Is Building a positive workplace culture for Employees a Myth?
Every employee dreams a stress free workplace environment, that can organically enhance employee performance. Digital workplace is bringing out the best in every employee, but to imbibe the sense of purpose in every mindset of the workforce is a tedious task. The satisfaction of working for an employee can be an internal motivator that can help the organization sail a long way. Binding them together with words of appreciation, are some practical steps an HR can take!
Building a Positive Workplace Culture
Companies are striving hard nowadays to create the best work environment for their employees, which is intended to increase their productivity, gain loyalty from employees and retain the best of their talents. What is management doing to do so..? Well, a party every month, free food coupons, and a leave policy where one can take unlimited leaves are the ideas of providing the best working environment and are being followed by most companies. Which is needed but are not the only things employees look up to when it comes to planning a future in an organization. Building on an employee’s strength is one way of enhancing work culture in workspaces today.
A well-defined company vision and mission can help the employees to understand what they are working towards and how it can benefit them or the company in the long run, which will help them in associating with the company. An employee will never leave a job due to limited leaves or not having free food coupons but they will surely leave if a “What am I doing here..?” thought comes to his mind. Companies should give their employees a purpose to stay. Salaries, hikes and promotions do have an impact on employees and are of great importance for an employee to decide on a job but the responsibilities associated with it, work-life balance, whether the job is challenging or not, personal growth, skill development are also of great importance.
Employee Satisfaction is Key!
As a child look up to their parents and acts the same way by following their actions, the same way a junior employee will look up to his senior or manager. Thus the seniors are highly responsible to build up a positive and motivating environment. The seniors have to set the right examples for the juniors. If the seniors/managers are underperforming, lethargic in the way they work or tend to play blame games, just throw work on others then this may adversely affect the environment putting employees in a situation of negative stress and when they get in that position they should not feel that being a manager like that is fine and tolerated. The people who are up in the hierarchy should set the right examples and should be the motivation.
Good internal communication plays an important role in maintaining an environment where employees are listened to, all employees get opportunities to speak about their ideas and experience on one hand and also their complaints on another. Management should care to listen rather than just imposing policies on the employees. In an interview with a magazine our CEO, Mr Abhishek Agrawal said that “ At the end of the day it is all human to human” which helps us in understanding that we are the ones building the company and we are the ones running it and to those we are selling our products are also human, thus there has been always a need to understand each other’s needs and to communicate to build a positive relationship.
How can a smile make a workspace positive! Read this article by Mr Rajiv Jain, Head HR & Administration of AMA Design Solutions Pvt Ltd to know more.
Employee Appreciation can Enhance Performance
We often forget to greet our colleagues, praise them or even smile as we get carried away so much in the work. Companies often appreciate the best performers by giving them big rewards like an employee of the month, cash prize, trip to other countries, etc. but often forget to appreciate employees who are not the best but are still trying and have improved a lot. Small gestures like an applause in front of the team and chocolate on the desk can also do wonders for them.
Obtaining 100% employee satisfaction may not be possible or if any company is claiming to have the best working environment may not be true as it’s all human to human and not all humans are the same. All have different levels of thought process, beliefs, goals, insecurities, etc. What companies can do is just try to build such an environment where employees are valued, trained, listened and secure. Thus, building a positive workplace culture is an essential decision every corporate should make.
