Tag Archive for: Company Morale

Creating a Positive Workplace

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Being considered a good place to work by your employees involves a lot of components. It’s a known thing in these times that a positive company culture is one of the most crucial aspects of a quality work environment, along with location and time flexibility as well as purpose.

With people having many options for where to work right now, standing out as an ideal workplace can be competitive. Just like your products and/or services; you want to keep up with market and industry trends that your clients and employees value, while at the same time differentiate yourself enough to catch the attention of the people you’re trying to call in.

Something that has not been considered by many companies as of yet is the power of positivity and availability.

It’s inevitable that no matter what industry you’re in or line of work you do, moments of challenge and frustration come up, and can sometimes last for seasons. However, it is in how these moments are handled that differentiate your company as the one that people want to work for and stay at.

Here are some things to consider when trying adding more positivity and openness to your company:

1. It Starts with Leadership

Everything has a trickle-down effect. If the company executives and managers exemplify a positive approach to everything they do, it will make employees more comfortable and they will also begin to demonstrate positivity. Make it a priority for everyone on your leadership team to learn how to have positive interactions with all employees.

2. There are Many Ways to Exhibit Positivity

From the language you use in your company-wide emails to the way you deliver news and explain concepts in one-on-one meetings, there is always a way to communicate in a more uplifting and/or encouraging manner. While it may take a bit of effort to tweak your communication style, it will pay off in the long run in the form of longer employee tenure, better performance, and better energy in the office or on-site.

3. It’s ok for Moments to get Personal Once in a While

As a manager, there will be things that your employees go through that affect their work in both a positive and negative way. This goes for attendance, time-management, communication, etc. While it used to be looked down upon for work and personal matters to be mixed, realistically sometimes that’s what needs to happen for a better understanding. If an employee chooses to share something from their personal life that is affecting their work life, coming from a place of empathy (instead of pushing the matter away) will give you more insight. Having perspective about why something is happening will give you and your employee the chance to come up with a solution together.

4. The Ability and Willingness to Listen is Crucial

Part of offering a positive working environment is letting employees be heard. Whether they’re coming to you with a question, concern, or suggestion; hearing them out and actually considering what they’re saying will lead to better output on their part and could even benefit the rest of the company.

If your company is in need of employees, let us at Award help you. Contact us here with your staffing needs.

How to Provide Unsurpassed Service

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One of the most important things to us at Award, is that we always provide our clients and associates with unsurpassed service. As the number one staffing agency in Minnesota, as well as one of the top 175 places to work in Minnesota for 6 years in a row; we are constantly striving to improve our processes to make them easier for both sides and to let our clients know that we value them.

Whether you are a client based company or a customer based company, there are a number of good ways to provide unsurpassed service. Here are our top recommendations for how you can provide your clientele excellent service.

1. Treat Your Employees Well & Create a Stellar Company Culture

You may be wondering what this has to do with your clients, and the truth is; everything. Good service starts with people who are excited to come to work every day and perform their best. If you are understanding about your employees’ needs and intentionally create a culture that they want to be a part of, it will create a trickle-down effect and in-turn, they will go above and beyond for clients. Showing concern for the well-being of your employees will also result in fewer call outs and less tardiness, meaning there will be consistency in which staff member your client is working with.

2. Be Timely and Responsive

There is nothing more frustrating from a customer’s perspective than trying to reach someone with a pressing question or concern, and not hearing back for days or weeks at a time. If a client is trying to get ahold of you, it’s for a reason. Being timely in your responses and on-time for meetings/events shows professionalism and that you respect your client’s time. Remember, your clients have more than one option for who they want to work with; if you want them to keep using your services, being timely and responsive is essential.

3. Show Up in Person

This is particularly important if you are local. In the current digital age, nothing compares with human-to-human interaction. If your client is having an issue, meeting them at their location to discuss how it’s going to be resolved will set you apart from other companies in your industry. It also shows your client that you genuinely care. Making an effort to do this regularly will also build a trust factor between you and your client, as they will get to know you on a more personal level.

