Attracting and retaining top talented employees can be summed up by their contentment. They feel they are engaged, their concerns are listened to, and they see concrete and positive change through the work they do. If a company is doing great in keeping its best talent satisfied, news of its positive work culture will reach others who want in on a well-managed workforce.
However, note that the idea of “the best job ever” has been heavily influenced by changes, discoveries, and realizations in recent years. The pandemic heightened awareness for mental health and concerns over human dignity and equality have erased the idea that hefty wages and stellar benefits are enough to make a professional happy. Considerate company culture does well in attracting top talent and making them stay. But the question is, how do they do it?
1. A flexible workplace no longer adheres to the 9-to-5 scheme.
Flexible working data released in 2020 found that 87 percent of surveyed professionals think that holding a flexible job would lower their stress level and 97 percent claim that flexibility in their jobs would have a positive impact on their overall quality of life. When COVID-19 labeled going outside as the most dangerous thing to do, companies had to be flexible to still meet productivity goals.
Even in a post-pandemic world of work, institutions see the benefits of a flexible work arrangement. In fact, 73 percent of employees do not want to let go of flexible work options even if the pandemic is over. Instead of being pushed to create as much output within 9-to-5, flexible companies can bring out the best in their employees because the pressure to perform has been tempered into a viewpoint that relaxed workers are the best ones out there.
Flexibility in the workplace does not mean letting go of usual work schedules. Some options for employees on how to do their work and turn their output over will be highly appreciated. See how you can incorporate these changes towards a better work culture. Take note, though, that not all these suggestions apply to just any workforce. Some planning and discerning on your management’s side are still imperative.
- Remote working. The 2021 Business Response Survey shows that 13 percent of all US private sector jobs have welcomed teleworking, or remote working, between July and September. Professionals found solace in the safety of their homes or wherever they may be but still delivered productively.If your workplace can function through online deliverables, and if you are in an industry not reliant on the actual presence the way hospitals and factories do, a remote working option can be possible without sacrificing efficiency. Think of employees who are working parents, with health concerns, or those who spend hours just commuting to work. By putting these worries aside, they can focus better on work.
Your company may also have to shoulder sending needed equipment to your employees, like computers and office chairs, but this is a necessary sacrifice to boost productivity and morale.
- Output-based management. Making sure employees adhere to work schedules by physically sending them to the office is the definition of presence-based management. They are tasks to be as productive as they can in eight hours or so. What’s wrong here is that efficient employees finish their work ahead of time and struggle to make the remaining time meaningful.Output-based management sets the goals of each employee for the day or week, and when they have hit their marks, they are free to go. Instead of forcing employees to create output as much as they can within set hours, they get to spend more time for themselves and see this freedom as a gift from the company to them for being efficient.
Through output-based management, workers feel they are trusted to do their work, because the end goal is what matters. Also, employees will be motivated to find ways to be efficient because they know the payout is more time for themselves. Output-based management also improves the relationship between workers and their leaders, for the former feel they are trusted.
2. Employees would like to feel their company cares for them.
In an article published by Forbes, a Global Talent Trends study identified the commitment to employee health and well-being as one of the three factors that employees and job candidates are looking for in a company. By making an effort to approach workers and ask them what they need, employees do not only feel the love, but they also see their place in the company for a long time. Improving employee health and well-being translates to good company culture as well.
Would your organization be interested in helping your workforce achieve a work-life balance through these implementations?
- Wellbeing-related company events. Ditch the free pizza and ease up on all-nighter parties. How about approaching your health insurance provider to develop seminars about how employees can take care of their own welfare?Open-forum style discussion will allow workers to voice their concerns and have their company leaders listen to them on what contributes to office-related stress and what they can do if they experience anxiety or panic during work. The insurance provider can also give details on how to avail themselves of their services and to what extent the company will shoulder expenses.
- Encourage employees to take their leaves. It would be nice to file a leave simply because you’re stressed or need a mental health break. However, there is no specific guideline for this. There is no special entitlement for one to take a “stress leave” or “mental health leave” because everyone experiences stress. But the best way to work around this is to encourage workers to use their leaves.How about letting go of that requirement to present a medical certificate always just to prove you were sick? Simple headaches or lack of energy may not merit a visit to the doctor but could snowball into serious complications if the person is not allowed to slow it down and give it a rest. If it’s just a one or two-day absence, let it be paid time-off so employees can rest well.
Also, encourage your workers to go on vacation leaves. Sure, some companies will translate unused leaves into monetary equivalents, but experiences in the form of out-of-town trips or time spent with loved ones are priceless. Imagine what these moments can do to your workers’ headspace.
3. Job fulfillment should be a long-time engagement.
Workers who lose the “why” in what to do may soon look for it elsewhere. In fact, 70 percent of Gen Z and 67 percent of Millennials are looking to do side gigs. Projects or businesses are seen as a method for younger professionals to express their talents and passions.
In this regard, creating a concrete training plan for employees will ultimately help them build a liking for their role. By striking a balance between what the employee wants to improve in their work, and the many opportunities they can achieve in the company, the worker is encouraged to become better than who they are right now professionally. Training plans should start as early as recruitment, but it’s never too late to ask a worker how else they want to progress.
Training plans are effective motivators because:
- Employees’ needs are tailor-fit. Workers are not forced to follow a career path just because it’s what the company needs. Collaborating with them to know what they want to get better at gives them some leverage on what skills they will gain or improve. They can contribute to company goals on their terms. In turn, employee retention rates rise because many employees choose to stay in a company that gives them development opportunities.
- Workers have further avenues to ask for help. A well-scheduled training plan identifies specific times for employees to speak about struggles and progress. Instead of sporadic coaching sessions or attending to the employee just when they are about to give up, a training plan eradicates worst-case scenarios when the worker is already at mental resignation. Nip employee struggles at the bud through effective planning for continuous development.
DAVIS COMPANIES CAN HELP YOU WITH ATTRACTING TOP TALENT AND RETAINING EMPLOYEES.
The suggestions here on creating a positive company culture may or may not work, but there is one surefire way: the Davis way.
Davis Companies has always been committed to continuous improvement, whether in forwarding employee skills or in keeping your company’s momentum steady. Through an honest team effort, compassion, personal integrity, and willingness to go above and beyond, your workforce will be the talk of the town, and many job seekers will soon knock on your door.
Let us help you in building a community of professionals exuding operational excellence. Contact Davis Companies now.
