Your team, your employees, and those who do the daily grind day to day on your behalf to help your company operate. How do you treat them? In the US, there is a more negative connotation towards the employee, and toxic work cultures are sadly somewhat of the norm rather than the exception. While attitudes are changing around this, and more companies are investing in their employees and seeing them as integral cogs in the machine rather than paid help, there’s still a way to go to support employees and help them deliver the best results time and time again. Read on to learn more.
Respect
At the very minimum, you need to have respect for your employees and the work they do for you. Sure, you might be in charge, the owner, the big boss, but if you have employees working for you, you clearly couldn’t do what you do without them. This mutual respect for their efforts and your company will help go a long way to supporting a healthier, more productive work environment where everyone feels valued and integral to the company’s success.
Training
Training is a crucial component of employee performance. It ensures that employees are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to carry out their roles effectively.
Including training in your onboarding is vital, as is providing training in bite-sized refresher chunks throughout the working year, when you introduce new policies or regulations come into effect, or when you promote people. Looking into leadership training opportunities can equip your team with the right skills for the job role they perform, as well as set them up for success and improved career opportunities.
Open Door Policy
An open-door policy is a workplace culture where employees are encouraged to discuss job-related issues with their managers and leaders. It fosters open communication and a sense of transparency within the organization.
The open door policy needs to be a standard within your organization, ensuring everyone feels heard and valued. This policy fosters a reciprocal relationship between employees and management, where communication flows well and everything is out in the open. Everyone has the access and support they need to get things done, address issues, or share suggestions and feedback.
Consider Flexible Working
Flexible working options need to be able to work for both the company and the employee, and if you can accommodate flexible working, then it can be beneficial. Do all employees need to be in at 8 am on the dot, or can you stagger start times to allow for lack of public transport in certain areas, rush hour traffic, school pick-ups, and drop-offs, for example? Can you introduce work-from-home days so everyone can choose when to come into the office for a select number of mandated days, or how about allowing people to complete the work they need to and not clocking in for certain hours as long as the work is being done? Let’s say they have a 40-hour working week. can you allow them to choose 40 hours so long as the work is done? If it can work in your office, then why not try it to see if it improves standards?