4. Go Above and Beyond

Although it is a business relationship, if you want to be the company that your clients refer out, you’ll need to do something beyond just the duties that they hire you for. Every year, we at Award give our clients flowers and holiday cards, and we often provide lunch for our longest partnerships. This is what will separate you from your competitors and make your clients want to leave you good reviews. Any company can do what they were hired to do, but it’s only a select few that choose to take it a step further.

5. Communicate

Keeping in regular contact with your clients and checking in with them to see how everything is going is an important habit to get into. Even if everything seems like it’s going fine, keeping them updated and asking how everything is going is good practice. There is enough ghosting in this world as it is, don’t sign a new client, complete the job, and then disappear. Especially if you are a staffing agency that has associates working at your client’s sites.

If your company is in need of employees, we at Award are here to help. Contact us with your staffing needs here.

7 Things Companies Can Do For Employee Wellbeing

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One of the most important things a company can do in today’s times is to make employee wellbeing a priority. With the modern world being so busy, burn out can happen quickly if a person’s work-life balance is off.  While it’s the employee’s responsibility to take care of him or herself, knowing that their employer is looking out for them will boost employee morale and incentivize employees to want to do better. Employee wellbeing is how a job’s stress levels, environment, and expectations affect overall health and mental wellness. Here are 7 ways you can implement employee wellbeing into your business strategy.

1. Give Them the Ability to Disengage

One of the biggest causes of work-related stress for people is not having the chance to disengage when they are off the clock. When employees are expected to respond to respond to emails, take phone calls, and/or work on projects when they are supposed to be out of the office, (whether it’s for the evening or weekend) they don’t get the opportunity to rest and recharge. In order to regularly show up and do their best work, employees need time to stop thinking about their jobs and attend to their personal lives. Some of them will feel obligated to work off the clock even when they are not asked to, therefore it’s important to make it clear that they are not obligated to be working on their personal time.

2. Offer Employee Appreciation Incentives

An employee who feels appreciated will always do more than what’s asked of him or her. That is why it’s essential to show them tokens of your appreciation. Every month or so, provide refreshments that employees can enjoy on their breaks. If an employee is going through a difficult time, send him or her flowers or a card signed by the whole team. Honor accomplishments by custom ordering a plaque or framed certificate. If an employee is doing well with sales or recruiting, offer them the incentive of an extra vacation day or purchase them a gift card. Just be sure incentives are offered to all employees, not just those who can deliver tangible results. Offerings like this will make them much more excited about coming to work every day.

3. Provide Health Related Discounts/Opportunities

Getting active will benefit employees in both their personal and professional lives. It is an overall mental health booster and will give them more energy to help them through their days. Offer to pay for part of a membership to a local gym. Offer a reimbursement plan for active wear. If you have the funds and space, create a workout room for employees to use during their breaks or after work. You could even hire a virtual trainer once a week for the entire office to participate in a movement session. Some companies even organize friendly weight-loss or get healthy competitions. This can also contribute to employee camaraderie which leads to a positive company culture.

4. Be Sure Employees Take Vacation

Did you know that more than half of Americans don’t use all of their vacation days in a year? While some companies offer payout for employees that don’t use them by a certain date, taking time away from the office is actually very important. Employees who never get away are more prone to sleep deprivation, illness, and burnout; which in turn leads to call outs and lower job performance. There are a number of reasons employees forfeit their vacation days, one of the biggest ones being that company culture discourages it whether directly or indirectly. This can look like high-level executives never taking time off, strict vacation policies, lack of communication around vacation policies, and/or negative talk about time off. As an employer, it is your responsibility that your employees know that they are entitled to take their vacations. Also be sure that someone takes at least a portion of their responsibilities while they’re away. This way they aren’t returning to a mountain of work when they get back.

