Creating a Happy Workplace For Your Employees

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Create a Happy Workplace|How Can You Improve Your Marketing Strategy?People need to work to pay their bills and so forth, but that doesn’t mean that the only thing they look for from an employer is a paycheck. They also want to work in an environment that’s pleasant. Indeed, this is something that’s becoming increasingly important to employees, so it’s worthwhile looking at ways to make your space more enjoyable. In doing so, you’ll be helping to retain your existing staff and attract new candidates, and that’s something that can have a significantly positive impact on your business.

If you’re not sure how to improve the quality of your workplace, then read on below, where we’ll run through some of the most effective methods.

Avoid Overcrowding

It’s not nice to work in a cramped space. Feeling like you’re surrounded by too many people or things can have a negative impact not only on your enjoyment of work but on the quality of the work. So it’s in your interest to try to make your workspace feel as large as possible. One way to do this is to move to a new office, but you don’t necessarily have to. There are ways to make your existing office seem bigger by removing clutter, getting rid of bulky furniture, and spacing out the desks.


Let In Light

Light is another thing that comes up time and time again when employees are discussing their office preferences. It’s easy to see why someone would prefer to work in a place that lets in a lot of natural light rather than a dark, windowless basement. So take a look at improving the light quality of your workplace. You could find that by changing the windows (or just cleaning them) and getting rid of any blinds you may have, you can help to bathe the office in sunlight.

Think of Temperature

The decor of the space is important. But what really matters is the temperature of the office. If it’s too hot or too cold, then your employees will begin to complain. In this day and age, there’s no reason not to have the right temperature, so make sure you’re taking action if you have problems. As well as the temperature of the air, look at your hot water taps — cold water can be grueling during the winter months — a heater or water pump repair could be necessary. You can go above and beyond by supplying fans during the summer months and fresh tea or coffee during the colder time of the year.

Social Spaces

Finally, what about allowing your employees the chance to spend time with one another? Studies have shown that employees are much happier when they feel that they have friends in the office, but that can only happen if they’re given a chance to spend time with one another. Look at adding a social area to the office where people can get to know one another in an informal way — you never know what collaboration projects may happen when employees get together and get talking.

How To Improve Your IT Team Performance

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |IT Team Performance|How To Improve Your IT Team PerformanceYour employees consist of people from different walks of life with different skill sets and temperaments. Since you are responsible for ensuring they all get along and accomplish organizational goals, you can see how taxing the role can get. Fortunately, with a few effective tactics and a nudge in the right direction, you can encourage your team members to work together and become more productive. This article will discuss six ways to improve your IT team’s performance.

Ensure communication is clear and concise

Poor communication, or a lack of it, leads to confusion, misunderstandings, failure and disagreements in the workplace. As a manager, you must communicate your expectations of your IT team, the deadlines within which they should work and how they should conduct themselves while on the premises. Communication is also key during the onboarding process when you are training new employees.

Consider team building

If members of your IT team cannot get along with each other, the office becomes a miserable place. In addition, they will not be able to achieve the shared organizational goals. Since productivity depends heavily on teamwork, we suggest you engage your employees in team-building exercises to help them learn how to rely on each other. The fun activities during team building also help to dissolve any bad blood between members.

Create an amicable work environment

You can’t expect your employees to thrive in a poor environment. An excellent way to create an appropriate and wholesome work premise would be to let the sunlight in, incorporate green elements like flowers and potted plants and add comfortable furniture. It would also help supplement natural light with artificial light sources like table and floor lamps.


Outsource key IT functions

With rapid technological developments, having an IT department is no longer a luxury. However, your IT team might be overwhelmed with all the tasks that require their attention. In addition, your in-house team might not have the expertise your company needs to scale to greater heights. Outsourcing key IT functions can reduce their workload and allow them to focus on more pressing matters. Look for one of the best staff augmentation companies that will offer you flexibility and control over the external team and grant you access to a vast and specialized set of skills and technology.

Understand their strong and weak points

As a manager, one of your duties is understanding your employees’ skill sets. Once you grasp their strengths and weaknesses, you will be better positioned to assign them tasks you know they can handle. Employees that are given an avenue to exercise their expertise and knowledge make the greatest contribution to the company and are the most productive.

