Improving Corporate Culture: 3 Tactics Employers Can Use to Increase Employee Engagement
A company's workplace culture is the environment it creates for its employees. This includes the mission and values that guide the organization, along with the policies and practices that govern how employees expect to be managed.
Needless to say, a thriving corporate culture is one that attracts top talent, boosts morale, motivates employees, and promotes retention. Because it plays such an important role in engaging employees, we have outlined the three most important tactics that can help employers improve their corporate culture.
Improve your corporate culture with these three tactics.
Career development
Workplace wellness
Employee engagement activities
1. Launch an in-house career development program
Your employees are your greatest asset, and a company with a strong culture has higher employee engagement, better customer satisfaction, and greater profits. While it is important to have a company-wide strategy for improving employee engagement, you also need to focus on the individual level. One way to do that is through an in-house career development program.
Introducing an in-house career development program, which offers employees access to various seminars ,workshops, one on one coaching and other training modalities can allow them to learn new skills. In turn this will help them advance their careers and be a more productive resource in your organization. It can also show your employees that the company they are associated with cares about them and recognizes their need for growth.
From leadership lessons to hands-on training programs, there are a number of ways to implement career development programs at your company. We have detailed them out in this article.
2. Work on prioritizing workplace wellness
Corporate wellness programs have been on the rise in recent years, and for good reason: they make employees feel better. Whether it is something as small as an annual flu shot clinic or as thoughtful as the presence of healthy food options in the office pantry, employers are increasingly working to improve their employees' physical and mental health.
A strong corporate culture is a key ingredient for any company looking to create a great place to work. Creating this culture starts with employing the right activities that prioritize the happiness and well-being of the employees. As a result, organizations enjoy a more engaged and productive workforce.
It is a well-documented fact that employees with high engagement levels are more creative, productive, and overall, just better at their jobs than the average employee. And while it may be tempting to see this as a win for HR, we would argue that it is a win for leadership and the bottom line, as well. After all, according to research from Gallup, companies with engaged employees see an average of 147% higher earnings per share than their competitors.
The idea of prioritizing workplace wellness might seem daunting at first. After all, it is not always easy to change the way we operate, especially in larger organizations. But there is a simple way to get started that involves mindfulness training. When people are stressed, they become less productive and more frustrated. It is also easier for them to get sick, which costs an organization money in lost productivity and added benefits expenses. Practicing mindfulness at work is a great way for employees to learn techniques for managing stress and anxiety.
Having said that, improving your corporate culture may not happen overnight. It takes time, dedication, and commitment from all levels of the organization to help it succeed. But if you can create an environment where people truly like each other, look forward to working together, and do their best with a positive attitude, then your organization will thrive.
To spearhead the process in the right direction, consider partnering up with a mindfulness consultant who can help facilitate a better workplace culture for your company.
3. Invest in activities that increase engagement
Engaged employees are positive, enthusiastic, and motivated. They are eager to come to work every day and contribute to the goals of your organization. That's why it is important for companies to make employee engagement a priority. But how do you accomplish this?
The bad news is, there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer. But the good news is that there are multiple ways to accomplish this, so you have enough ideas to experiment with.
You can begin by investing in activities that focus on stress management, simply because the less anxious your workforce is, the more productive they will be. We have found these exercises to be extremely effective for managing anxiety throughout the day.
Consider incorporating activities related to community engagement, including diversity workshops, mentoring programs, recognition programs, and health and wellness programs among more.
Establish strong support for positive leader role modeling, transparency in all communications whether internal or external), and an environment of trust through effective communication.
Take actions to improve employee engagement in the remote work model.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can also make changes in your corporate culture by enacting policies that give workers greater control over their schedules and responsibilities, which have shown to increase employee engagement levels.
Summary
Employees look for more than just a pay cheque when it comes to employment. They appreciate being recognized for their efforts, getting growth opportunities, and having a sense of belonging or permanency - besides security. Together, these help them feel better engaged at the workplace. If you are looking to cater to your employees’ need for a better corporate culture, book a complimentary 30-minute call with an expert to learn more.