3 Ways a Caring Workplace Culture Fosters Employee Engagement

A healthy work culture is described as a place where employees feel valued – one in which they have the ability to contribute to their company’s growth in meaningful ways. Leaders should think of their corporate work culture as being the heart of their organization. A caring work culture is measured by how employees are treated. Research supports the premise that an organization’s culture is highly correlated with employee engagement.

Culture is a key factor that affects both employee engagement and employee retention. Employees must feel a sense of belonging. They want to know that they play a vital role and are not just seen as a number.

Give your employees ample opportunities to share workplace challenges as well as their recommendations regarding benefits they would like to see incorporated. One of the primary reasons employees look for another job is when they feel disengaged and not valued for their contributions.

Here are 3 suggestions that go a long way to optimize employee engagement:

# 1 – Listen & Act Accordingly

Awareness is key to understanding how employees feel. It’s important to ask and listen to employees’ ideas and concerns. You can’t fix issues you don’t know about. It’s a good idea to begin by simply asking employees how engaged they feel about their work and workplace.

A large portion of today’s workforce are millennials. Perks that worked in the past do not necessarily resonate with this generation of employees. Organizations must be willing to adapt and make meaningful changes to align with the needs and expectations identified by their employees.

# 2 – Create a Positive Work Environment

Happy employees lead to a more productive workforce. Managers must be on the constant lookout to ensure employees are satisfied with their working conditions. If dissatisfied over a period of time, employees can become disenchanted, less productive in their day-to-day work assignments or look for other job opportunities.

Ensure your leaders have the resources they need to build a workforce replete with motivated, engaged employees.

# 3 – Set SMART Goals – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic & Timely

Set SMART goals together. It is vital that employees have clear personalized goals that are aligned to both team and company goals. Goals should relate to the employees’ daily experiences and be ones they believe are actually attainable. When employees are involved in goal setting, they are almost four times more likely to be actively engaged at work.

Regular discussions between employees and management can provide important opportunities to clarify how a healthier and caring culture is being put into practice. Be open to feedback. Be willing to hear the negative talk and then respond with a willingness to address the challenges as well as capitalize on identified opportunities.

Employees feel connected when they are empowered to offer input and affect decisions that create real changes in their organization. It is vital to demonstrate that you have heard their feedback, even if it can not be acted on right away. As employees recognize the organization’s active commitment to improving their work environment, they feel a stronger sense employee engagement and higher morale.

This means that even initiatives that miss the mark have the effect of demonstrating your organization’s sincere interest in a caring culture. Using that as a starting point, it’s aways a good time to invest in your organization’s culture.

To learn more about the services Flex Surveys offers and how they can help your team, contact us at 877.327.5085 or visit our Contact Page to set up a demo.