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The link between a happy, inspired workforce and a productive, successful organisation is something most businesses don’t seem to appreciate. However, staff motivation is key to ensuring that employees are passionate about what they do. It’s fundamental to providing a level of service delivery that is guaranteed to make competitors jealous. If staff are motivated, they want to achieve the best results and are willing to go that extra mile. UK business isn’t doing nearly enough to make sure this happens.
Developing an inspirational work environment, engaging staff and rewarding them for achieving results are all key elements in helping people achieve their personal and professional best. This is an important competitive advantage in the marketplace that is often overlooked. A happy workforce provides great results, which are
reflected in the bottom line.
With skills shortages on the increase and a buoyant marketplace, staff retention is also becoming a pressing issue for many companies. People are looking for much more than just a pay cheque at the end of each month. They want the opportunity to develop and grow within their job. Increasing pressures on modern day family life also mean that many employees are looking for a job that fits their work/life balance. People’s attitudes towards the workplace are changing and companies need to keep up.
Putting business structures in place to support all of this can be very daunting, particularly for small to medium sized enterprises. However, there are some golden rules that will help establish an open and rewarding company culture, minimise churn and encourage a happy working environment.
Accessibility to senior management is key to creating an open working environment. Make sure senior management is always on hand to support employees whenever an issue arises. Ensure operational transparency by sharing management accounts on a monthly basis. Actively encourage staff to question company performance and suggest ideas for future direction.
Much of this communication can take place at regular meetings, such as ‘Open Book’ meetings, where there is full financial disclosure to the whole company. Compilation of an ‘Annual Wish List’, setting out changes staff would like to see made at a ground level, is also a great platform for debate. Encourage people to be involved in a ‘Work Committee’ that focuses on an operation of business they might not otherwise come into contact with. Involving staff in this way provides an environment where debate is frank and everyone’s opinions are considered. It helps people feel part of the bigger team.
Recruiting people with passion
Employing people with passion is vital to creating a positive working environment. Recruit people for their attitude, not necessarily their skill set. You can’t teach people to be passionate but you can teach them the practical skills needed for their job. Look for people who are enthusiastic about activities outside the workplace. People who possess the get up and go to get on with life usually bring this attitude into the office.
Always keep a long-term perspective when recruiting. The new recruits of today will be the managers of tomorrow. Profiling, using a Gallup survey, for example, will help identify character traits in potential employees that can be tapped for the good of the whole business. By identifying whether an employee is a ‘Learner’ or an ‘Achiever’ and then training them along that path a company can ensure that an individual’s talent can be tapped to its full potential.
Implementing a comprehensive training programme is also fundamental in achieving this. It’s important to place emphasis on personal as well as professional development, offer opportunities to study for further education as well as providing on the job training. Make sure training is measured and goals are set so staff can monitor their own development. This creates an environment where people are keen to progress.
Feeling respected and engaged is also about the little things at work – a relaxed atmosphere where people can use their mobiles and MSN, where free cans of soft drinks or a Starbucks coffee machine is provided. A games area is also worth considering – a quick game of table football gets people up and moving about during breaks. A workforce that is invested in and feels valued is a workforce that enjoys going to work.
Introducing dress down days or providing free massage or free food days. These add to the sense of fun within a working environment. Incentives such as giving people their birthday off as extra holiday also helps create an atmosphere where individuals feel valued.
Open appreciation of people’s efforts is hugely inspirational. It creates a working environment where people strive to achieve their best. Rewards and recognition play a big part in this. An award scheme, such as ‘Employee of the Month’, is a simple and effective way of recognising individual efforts.
Sharing individual success with the company also encourages a culture in which people want to achieve. Forwarding emails and letters to the whole company from customers expressing their thanks promotes a positive working environment. Rewarding staff through promotion also sets a powerful precedent for success.
Team spirit should also be rife! Staff social activities can be a popular way of encouraging this. Developing opportunities to help people get to know the company as a whole and feel part of the team is also key. For example, ‘A Day in the Life of…’ where each employee can spend a series of days during their first year understanding their colleagues’ roles helps broaden employees’ horizons and gives everyone an understanding of the business as a whole.
Measuring employee satisfaction is key to maintaining and developing company culture. By running regular employee surveys, peer reviews, group forums and appraisals, feedback can be analysed and improvements introduced.
People are the power behind any organisation. To truly succeed as an innovator or leader in a market sector, it is vital that employees are committed and passionate about what they do.
Rackspace www.rackspace.co.uk is a Heathrow-based, IT company, with a mission - to change the face of customer service in the UK. Rackspace may provide managed hosting but it sees itself as a pioneer of Fanatical Support™, its award winning customer service, and is an advocate of improving service levels within business across the UK. Its service ethic has been embraced by staff in their general outlook on life and Rackspace’s MD in the UK, Dominic Monkhouse, believes that the company’s huge success - revenues have doubled for the past two years to over £10m and headcount has soared to 50 plus - is down to the passion of its people and its working environment. Rackspace was recently placed 13th in the FT’s 150 Best Places to Work listing.
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