Want more high-quality candidate referrals?
Want to keep your employees happy, focused and giving their best effort every day?
Want to wake up and actually look forward to going to work in the morning?
Become a great place to work!
Throughout Middle Tennessee, smart employers realize that positive, fulfilling workplaces enjoy a host of advantages, including better candidates, higher productivity, lower turnover and healthier bottom lines. But just how can your company go from “good” to “great”? Here are two definitive ways to become an employer of choice:
Build a culture that aligns with employees’ needs.
Makes sense, right? Employees want to work for an organization that complements their own priorities and preferences, so work with your staff to align your culture with their needs:
- Conduct an anonymous employee survey to find out what’s working – and what’s not. Identify potential opportunities for improvement in all aspects of your work environment.
- Formally and informally ask team members what they value most in the workplace. Keep a running list and look for common themes in their responses.
- Work as a group to brainstorm ways to improve work conditions, recognize individual and group accomplishments, increase work flex and address employees’ other priorities.
- Once you understand what you need to do to improve your culture, appoint a cross-departmental committee to implement the changes you want to make.
Promote greater teamwork.
Creating high-functioning, cohesive teams boosts morale and productivity. Increases employee loyalty and retention. Leverages individuals’ unique strengths for the greater good. And makes work a lot more enjoyable. Here are a few practical tips for facilitating better teamwork in your organization:
- Be explicit about responsibilities, expectations and commitments. Not surprisingly, successful teams need successful communication processes. When you create a new work team, make sure all members know:
- the team’s purpose, why each member was selected and the role each individual will play;
- management’s expectations for what the team will achieve;
- the “big picture” (i.e., the overarching business goal the team is helping to reach);
- the “nitty gritty” (i.e., timelines, deadlines, major milestones, key performance indicators/metrics);
- the “rules of engagement” (i.e., protocols for effectively interacting and communicating with one another);
- whether the project is discrete or an ongoing activity;
- how their individual contributions will impact the team’s success – as well as the success of other departments and the entire organization.
- Encourage social bonding. Teams are most successful when members feel comfortable with and trust one another. To foster social interaction, consider hosting a team-building event such as a lunchtime potluck, outdoor activity, team game event or any other activity that complements your culture and fits your budget.
Throughout Middle Tennessee, talented people choose Wood Personnel to aid their job search effort, because they know we’re a great place to work. Need one of our administrative, accounting, IT, logistics, production, HR, medical office, technical, management or executive candidates for an assignment, project or direct hire? Contact our Cool Springs recruiters (or your local Wood Personnel office) today!
