MightyRecruiterDo you love your company? Do your employees? If you want to learn how to know if you’re a great place to work, start by looking at your turnover rate. Some industries naturally attract long-term employees, while others, like food service and call centers, tend to be a stepping-stone where people stop to gain experience on their way to something else, but compare your turnover to the average for your industry. If employees tend to stick around, chances are they feel they’ve found a good thing. If they show up to holiday parties and encourage their friends to apply, odds are you’re a great place to work. So what is it that sets you apart?
Effective Leaders
In a great place to work, people see the boss as more than just a task manager. Effective leaders exhibit genuine interest in their employees. They recognize a job well done and are quick to praise outstanding effort and achievement. They make themselves available when employees have questions, concerns or ideas, and listen closely, making each employee feel valued and understood. Effective leaders are also trustworthy. They share important information with employees and allow them to be a part of the decision-making process.
Trust and Communication
Employees need to trust the company and their leaders. They want to know that you are making the best decisions for them as well as for your bottom line. A great company is transparent with its employees and its shareholders. Employees should know when things are going well, but also when the company is facing challenges. Secretive companies leave employees off-balance, always wondering if their jobs are at risk. Trust your employees enough to share both good and bad news, and they’ll trust the company and focus on solving the problems instead of speculating about what’s ïreallyï going on.
Flexibility
Employees are not just faceless cogs in a wheel. Most have families, interests and obligations outside of work, and a good employer recognizes that the right amount of flexibility will attract high quality employees. It’s one way they determine how to know if you’re a great place to work. You might feel that time off robs the company, but when employees are allowed the time they need to take care of personal matters, they repay that generosity with more dedicated work they return. Parental leave, time off for illness and phase retirement programs all give your employees the freedom to take care of their personal lives so when they’re on the clock their attention and focus are all yours.
Opportunity
The best companies recognize their employees’ talents and abilities, but also offer opportunities for personal and professional growth and development. Employees who are given additional training to improve their skills will be better workers, but will also be more satisfied. They will appreciate the investment you’ve made in their career and will be more loyal to your company. Your employees also need the chance to try for raises, promotions and positions higher on the corporate ladder. The potential to advance will induce them to work harder and strive for those accomplishments, but it will also energize them and give them a sense of optimism about their role in your company.
Respect
The final test in how to know if you’re a great place to work is to ask your employees if they feel respected and valued. No one wants to slave away for a corporation that only notices them when they have made a mistake. In the best companies, employees’ contributions and efforts are recognized frequently, both formally and informally. Express your appreciation in passing, and be specific with your praise. Don’t just tell an employee she has done a good job, tell her that you know she went to a lot of trouble to research a new product line and that you recognize that her work was integral to the success of the sales team. Praise your employees in front of others, as well. Celebrate important milestones in company meetings and send out congratulations in company newsletters. Praise your employees to others, as well. Talk about a great employee behind his back and it will get back to the person you have praised. He’ll appreciate the recognition and the boost you’ve given his reputation. Employees at all levels need to know that their work matters and that their talents are valued. Once you’ve discovered how to know if you’re a great place to work, you’ll realize that creating satisfied employees is always a good investment. Mighty Recruiter is here to help you learn everything you need to know about creating a business that attracts the best employees.