Make your team accountable for their actions

Lastly, an effective way to improve the performance of your IT team would be to avoid micro-managing them. Giving your employees control over their schedules and projects brings about a sense of accountability, builds their self-esteem and indices responsibility. You could grant your IT team ownership by appointing a leader from within the team or letting them handle a task independently without supervision.

Wrapping Up

No matter how good a team is, there is always room for improvement. Know your team’s strength and weaknesses, empower them and outsource some tasks to off load their workload. Above all ensure that you create a conducive working environment for your team. All these efforts will eventually improve their productivity and your IT business will grow.

Ways to Improve Communication Between a Manager and an Employee

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article | Ways to Improve Communication Between a Manager and an Employee

Communication between employees and managers in the workplace is of paramount importance to any successful business. To ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding expectations, direction, and objectives, there has to be a clear and open communication. This post looks at four effective ways your company can open up clear communication and start working as a team.

Weekly Meetings

Organizing weekly meetings for the whole team is a way to create an environment in which members feel able to communicate with one another. These weekly meetings help to break down barriers in communication between employees and managers. Each member of the team is given a chance to talk freely and openly about:

  • Projects they are currently working on
  • The challenges they are facing while working on the projects
  • Questions they have regarding those particular projects

One of the ways to help team members communicate freely in these meetings is by keeping them informed. The managers should ensure that the conversation goes on and everyone is given adequate time to speak without judgment.

Regular One-On-Ones

Communicating in a group may be challenging to some individuals, so you should come up with more avenues of communication for employees. One-on-one meetings can be used for direct communication between employees and managers. This is also another way to ask about each other’s preferred style of communication.

These one-on-ones may be in the form of an informal chat regarding projects and ideas, or may be structured and formal. No matter the situation, take that opportunity to collaborate and connect with your employee.

Keeping Employees in the Loop

A good manager always keeps employees apprised of matters in the company. Many employees often feel that they are not involved in decisions that are made by the management team. Informing employees about the company’s plans improves communication, and also builds trust among all team members.


Use Tools That Improve Communication

There are many tools that are meant to enhance communication in the workplace. For example, one of these tools may include a random anonymous chat app. Using the right tools can improve how a manager and an employee can communicate in an organization.

Open Door Policy

An additional way for managers to improve communication between them and employees is by having an open door policy. This means that the employee can approach the manager in the office with comments, complaints, concerns, and questions at any time.

This type of management approach will let employees know that the manager is always available to listen to their concerns and act accordingly. This style of management will have a positive impact on employee morale and performance. When employees are heard, they feel valued and that is the essence of good communication.

Lead By Example

As a manager, your credibility depends on how well you deliver on your promises. It also depends on your capability to communicate with others positively and if you acknowledge the success of member staff and their ideas. Employees will have confidence in you if they know that you speak the truth and follow through on your word.

Endnote

Communication is a crucial step a company can take to create a collaborative and more cohesive work environment. You can start by implementing the above steps to break down barriers in the workplace and start to communicate openly.

6 Reasons To Prioritize The Physical And Mental Health Of Employees

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Employee Health|6 Reasons To Prioritize The Physical And Mental Health Of EmployeesAs the saying goes, ‘you can’t be a healthy company with a broken workforce’. But, what does that really mean?

You might think it means investing in your employees’ physical health by providing an onsite gym or nurturing their mental health, or reducing work-related stress with access to confidential counseling.

Whether you are an established business or a burgeoning start-up, however, it is just as important to create a positive working culture where employees feel valued and respected. This starts with communication. Not only do employees need to know what their role is and be told how well they are doing it, but they also need encouragement and ongoing opportunities for career growth and development.

People thrive when they feel a sense of ownership over their work and can see where they can grow into new roles within the company. Here are five valid reasons to prioritize both the physical and mental health of all your employees.

1. Recognize that a healthy workforce is happier and more productive

The number one reason to prioritize the physical and mental health of employees goes without saying – a healthy workforce (both physically and mentally) is a happier and more productive one. Yet, although this may seem like an obvious theory, there are scientific studies to back it up!

