As there is a great number of business strategies for leading successful organizations today, and after witnessing, experiencing and reading about many of them personally, I only have One that is at the core of them all.
Perhaps some might think it is too simple or not as relevant, but it surely is the one getting more attention from companies around the globe, from those on Fortune500 to small enterprises and it comes down to Taking Care of Employees.
When employees feel like their organization cares, they have at least these six advantages that the others that don’t share the same perspective have:
- higher engagement
- higher commitment
- higher inclusion
- higher retention
- higher ranked employer brand
And the only thing that is lower is employees’ stress.
What does the culture that cares feel like?
Well, it can include a number of things, such as: being supportive, trusting, honest, flexible, transparent, inclusive, growth-minded and etc.
Supporting employees on different levels through communicating with them, listening to them and involving them is crucial for achieving healthy, collaborative workplaces where everyone is sharing the same vision and streaming for mutual success and working towards mutual goals.
Now, think of your organizational culture, even if you are unclear what it is and how you would best describe it, try answering yourself to this:
Is your company culture the one that leaves you with fear, uncertainty and doubt? Or is it the opposite, the one that makes you feel like trust, teamwork and flexibility are present?
Culture builders are leaders, which is why resilience and well-being are built from the top. If you are a leader, demanding of others to treat each other respectfully and setting behavioral expectations on your teams will only resonate with your employees if what you demand of others is what you demand of yourself.
Employees need to trust you that you mean it, and they can only trust you if you are setting the example for them to be followed.
Research shows that where trust levels are low within the organization, well-being level is low and higher the feeling of burnout is (and vice-versa).
“Cultures are among the greatest assets an organization can have. However, they are vulnerable assets that can be damaged or lost if leaders are not aware of their value and are not keeping watch over possible culture-changing practices, attitudes, threats, or events” Warrick, 2017
As the business team at Limeade states- “Leaders are Culture Architect, they are the ones who create a culture which leads to Employee Experience”.
It is an increasing trend of creating caring cultures in workplaces today, as they matter to personal well-being. Actually, it always mattered, and now maybe even more. It is critical to focus on building resilient employees if we wish to witness resilient and successful businesses in the future.
More and more leaders are recognizing that everyone wants to feel as they matter and that employees want to be acknowledged. That is what we all want, being a leader or not.
And one last thing - Ask yourself: What role are you playing in building the culture of your team?
Author: Ana Smiljkovic
Ana is a certified HR and L&D professional, focused on growth and education, helping people develop their potential through learning key soft skills for career building, with a particular interest in resilience in the workplace.