The modern workplace is evolving before our eyes each and every year. What would have been deemed "enough" to job applicants five years ago would not even begin to cut it for today's workforce. Beyond competitive wages and attractive benefits, employers must work harder to earn desirability. At the end of the day, today's millennial workforce demands much more from their employers and views their careers as so much more than a place to make ends meet.
One of the best ways businesses can begin to attract competitive talent is by cultivating a company culture. Establishing a distinguished company culture that promotes diversity, creativity, and work-life balance are among just a couple of the qualities new workers are searching for in their next employer.
Company culture is one of the very few things money can’t buy. It's a keen combination of the business' values, the folks who work there, the office ambiance, and what the company aims to become down the road.
Whether you're in the early phases of starting your own startup business or you're a seasoned professional looking to spice things up a bit, there are many brilliant ways you can effectively develop an enticing work culture and attract top talent.
#1: Make a plan
Evaluating the present state of your company culture is a necessary first step to make on your path towards making a massive change to your existing culture.
As you review the things, behaviors, and actions that define your company, make sure to ask yourself these crucial questions to accurately assess the beneficial aspects of your society and the places that could be gained from revamping your company culture for the better.
- What do I love about the current culture?
- What aspects of my company culture are inherently negative?
- What would my employees say they love most about working for my company?
- What feedback have former employees offered about the way the company is run?
- How does our company culture measure up to our industry and local competitors?
- What changes will make the most significant impact on employee happiness and retention?
The more perspectives the merrier! Ask your employees to answer these questions too by distributing an anonymous employee survey.
#2: Hire with purpose
Among the many important steps one must take in creating a successful business, building an outstanding workforce should be a top priority. Make no mistake, recruitment takes plenty of hard work and patience, however, the more diligent you are about this process, the better suited you'll be when it comes to growing your company culture.
Any enterprise on a strong growth trajectory is bound to grow in size. Part of maintaining your workplace culture is establishing a workforce that collaborates together with top-end competence and authentic passion. Ultimately, having the best employees from the start will help you create a positive work culture.
In order to do this, you must take proper pre-screening measures during the hiring process. By screening applicants via identity check, you can better filter out people who have glaring red flags in their history or lack of experience.
#3: Embrace flex-schedules
Integrating flexible scheduling is an easy way to get more talent through your door and cultivate a workplace atmosphere that listens to the desires and work-life balance demands of the employees. When the staff has proven to be able to perform their job effectively at home, why not consider providing flex options?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority of businesses were forced to opt for remote work setups. If your company was able to withstand the blow of the shift as your employees adjusted to telecommuting, there’s truly no excuse as to why you might need to return to strict 9-5 in-office schedules. Weigh your options and adapt wisely.
#4: Offer more benefits
There’s no denying that social security and retirement benefits are commonplace benefits that can be expected in the modern workplace. If that’s all you’re bringing to the table, odds are unlikely that your employees are very happy with their minimal perks. Go above and beyond to enhance your work culture and successfully please your workforce.
Here are some other perks that may help keep your employees engaged each workday:
- A dog-friendly office
- Offer stand-up desks
- Stock the office break room with yummy snacks
- Sponsor an annual company retreat
- Schedule monthly team bonding activities
Which of these tips you’re eager to try? Let us know in the comments below!
