One vital element of a small businesses survival is ensuring that it is a place that people want to work.
Going to work every day shouldn't be an awful experience for your employees, it should be something that they enjoy and take pride in. When your staff is happy they are productive – which means a profitable business for you. The best work environments are characterized by unique cultures where individuals are allowed to prosper and grow professionally, as well as motivated to work to the best of their abilities.
This isn't a simple thing to do, designing the perfect place to work takes careful planning. Everything from the space and the culture to the rewards employees receive play vital roles in developing an office that people want to go to every day. Read the tips below for more on how to put together a work environment that your employees can enjoy:
1. Make sure new hires fit the culture
Avoid hiring anyone who won't fit into the culture you're trying to ensure your small business exudes, KISSmetrics explained. It is vital that you implement a hiring process that will help you identify whether an individual will easily adapt to the work environment you are creating. If someone can perform at a high level, if he or she isn't gelling well with your staff, then that individual may ultimately drag down productivity. And if this person isn't very nice, then things can get even worse. That employee represents your business outside of work too. When people find out he or she works for you, they look at your business through the scope of your employee's bad attitude. That's a turn-off for customers and potential job applicants alike. Everyone from the individuals that put together your financial plan to those that determine your advertising strategy should be on the same page.
2. Your design will influence your employees
Culture is extremely important, as mentioned above, and the design of your office space should closely reflect your small business's culture, Monica Parker, workplace director at Morgan Lovell, an office strategy and design firm, told Forbes. The key is to make sure the spaces of your business reflect an atmosphere of "autonomy and flexibility," she explained. Your office space will play a significant role in determining who works for your business.
"We shape buildings but they shape us too," Parker noted. "We spend more waking time in our offices than anywhere else – why wouldn't that have an impact on us?"
3. Give rewards for employees a personal touch
Different people react differently when they are recognized for their achievements, so be sure to tailor your rewards accordingly, Inc. suggested. Get to know all of your employees well so each time one of them deserves recognition, you can provide him or her with it in a way that works specifically for the individual. While the path most companies take is to implement a "fair" universal rewards system, this method doesn't always work. What is important to some people is meaningless to others, and sometimes what individuals value changes over time, so it is important to be in-tune with your employees when rewarding them.
4. Allow your staff to have a say in the culture
It can't be up to you alone to determine what your business's work environment will become. Some of that should be up to your team, Inc. recommended. Try setting up an employee-run group that plans activities and events for your staff to participate in. Since your team is setting up these events, culture growth will be natural, instead of forced. You can have a general idea of where you want your company culture to go, but it will take the help of your whole staff to get it there.
Use the four tips above to create a workplace that people will want to come to every day.