5. Be Conscious of Scheduling and Turnaround Time

Have you ever heard of the term “clopening”? This is a term mostly applicable in service positions such as restaurants or retail where business hours are nearly all day. From an employee perspective, it is incredibly exhausting when you work the closing shift, just to return a few hours later to open. Some companies are notorious for giving employees fewer than 8 hours in between shifts which doesn’t take into account their commute home and back nor their need to eat and freshen up. People get jobs to live, they do not live to work, so be sure that you are treating them like humans and not like machines.

6. Organize Company Outings

One thing that motivates employees to put their best foot forward is having events to look forward to. Doing things together as a company will ensure that employees disengage and enjoy themselves, at least for one day/night. If you have a team of mostly females, a spa day is always a popular idea. If you have a team of mostly males, a sporting event in the middle of the day or after work can be exciting. Just make sure that it’s an event that will truly be enjoyable for your employees- you can even ask for suggestions or vote on a few different options.

7.Allow Casual Dress Days

While this may not work in every industry, it can definitely work in most offices. The more formal the dress code is, the less comfortable the clothing tends to be. A shift in what employees are wearing can really change the vibe of the office for the day as people tend to\be less uptight the more casual their clothing is. Many offices have integrated casual Fridays into their business models and themed dress up days throughout the year. Even something small like this can have a massive impact on your employees’ mental health.

 

If your company is currently in need of employees, we at Award Staffing are here to help. Contact us here with any questions or inquiries.

How to Determine a Company’s Culture

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Before accepting a job at any company, it’s a good idea to gage what the ambience of working there will be like. Especially if you would like it to be a long-term position that helps you grow in your career, you want to ensure that it will be an environment where you fit in well and feel confident that you can thrive. Employees today list company culture as one of their top values. They know that even if they are compensated well, if they aren’t comfortable in the environment or with the people they are working with, it is unlikely to last long.

If you flat out ask a hiring manger or recruiter what a company culture is like, they will likely just tell you want you want to hear. Of course, when they are in need of more employees and know that you are a good candidate, they’ll say whatever they have to in order to keep you. That is why you as a job seeker can (and should) ask discreet questions and pay attention to subtle signs that help you gain a better perspective on what a company’s culture is truly like. Here are some suggestions:

 

1. Show up Early to an Interview and Observe

Instead of looking through your materials or going over what you plan to say in your head, pay attention to how the employees are interacting. Did the receptionist greet you? Are the employees conversing with one another? Is the office atmosphere quiet because everyone is working independently? Notice things like the dress code and how the office is decorated. This can be a good indicator of if it is a place you would enjoy working.

Whatever you take note of in the office; it is up to you to decide if you truly envision yourself working there. Everyone is going to have a different preference for what type of company will be a good fit for them. Gaging a culture begins from the moment you walk in the door.

2. Ask: “How long have you been with the company?”

This doesn’t just go for the person interviewing you, ask as many people as you can. If everyone you speak with has had a short tenure with the company, you need to ask more questions, such as, ‘how long have the longest employees worked here.” In the chance that the company is new, this can be ok. However, if it’s an established company, this is likely a sign that a company needs improvement. Maybe people are expected to work too much or that they would benefit from changing management.

3. Ask: “Does anyone here ever transfer departments?”

If you’ve ever been in a position where you enjoyed your company, just not your department, but were denied every opportunity to make a lateral move; it can be tempting to overtly ask if transfers are allowed. Most of the time, companies claim that they have plenty of flexibility and career growth, but often when the time comes, they choose to keep you stagnant for their own benefit. There’s nothing that will tell you more than specific examples. If they introduce you to someone who has made a lateral move, even better. 

4. Ask about Lunch Breaks

While you don’t have to ask specific questions about lunch, get an idea of how most employees spend their breaks. If you find out that everyone takes lunch at their desk, it could mean that employees are too overworked to disengage- even just for half an hour. It could also imply that the majority of people who work there are introverted and that it isn’t an office with a lot of interaction. While some people may prefer this, others may rather work for a company with strong social connections and a lot of team work. Depending on your preference, this can tell you a lot.