A healthy body and mind can lead to increased energy levels, improved decision-making and better relationships with colleagues. When businesses value and embrace a more holistic approach to their employee’s health is an important step that can benefit their overall business success.

Holistic health also means that employees will be less likely to take sick days or call in sick because of illness or stress. Employee benefits that can help keep your workforce happy and healthy, include:

  • Universal healthcare packages
  • Dental insurance
  • Parental leave
  • Counseling and support
  • Gym memberships
  • Cycle-to-work schemes

2. Create a culture where employees feel valued and respected

If you want to create a workplace where employees feel valued and respected, you’ll need to start by promoting a culture of respect and inclusion. This means providing a safe and inclusive workplace environment that doesn’t tolerate any harassment or discrimination.

It also means providing your team with clear communication about company values, goals, processes and procedures so everyone is on the same page about what’s expected from them. The more transparent you are as an employer, the more comfortable your employees will feel taking initiative in their work – and that leads to better productivity overall.

Offer regular feedback opportunities for all members of your team so they can understand how they’re doing individually (and if there are issues). And, don’t forget about recognizing their achievements: small gestures like bonuses or gift vouchers for a spa day, or giving out ‘employee-of-the-month’ awards can help to reinforce a caring company culture on a daily basis.

3. Promote wellbeing and strong lines of communication

In addition to promoting wellbeing and communicating how to instill it, ensure that your employees are clear about the importance of communication. Good communication is key to building relationships with one another and helping everyone succeed in their roles. The more you can nurture open lines of communication, the better equipped you’ll be to support your staff when they need it most.

Make sure your employees feel comfortable communicating any private physical issues and personal mental health issues. There are recommended healthcare checks for over 50-year olds and, rather than putting these check-ups off, it is far better to create a culture where staff feel comfortable keeping important appointments. And, even if you offer a great parental package, pregnant women might still need to attend baby scans or unscheduled dental check-ups before they take maternity leave. The same hormonal changes that trigger morning sickness during pregnancy can also lead to sensitive teeth.

Encouraging every member of staff who has a valid reason for needing extra time off is a small gesture that goes a long way, and is appreciated by everyone.


4. Identify and prevent early signs of burnout

It is important to recognize the early signs of burnout in the workplace so you can help prevent it. When employees are experiencing burnout they may feel hopeless, depressed, irritable and more. So, you can see why they might not be productive at work if they are burned out!

Here are some early signs of burnout:

  • Low motivation. If you feel like your work doesn’t matter or that you’re not learning anything new, it may be time to reevaluate your job.
  • Feelings of hopelessness and ineffectiveness. This can include having trouble making decisions at work or feeling overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done (or even by simple tasks).
  • Difficulty sleeping and being tired during the day. If you struggle with both falling asleep and staying asleep, it may be a sign that you’re experiencing burnout symptoms.

5. Encourage best-performance within the workplace

As the leader of your company and a human being with a conscience, you should be deeply concerned about your employees’ physical and mental health. As both a leader and an individual with a conscience, you have a responsibility to take action on behalf of your team members in order to ensure that they are able to perform their jobs at their highest levels.

There are many ways this can be done – we recommend offering company-wide perks that benefit both physical health and mental wellbeing. A few examples include:

  • On-site fitness facilities for all employees
  • Regular mindfulness training sessions in the office or at home (via video conference)
  • Adhoc days off for important appointments such as dental appointments
  • Meal delivery service from local restaurants (or meals prepared by higher-ups).

6. Value employees to increase engagement, long-term staff retention and company profitability

As a business owner, you know that your employees are the backbone of your company. They are the ones who ensure that your products get made and get shipped out on time. They’re the ones who keep customers happy, answer questions and process orders when they come in. In short, they help make sure that everything runs smoothly in your workplace.

While it can be tempting to cut corners when it comes to employee health and wellbeing, it’s a good idea to prioritize them instead because doing so will:

  • Increase employee engagement, long-term staff retention and company profitability. When employees feel valued by their employer – and not just as workers but as people – they are happier in their jobs and more productive overall.
  • Boost morale across all levels of your organization by prioritizing healthcare initiatives that benefit everyone from executives down to every level of staff members.
  • Enable creativity among employees through programs like flexible schedules or telecommuting opportunities that allow workers flexibility with their schedule while also reducing stressors associated with commuting (like sitting in traffic) or needing constant supervision at home.

