Creating a Great Workplace

By Megan Martin

What is the difference between a good workplace and a great one? According to research done by Gallup over 25 years, the best workplaces have a lot in common. They are places where employees are frequently praised, able to utilize their greatest strengths, encouraged to learn, and allowed to have fun at work.

These organizations also have high productivity, low turnover rates and tend to attract better talent.

Managers are key players in creating and sustaining positive work environments. According to The People Group article, “What is a Great Workplace? The Twelve Dimensions that Describe Great Workgroups” based on Gallup’s research: “Employees don't leave companies; they leave managers and supervisors. The impact that a supervisor has in today's workplace can be either very valuable or very costly to the organization and the people who work there. Employees want quality relationships with someone who can guide them.”

If you know your workplace is good but want to make it great, here are a few tips from the experts to help you get started.

Instill a Sense of Purpose

At the heart of every great workplace are employees who feel a sense of purpose.

“Employees want to know they are making a difference, contributing to an important endeavor,” says The People Group. “The best workplaces give their employees a sense of purpose, help them feel like they belong, and enable them to make a difference.”

As a manager, it is your job to help employees understand their meaning within your organization. Showing them exactly how the individual tasks they complete contribute to the organization’s overall mission can help them understand that even the “small things” they do have meaning.

According to the Harvard Management Update article, “Nine Steps Toward Creating a Great Workplace:” “Even repetitive jobs can be infused with meaning if employees understand how what they do drives the company's objectives and contributes to business success.”

Ask employees to rank the tasks they do on a daily basis in terms of importance and then discuss the list with them. If they feel that many of their duties are less than important, show them how and why they aren’t.

Set High Expectations

Great organizations set expectations that are not only clear, but high. It is imperative that employees know exactly what is expected of them, and expecting a lot can serve as a great motivator.

If employees feel constantly challenged, their job will seem not only more meaningful but a lot more interesting.

During performance reviews, collaborate with employees to set long- and short-term goals. Link their personal goals to the overall goals you have for the organization.

The People Group notes: “Full human potential is realized only when people are in a position to use their greatest talents. Great performance is found when people are in roles that match what they naturally do best.”

Ask what kinds of new challenges employees would enjoy taking on in their current positions. Ask how you can help them begin moving toward larger career goals. Communicate with employees frequently about their progress. As goals are met, help employees to set new ones and encourage them to go beyond what they think they can do.

Encourage Autonomy

Setting high expectations is important, but great managers know that letting employees take ownership of how they meet those expectations can lead to higher levels of engagement.

“Nature tells us that the best route from A to B isn't always a straight line, it's the path of least resistance,” says the Harvard Management Update. “So while good companies set high standards, they're flexible about how they let people meet those standards. One salesperson might sell through relationship building, another through sheer technical competence, a third by calling more prospects.”

Encourage employees to be creative in the methods they employ to reach their goals and fulfill the duties of their position. What works for one person may not work for another. Even giving employees the autonomy to choose what time they arrive in the morning or allowing them to work from home one day a week creates an environment where employees feel like they have say in their work lives.

Offer Learning Opportunities

Great workplaces believe in helping employees learn and grow.

“The need to learn and grow is a natural instinct for human beings…Where there is growth, there is innovation, and this is a breeding ground for more positive and refreshing perspectives toward ourselves and others,” says The People Group.

Education not only improves an employee’s skill set and confidence, but it benefits the organization as a whole.

Many managers feel that offering educational opportunities means sending employees to expensive conferences and seminars. While this is a great way to educate employees, there are many other ways to inspire learning. Encouraging employees to take courses in areas they would like to gain more experience and paying part or all of the cost can help employees understand that you are invested not only in what they do well now, but in their overall career growth.

Education can be even simpler still. Referring employees to a great online article about an area they are interested in is a simple way to show that you are invested in their growth. Recommend books that have inspired you or that you think may spark employees’ interests.

Communicate Appreciation

Even the most self-assured, self-motivated employees need to hear what they are doing well. Praise can be a huge motivator.

Recognize employee achievements as often as possible, even for small things. Although they are nice on occasion, it isn’t always necessary to offer tangible pats on the back like gift cards or lunches. A simple email thanking an employee for a job well done can be just as effective.

When and if you do offer tokens of encouragement, the key is in doing it immediately after the job has been done so that employees know you’re paying attention.

Performance reviews, while they shouldn’t be the only time you show appreciation to employees, can be a great opportunity to illustrate how you value their contributions to your organization.

“The best managers recognize that a performance review provides time to discuss the progress and growth of an employee,” says The People Group. “It can help employees understand themselves better and give them a clear perspective on how their contributions really make a difference to the organization.”

Offer Individualized Perks

Great workplaces treat employees as individuals in every possible way. A great way to show that you value not only an individual’s contributions to the organization, but what is important to them outside of work hours is to offer customized benefits.

“Younger employees raising families, for example, are engaged by work-life programs, while older workers may be excited about the option of phased retirement,” says Gallup.

Recognize that different employees have different needs. Communicate with employees to find out what is most important to them and make every effort to accommodate their individual needs.

Have Fun

In great workplaces, fun and work go hand in hand. Google is rated among the best companies to work for in the United States by Fortune Magazine and takes fun seriously. Take a cue from Google, where dance competitions and treasure hunts as well as perks like hammocks and video games are part of the daily “grind.” Having fun releases stress, raises productivity and creates bonds among employees, all of which can benefit your organization’s productivity.

Remember: by making small, positive changes to your organization today, you can reap the rewards of a great workplace tomorrow.

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