Not All Workplaces Are Created Equal
Tolstoy wrote “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”, and the same could be said for workplaces.
Based on our years of experience in recruiting, here are some things that happy, productive, workplaces have in common.
Simple Conduit For Two-Way Communication
Often overlooked, communication is a cornerstone for contented and productive workers. Too often, orders are barked ‘downhill’ at the employee, but the estimation of the employee as a sensing and not just producing platform is just not there. This is a quick way to depersonalize your workforce and a common problem. Lots of companies talk about their ‘open door policy’, but when the rubber hits the road, employees can feel ignored if they do speak.
Creativity Encouraged
Human beings are creative. It’s pretty self-evident, but it has to be said from time to time. The way of things is often that a typical job description assumes related responsibilities, and employees can be harried and spread too thin. Creativity not only buffers against this common problem, but multiple studies have shown people given license to bring a creative aspect to their work are actually more productive.
Budgeting, Time And A Culture That Supports Professional Development
A lot of companies want to reap the benefit of employee training programs, or will insist employees undergo their – insular – training, but training that is aimed at enhancing professional skills beyond, even, their immediate application in a current role, dramatically raise morale and loyalty.
Workers, like most mammals, have an internal ‘tit for tat’ sense of give and take with their employer. When things are given – like ‘team building’ events, employees can quickly determine whether this is for the company, for management – to calm the restless natives – or for the actual benefit of the employees.
Outcome-Based Employee-Directed (Self) Management
This aligns with humans being creative and is the opposite of micro-managing. If there isn’t a risk of serious fallout from mistakes, or an employee is seasoned and briefed on the implications of relative autonomy, people always do better doing things their way. There are few exceptions, but honestly, those sort of employees are a liability (the ones who need constant management and who cannot self-manage).
One way to say this is: allow the employee to cook, and you enjoy the meal. Set expectations, and hold them to these. And obviously – if things are far off-track, early on, you might want to speak up and ask about the plan.
But otherwise, they don’t need you ‘in the kitchen’, co-cooking. It’s a drag for you (a manager or hiring professional), and it’s a drag for them.
If they mess up, or win big, at least it’s theirs, and you can talk about remediation or rewards from a vantage of an invested person with custody, and not a sock puppet you control.
Respect
Another basic. We all know what being valued and respected feels like, probably from childhood, even. Be sure not just to think this, but expressly tell employees they’re valued, giving specifics, when possible, about a good job they did.
