How to be a Great Company Everyone Wants to Work for

Mention Facebook, Google and Apple and most white collar professionals will jump for joy at the thought of being offered a chance to work at these companies.

Happy employees=Happy customers=Successful companies.

The most sought after places to work at not only offer generous perks and benefits or a fun workplace (think pinball machine or well-stocked pantry). More importantly, it offers a strong supportive culture where employees feel appreciated for their work and place emphasis on professional growth, amongst other factors. Becoming a great workplace doesn’t happen overnight.

What can you do to make your organization a company everyone wants to for?

1. Provide career growth

Keep employees’ work interesting, meaningful and challenging. When employees feel a sense of purpose in their work, they are more committed to driving better outcomes for the organisation and improved productivity overall. Everyone who comes to work wants to do a good job. In a survey of 4300 workers, 74 percent felt that they were not achieving their full potential at work and wanted more training opportunities. It doesn’t require formal or expensive programs for employees to work on their skills they need to stay relevant or up to date with the industry. Managers may consider implementing job rotation or stretch assignments for employees who have potential for bigger roles in the company. These short-term work experiences develop growth while keeping employees interested in their current role. For older employees, assigning them the role of a mentor for new hires and less experienced employees is another way for them to find meaning in their job and keep them satisfied in the company. Career growth is not just about promotion, but lateral moves can be invigorating too.

2. Compensate fairly

Money makes the world go round, so attracting and retaining good talent will cost you some money. It all boils down to a well thought out remuneration package and well-structured compensation structure. Take time to understand the market rates for each job titles in your organization so that you can offer competitive rates to new hires and ensure that you are not losing your existing talent to others. Reward top performers with bigger bonuses and offering incremental pay increases can also be ways to motivate other employees to step up on their performance.

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3. Ensure appreciation of good work

Two of the most basic human desires are validation and appreciation. We need to feel like we matter. Most of us are quick to criticize and slow to compliment. By adopting a habit of noticing the good stuff that employees do on a daily basis and giving them regular feedback and praise, employees will feel motivated to improve on their work. Learn to give good feedback by stating what you observed in detail rather than a “good job” or “you did well”. Use specific examples to highlight what employees have done well and leave plenty of time for your employees to ask questions or respond to what you have said. Useful feedback allows employees to focus on the key areas to improve on and they will be more receptive to actionable suggestions to change their behaviour.

4. Create work-life balance

A great workplace is flexible to the needs of their employees and encourages employees to strike a balance between work and their personal lives. While some employers think about their business 24/7, it is not fair to assume the same of your employees. Spending 24/7 on work is the fastest route to burnout and it is not a risk that businesses should take. Allow employees time to recharge their batteries and unwind during their days off so that they can come back to work feeling refreshed and all ready to give their all. Adopting flexible work schedules such as staggered work timings and work from home options has their benefits too. It empowers employees to modify their work habits to fit in with family needs (such as young children or elderly parents) and allow them to be an active contributor to your company and the economy. More importantly, it implies that there is a level of trust between you and the employees. Letting employees set their own schedules as long as they get work done and results delivered, makes them feel more like partners than production workers – and that may make them work harder for you!  

5. Groom exceptional leaders

“Leadership is not about taking charge. It is about taking care of those under your charge”

Simon Sinek, organizational consultant and motivational speaker

Just like how the strength of a plant is in its roots, the strength of a building is in its foundation and a good leader will form the foundation of a good and valuable business. Set a good example and lead from the top. Build genuine relationships with everyone and not just interact with middle management. Focus on developing people, treating them with respect and value their contributions to the company. Having empathy is also the one thing that sets apart a good leader from a great leader. Empathy means that you are able to understand the needs of others and leadership is ultimately about the needs of others. Without empathy, how will good leaders be able to connect or relate with people and inspire them? Hence when identifying and grooming future leaders in the organization, consider whether you have the right individuals in the right roles and ensure that they are well supported and given the opportunities to grow the company into a desirable and reputable brand.