Whether virtually or in person, work is a big part of any employee’s life – company culture is now having an even greater impact on their wellbeing.

With hybrid operations now paving the way forward, businesses must work even harder to ensure that all they have built isn’t lost to the ether. So, how does a company create a company culture employees will crave now and in the future? For leaders wishing to retain their top employees (and gain the attention of new talent), competitive company culture goes beyond the free fruit and discounted gym membership.

In this new world, we live in that has changed our perceptions for the better, it’s about understanding what these needs are, and how to meet them in the most meaningful way. We’ll explore the values integral to forming this culture, and how they can be applied to inspire and empower employees to reach their full potential.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

These aren’t just buzzwords or concepts related to management’s strategic objectives. Employees, particularly graduates and those just entering the workforce, actively want to be part of diverse and inclusive environments. 

The benefits that come from creating a truly inclusive workplace are evident. For example, your company can draw on the various skills and insights that come from employing people from a variety of backgrounds. Your employee retention rate will be far higher if all employees feel valued and included. By ensuring that employees are treated equally there can be no question that your company is there to do business, and will reward its employees based on merit rather than tradition, profiling, or discrimination. 

How can an inclusion-focused environment be created? The first step is transparency. It may be necessary to conduct a very honest – and potentially uncomfortable – review of your current practices to see what needs improving. Next, it’s necessary to create accurate and reliable metrics to measure this area. How will you know if you have improved the equality, diversity, and inclusion aspects of your work culture? Finally, consider the option of bringing in consultants to offer an objective perspective on how diverse your workplace is, and how to ensure you’re heading towards your ideal company culture.

Re-thinking ‘productivity’

Productivity is a term that has seeped into every part of life – both professionally and personally. Ask someone what’s the matter, and there’s a real chance they’ll tell you that they haven’t been productive enough that day! But what does productivity mean for your company culture? Is it being tied to the desk? Does it focus on quantity over quality? And how is it monitored? There are some tasks or elements to a job that just needs to be completed, but how an employee reaches that outcome – and the expectations put upon them throughout that process – are things that are of the utmost importance. 

Ways to examine how employee productivity is defined include:

• Review your team plans with employees so that they can feel ownership over their work, with a greater understanding of how this aligns with the company’s wider aims.
• Emphasizing quality, not quantity. This may not always be possible depending on the nature of the work, but how to better champion quality at every stage is certainly worth considering.
• Evaluate how employee productivity is being supported by the company. Do employees have access to the right tools/platforms/technology? Are they able to collaborate and share ideas? Are they comfortable reviewing their work and asking for help when required?

These things all contribute to both the outcome of the work and the process of getting there. A company culture that re-thinks productivity for its specific workforce and supports employees along the way is sure to reap the rewards. 

Development opportunities 

These can exist both within the everyday responsibilities of an employee’s role, and outside of the job description. Employees will naturally have a variety of personal interests and goals that complement but also go beyond the scope of their job. Offering upskilling and learning opportunities will not only directly benefit the employee, but also add to the portfolio of skills that employers can draw on from their teams. A company culture that encourages learning and growth alongside their work will leave employees feeling valued and invested in the idea of staying.

Development opportunities can be created by bringing in third parties to host seminars, workshops, and skills days, or supporting employees in attending external training events. Employees gaining additional skills or upskilling their existing talents will contribute to a culture that is vibrant and evolving; equally, employees may be gaining the skills they need to progress in the company, reinvesting their time and talents into your business. 

Flexibility

Flexibility is a broad concept, but its presence within a company culture can be a make-or-break decision for employees.

The two main areas of flexibility that matter to employees are location and time. Flexible work hours are a proven draw for employees, who value being able to schedule their work and their lives in tandem – rather than in conflict with one another. Flexibility regarding location is now more important than ever. After two-plus years of pandemic-affected working, there is a clear case for working remotely. Many businesses have been hesitant to embrace flexible or remote work previously, believing that productivity and company culture will suffer. However, alongside rethinking what productivity really means, it is worth rethinking whether your culture is dependent on one specific office space.

Ultimately, employees want and need to feel like their work has a purpose. That, paired with work being judged on its quality and being treated fairly as part of a diverse and inclusive team. Employees need to have space to learn and grow, with the opportunity to balance their life and their work healthily. Promoting these values within your company culture will demonstrate that the employee experience has been thoroughly considered, and is a core part of how your company thrives. 

At ADDA Infusion, both our integrated and on-demand HR services are designed to complement your business’s journey every step of the way. Supporting teams large and small, find out how we can help you create the HR department of your dreams.

Get in touch today to learn more about how we can provide Human resources for your business!