Within the world of business, there is now an expectation to be seen to do, and to do, the right thing by your employees. This approach isn’t anything new as such – businesses have taken their workers into consideration for years, with bonus schemes and small extras as well as generous pay schemes and other incentives.
Yet since the turn of the century, there has been a massive increase in the types of companies in operation, and in turn, the types of companies that people want to work for. Gone are the days where they had to merely find a job, any job, and do the job. You can hope to pick and choose the ideal business that you want to work for. Somewhere that appreciates you more than being merely a number.
This type of thinking has changed the landscape for both employer and employee. You have to be a little more creative when trying to attract the best candidate for any role, and when trying to keep your current workforce happy, too.
All About the Environment
Creating an excitable and enthusiastic workforce is an important part of starting and growing a business. Companies like Google, Apple and Innocent have continued to innovate and attract as their brand has grown both externally but internally too. Exciting office spaces, more informal attitudes, and out-the-box thinking has lead to a real interest in working for innovative companies, not just bland, usual jobs.
If you haven’t got the type of money to invest heavily in a zany office or out-of-office trips across the world, how do you differentiate yourself from the crowd while still proving yourself to be a successful, competent start-up? By genuinely caring and thinking out of the loop. A way of acting that will have your employees genuinely appreciate you.
Take Care and Ask
I’ve been lucky enough to work in some great places that have really cared about how I feel and where I want to be. The trick is to consider how your workforce would feel about the environment that they work in. Is it hostile? Do they feel like their opinions matter, like their work matters?
Feeling needed and feeling important is one of the biggest ways in which you can help keep someone happy. Treating everyone as a cog in a machine that helps your company become a success is much better than merely counting on the management and the directors to add real value. You need to make sure everyone knows that they are appreciated. It’s a simple way to act.
The Little Things
You might not want to, or be able to afford to transform your headquarters to match some of the more innovative businesses around, but taking care of what you’re buying and how it affects staff is a must. Financial benefits and salary are no longer seen as the only thing to worry about in staying in a job.
Flexible working hours, vacation days, equipment to do your job (you would be surprised how often the likes of posture and comfort are reflected on as important) and health benefits are the small perks of a job that show you’ve thought about your staff as humans, and not merely people who churn out work between the hours of nine and five.
Sharing Is Caring
Aside from all of the above, you’re most likely to experience a committed, happy and enthused workforce if you continue to actually care for the people you’re employing. The more you show respect and adulation for them, the harder they will work and the better results will follow on. Businesses will grow at a faster rate if they’re working with their team, not against. The relationship between employee and employer isn’t just a one-way relationship, and you have a responsibility to continue to help and support them other, non-financial senses.
If you can figure out a way to engage and connect with members of your team in a way that few other businesses do, you will see less turnover and more dedication and commitment. And in the long term, this will benefit you as well as them. Talent retention will grow as will morale and happiness. It’s in your interest to be interested in your staff. So, make it work.
Image: WOCinTech