satisfied employees but employees who are more productive while at work. Invest time in cross-training and exploring your workforce management system to identify areas of short-staffing. Ask staff what issues are keeping them at work late and make plans to correct them. Well-rested employees are productive employees so invest in your workers’ job satisfaction by providing better work-life balance.