It’s clear that improving employee wellbeing is good for your business and the people who work for you. It makes sense to put resources into creating a healthier environment and encouraging healthy habits because this will benefit everyone involved – including yourself!

The Secrets to Building a Wildly Profitable Organization

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Profitable Organization|The Secrets to Building a Wildly Profitable OrganizationIt’s no secret that every CEO and executive leader wants a profitable organization, but reaching that goal may seem elusive. With companies going through high turnover rates, you might wonder what causes some leaders to struggle with building their organizations.

I’ve witnessed highly intelligent CEOs start companies with excellent ideas. Some would make a great start but flounder around and not really gain the momentum of success. At the same time, others with similar skills and intellect would take off like a rocket and be wildly successful.

What was the difference between the two? Was it just “luck?” Was it the “timing?” Was it “location?”

No! It all boiled down to the fact that one CEO knew how to create and leverage a talent-centric organization (TCO).

You can have the same success with your company by learning these five secrets to building a wildly profitable organization (hint: they all build a TCO, too).

Create an Amazing Work Environment

Let’s start with the basics that many CEOs may overlook. You must have an amazing work environment. You need a place that attracts talent and makes them want to be at work. Maybe you already have this. If not, you need to find out why. What is in the way of the company being a place where employees love to work? Then, create an amazing work environment that draws in and retains top talent.

When you talk to potential candidates or new hires, the enthusiasm will shine through if you believe the company is a great place to work. Others will feel it and buy into your sales pitch.

Have a Clearly Defined Workplace Culture

The workplace culture is how things are done within the organization. Culture is like a company’s brand image. It consists of its vision (where they are headed, its goals) and its mission (how it will get there, the strategy).

When the culture is well-defined, it gives the company character and purpose. It provides a sense of calm and organization. Some leaders may not think culture and vision are that important. So, they come up with a vision statement that doesn’t indicate who the company is.

Over time, it will be evident that the culture is haphazard when it changes with the circumstances. You don’t want to be all over the place with company values and vision. Instead, think it through carefully; then establish what culture is and put it in place across the board.


Bring Talent On Board That Aligns With Company Culture/Vision

Once you know what your company is all about, you’re ready to focus on the best talent since you have its culture and vision spelled out. The best talent doesn’t necessarily mean that person with the most skills and experience. You want to ensure you bring people on board who align with the company’s culture and vision.

Not every person will be the right fit for your culture, and that’s ok. Don’t try to make your culture work for everyone. Establish what your culture is, then recruit talent that matches it. You’ll find much less turnover when you find talent that is an ideal fit for your company.

Encourage Employee Feedback and Communication

Nurture an environment of employee feedback. You don’t want to stifle communication from your employees. Their thoughts, opinions, and perspectives are highly valuable to CEOs.

Employees need to feel that they can speak up (respectfully) without fear of reprisal. This cultivates transparency and open dialogue that can be helpful for CEOs. Remember, they are not dealing with the same things the employees are, or if they are, it is from a different vantage point. SoThis enables them, they can to glean information about changes they may need to make or as well as areas that are working well.

Invest in Your Talent with Development and Training Opportunities

Once you find talent that is aligned with and ideally suited to the company culture, you want to develop their skills and abilities. Provide them with development and training opportunities. Most people thrive on challenges and learning new things and are bored when there is a lack of stimuli.

Go ahead and give your employees the chance to move beyond their comfort zone and excel. You will be doing yourself a favor, too, because you are training the lower-level talent to take over higher positions as they become available. In other words, you are training to retain.

As you provide team coaching and leadership development opportunities (where appropriate), you create the building blocks of a wildly successful organization.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor | Carol SchultzCarol Schultz, founder and CEO of Vertical Elevation, is a talent equity and leadership advisory expert with 30 years in the business. She’s helped hundreds of companies transform their organizations and create sustainable, talent-centric cultures that run at maximum efficiency. Her new book is Powered By People: How Talent-Centric Organizations Master Recruitment, Retention, and Revenue (and How to Build One). Learn more at verticalelevation.com.