Bettering your business
For most people, work is the single biggest chunk of their day. It claims most of the daylight hours and often bleeds into the evening as well; even away from the office, it’s usually still on the brain. Taking simple steps to improve the workplace can have long-term benefits for both the longevity of a company and the health of its employees.
Flexibility
Not every job can offer the option to work remotely, but those that do are in high demand. Having the flexibility of location or hours—or both—creates a more fluid boundary between work and life; that freedom not only makes for happier employees, but also breeds a more content atmosphere at the office.
In many ways, allowing employees to work from home or another location can be unnerving. It may not be right for everyone, but even allowing something as small as one day per month spent working from home can demonstrate that you care about your worker’s lives beyond the time they spend in a cubicle or at their desk.
Social Technology
Given that so much of our lives are spent at work, it’s vital to make that time as meaningful and pleasant as possible. Social networks have a reputation as time-wasters, but an internal platform such as Yammer or Google Business allows employees to connect more easily to one another, as coworkers on a project.
By making it easier to communicate, you will improve the overall workflow of the company in the long term. Productivity can even improve since simple messages and questions can be communicated so quickly and easily. Further, with a more accessible social environment, the workplace gains a sense of camaraderie, which is vital to success when you’re spending so much time together.
Health
Traditionally, businesses didn’t involve themselves in their employees’ lives outside of the 9-to-5 workday. Today’s workplace has a broader scope—with staff members so invested in their jobs, modern companies are recognizing the value of returning that investment. Even seemingly tiny actions, such as filling vending machines with healthy snack options, shows that you care about more than your bottom line.
To go beyond the basics, consider offering a discounted gym membership, or providing flu shots. In contributing to your employees’ health, you will gain more fit and energized workers, and will likely see a decrease in the amount of sick days taken. From both a professional and personal standpoint, it’s a smart thing to do.
The human face of business
Making small improvements to the workplace has big returns. When you value your employees as people, they value you as an employer, and they appreciate the company for considering them as more than just cogs in a machine. Little steps will go a long way, so implement them early this year for a more productive and more content 2013.
Helpmates Staffing has worked with Southern California companies and its candidates for more than 40 years, providing highly qualified talent with leadership capabilities for companies like yours. Contact Helpmates today to learn more about what we can do for your management team and company culture.
