What would you discover about your company if you went undercover and worked for a week as an ordinary employee? For some, this is a scary question to consider. But you can’t correct your culture if you are unaware of any underlying problems.
During the ‘Great Resignation’, a staggering 43 million workers left their jobs due to dissatisfaction with workplace culture. This mass exodus underscores the pressing need for a positive culture that supports a healthy work-life balance and offers competitive wages and benefits. A 2024 Ford global workforce survey revealed that over 75% of the 16,000 employees surveyed prioritize a balanced personal life over career advancement.
Brian Halligan, CEO of HubSpot, paints a stark picture of many American companies when he writes, “… modern humans have radically changed the way they work and live. Companies need to adapt their management style to align with the evolving work and life patterns of modern humans. I believe that 99% of companies are still stuck in the ’90s when it comes to their culture.” This underscores the need for a modern, employee-centric approach to workplace culture.
Hiring and retaining high-quality employees hinges on creating a positive culture, as seen in companies like Amazon, Apple and Google. These companies have “cracked the code” on making work enjoyable and rewarding, leading to significantly higher engagement, loyalty, and retention. As
Anne M. Mulcahy, CEO of Xerox, insightfully writes, “Employees who feel that management cares about them as a whole person, not just an employee, are more productive, satisfied, and fulfilled. Satisfied employees lead to satisfied customers, which in turn leads to profitability.” This echoes Stephen Covey’s advice to “Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.”
So, how do you develop a healthier, more employee-centric culture? One key is to implement a WOW philosophy. This stands for Worth (valuing people), Optimism (staying positive) and Welcoming (being inviting). By embracing this philosophy, you can instill a sense of optimism and motivation in your team, leading to a more positive and productive work environment.
While change doesn’t come quickly, consistency is the key to building employee trust by proving positive change is not simply a new ‘program.’
Here are six keys to unleashing W.O.W. to transform your culture:
1. Create an open-door policy
Connecting better with your employees will reap huge benefits but requires intentionally making yourself available to employees. Bill Boeing, of the legendary aerospace company Boeing, chose to relocate his personal desk to the manufacturing floor so he could directly engage his employees. Bill Sumner, President of CSSI, maintains an open-door policy and when employees want to speak with him, he stops everything he is doing to give his employee his complete attention. He also spends hours each day walking the floor continuously interacting with his employees and managers.
2. Demonstrate grace
In “Think and Grow Rich,” Napoleon Hill recounts a true story of a new executive at U.S. Steel who made a $1 million mistake. Terrified he would be fired, he approached his boss, Andrew Carnegie, and asked if he would be fired. “Fired? Of course not! We just invested $1 million training you.” People make mistakes, but mistakes can be learning opportunities and a chance to prove to your staff that they matter more than work.
3. Get out of the office
Spend time with your staff outside work to build connection and rapport. This also provides a safe opportunity for employees to speak with you one-on-one and share concerns. Whenever possible, include families in outside events and affirm employees in front of their spouses. Partner with community events like a Habitat for Humanity project or feeding the homeless. Create an employee benevolence fund like Wright Brothers Construction that helps employees in special need.
4. Develop your team
Invest in both the personal and professional development of your employees to show you care about their future. Bring in trainers, attend seminars together, conduct book studies, or contribute toward higher education. Consider providing onsite workshops on work and personal interests.
5. Make work fun
Google is famous for its employee-centric culture. Their campuses provide free gourmet meals and drinks, snacks, juice bars, on-site gyms, pools, game rooms, dry cleaners, barbers, and even massage therapists. Add or enhance existing services, features, and benefits to show your employees that you appreciate, respect, and value them.
6. Reward your employees
Everyone needs to be appreciated, recognized, and rewarded. Encourage employee engagement with workplace contests, bonuses for developing innovative ideas, and referral bonuses for bringing in new customers or employees. Rewarding actions, attitudes, innovation, leadership, and results will boost engagement, morale, and retention.
Brian Kristofek, president and CEO of Upshot, sums up the importance of building a positive culture with this thought, “Being a great place to work is the difference between being a good company and a great company.” To become a great company requires a great deal of self-reflection, research of what other culture-successful companies practice, and intentional actions to create the kind of workplace you’d want to join if you were a job applicant.
Reen Waterman is an author, national speaker and business coach and trainer. A Charleston School of Protocol certified trainer, he trains businesses in customer service, etiquette and professionalism. He writes books for business owners and corporate executives and can be reached at his website.
READ MORE
* Why visionaries need people to do the actual work
* How to climb the HR career ladder with purpose
link