MightyRecruiterAuthentic Organizations: What They Are and Why They’re More Successful
Authentic organizations are not simply those that are legitimate, as opposed to shady offshore entities that exists only on paper and only for the purpose of tax evasion. Instead, they are companies that care about more than just profit margins. They emphasize integrity and accountability to employees, customers and shareholders. They are organizations that follow deeply felt mission statements while allowing employees to contribute in new and innovative ways.
Encouraging Transparency
Some companies feel that employees or shareholders should not be given too much information, or that bad news should be buried or delivered with a spin. Authentic organizations value honesty from both the top and the bottom. When a business is transparent with both its employees and its customers, it inspires the kind of loyalty that can weather setbacks and bad news. On the other hand, companies that try to cover up failure incite fear and rumormongering that make people question the company even when things are going well.
Too often, employees learn to tell their superiors what they want to hear because they fear retribution for being the bearers of bad news. However, your employees are your best resource for learning how things are working on the ground, and accurate information, even if unpleasant, enables your organization to make more informed decisions. For example, if employees are encouraged to speak frankly when a project has derailed, managers will be equipped to get things back on track.
Finding Your Purpose
Traditional organizations tend to be thick with bureaucratic standards and expectations for employees. Changing this dynamic can be one of the great challenges of creating more authentic organizations. On one hand, a company cannot function for long if it is not profitable, and to remain so employees must achieve certain goals. However, companies that grant workers greater freedom to set their own goals and pursue their own objectives often find that their employees are able to achieve much greater results than they would have otherwise.
A company’s guiding principles should go beyond financial aspirations. Whether a company seeks to deliver outstanding customer service or create innovative educational products, employees want to feel that they are working toward something more significant than mere profit. By identifying your company’s core values and goals you are poised to attract employees who care about the same thing. Once they are there, allow them the freedom to pursue those aims in a way that suits their own talents and objectives.
Diversity Breeds Creativity
Authentic organizations value diversity beyond simply hiring employees of different genders and ethnic backgrounds. While these differences are a starting point, true diversity invites many perspectives, belief systems, personality types and skillsets. Diversity is valuable not because it makes an organization appear politically correct, but because it sets the stage for greater creativity and innovation.
If your employees all fit some standard profile, odds are they will come up with fairly standard solutions as well. It is the outliers, the ones who are unusual in some way, who bring something new to the table. In addition, when you have a group in which each member contributes something unique, you create an environment of unlimited possibility because all these diverse ideas and personalities can combine in unexpected ways to create innovative solutions. Authenticity encourages each person to contribute in their own way, rather than conforming to a single expectation.
Equal Opportunity Development
Many organizations offer opportunities for employee development. However, these are often reserved for only the most talented and promising candidates. Authentic organizations recognize that each employee has something unique to contribute, and give them the tools and training necessary to make the most of their gifts. While not all employees will rise to the top of their cohort, all deserve the opportunity to develop to their potential. In addition, enabling each employee to be just a bit better can have huge ramifications for the success of the company as a whole. Employees who feel that they are valued and worthy of investment will live up to that expectation, and even those who do not advance will be more productive and more enthusiastic about their work.
Authentic organizations don’t value diversity, honesty, and employee development as they do just because it makes the company a pleasant place to work. Companies that value their employees and create an environment where individuals can grow and contribute in meaningful ways attract and retain the best employees as well as the best customers. The tools here at Mighty Recruiter can help you to find talented workers and increase the authenticity in your organization.