We’ve all been in a workplace where we feel undervalued and unappreciated. Many (if not most) businesses still think they’re doing their staff a favour by employing them. In actual fact, it’s the employee who’s doing the company a favour by helping them succeed with the skills they bring to the position.
I’ve been with the same employer now for well over a decade. Why? Because the company really understands what their staff care about, and how to boost employee engagement. Sure, a wage increase wouldn’t hurt, but a pay-cheque is not the reason I turn up for work every day. It’s because I feel the skills I bring to the organisation are valued and appreciated.
There are no big secrets when it comes to improving workplace culture. Engaging managers are the key to a happy and productive workplace culture. Here are five ideas to get you started.
It starts at the start.
Managers who really get to know their staff, professionally and personally, are in the best position to improve workplace culture. When a manager relates to his or her staff as an individual, they better understand their requirements and better motivate them. After all, who doesn’t appreciate the personal touch? And the more appreciated an employee feels, the more they’ll share their skills.
Show gratitude. Regularly.
Two words go a long way. A simple ‘thank you’ shows how much you appreciate all their effort and hard work that staff have put into in making your company a better place (and hopefully a more profitable one) to work at. It’s not just a nice thing to do but a little gratitude goes a long way toward motivating people to work harder and be more productive.
Set Up A Classroom
Many employers are not interested in mentoring programmes, training or further eduction and as a result, everyone loses. Any kind of training shows your commitment to helping staff do their job better and reach their own goals. Create personal development plans and give staff the opportunity to expand their skillset and try new areas of work. It’s a direct boost to your company, and helps employees understand their ambitions are aligned with the business.
Trust Building
Trust is built by engaging managers who invite staff to participate in operational and strategic planning sessions. Use these occasions to foster ownership and bring all of the organisation’s experience to the table. Team members benefit by feeding their experience into developmental planning and then, in many cases, having the opportunity to implement their own ideas. Managers benefit from knowledge sharing and the workplace engagement.
Feedback Loops
Engaging managers who really want to improve workplace culture will ask their colleagues how they feel. Just as you advise your team about their contribution, find out what they think about yours. Could it be improved? They’ll let you know either way, and it’s better you hear it first and put that feedback to good use.
As we said at the start, there’s no big secret. So if the above isn’t already happening in your company, it’s time to implement some changes and become a more engaging manager.