5. Review the Company on Multiple Platforms

This can happen before or after you go in for an interview. Look at employee review sites such as Glassdoor to see how internal employees rate the company. Where are their strengths and where are they falling short?  Also, LinkedIn to see employee profiles. Take note of how long several of them have been working for the company and what they list as their interests and job history. This way you can infer whether or not it is a pleasant place to work and see if you have anything in common with current employees.

6. Ask about Internal Career Paths

Just like everything else, ask for specific examples of where someone started, where they are now, and what it took for them to get there. How long were they with the company before they got their first promotion? How did they get the promotion, were they offered it or did they have to apply for it? Asking the right questions here is important because you don’t want them to give you a generic answer. If professional growth is important to you, it’s important that you find a company that not only sees your value, but also wants to see you expand.

When searching for your next best opportunity, you’ll want to make sure that a company matches your expectations. The best way to ensure this happens is with observation, research, and asking the right questions.

If you are currently in search of a new job, check out our latest opportunities here.

 

What is the Purpose Behind your Business?

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These days, everyone wants to be a part of something bigger than them.  Not only are customers and clients more likely to work with a business with a mission towards change, but we are also moving towards a Millennial and Gen-Z led workforce; and they are known as the purpose driven generations.  So what does it even mean to have a purpose behind your business? It means to regularly support or take action towards a cause other than your own products or services. Whether you have been in business for several decades or are in the midst of launching right now, it is always possible to incorporate an aligned mission into your company model. Believe it or not, purpose and profit are directly correlated. Therefore, as much as it may seem like adding a mission to your model creates more work just to net less, both your business and the community will benefit if you choose to do so.

“Purpose doesn’t make decisions easy, it makes them clear.”

It’s Not What You Sell: It’s What You Stand For

                                      -Roy Spence

When CEO’s and business owners make purpose a core piece of their organization, it can act as a compass for strategy and decisions including: who to hire, who to partner with, and what type of clients to work with. When everyone in the company is clear on what the business stands for (and doesn’t stand for), collective decisions, assessing opportunities, and innovating out of problems becomes easier. This empowers employees to make decisions without feeling the need to consult their manager first as they can be confident in knowing that it aligns with the company’s core values. Additionally, when you let your purpose guide your decisions, it will help steer you away from short-term thinking and scarcity mentality to focus on the overall picture and end goal.

Having a clearly defined purpose also builds your reputation as a company. When you become known in your local market as well as on a larger scale as a company with a calling, you’ll differentiate yourself from other brands and organizations by being seen as a corporation with a larger role in society. This will increase brand loyalty and make organizations as well as individuals more likely to recommend and endorse your services.

Furthermore, there are many other reasons why it is important for your business to have a purpose. Some examples are:

-Builds public trust

-Attracts top talent

-Drives strong work ethic and optimal work culture

-Improves business performance

-Gives the satisfaction of knowing you are contributing to the common good of the environment and/or society

So what are examples of a purpose behind a company? It can be carried out in a number of ways and doesn’t have to look like that of any other organization. Some examples are:

-Donating a percentage of all profits to a cause that aligns with your company

-Hosting monthly, quarterly, or yearly events that benefit an organization of your choice

-Partnering with a local corporation to help employ those in need

-Scheduling regular staff outings to volunteer in the community

-Becoming a pay-it-forward company

If you are an established or up-and-coming brand looking to integrate a purpose into your brand, here are some steps you can take to help you determine what it will be and how you will coalesce it into your business.

STEP 1: Examine the Core Values of Your Company

You will want to make sure that when you decide how and where you want to contribute that it is parallel with what your company’s values as a whole as well as what the non-negotiables are. This will help you establish whether or not you want to partner with another organization, how much and/or how often you’re going to contribute, and the type of cause(s) you want to be affiliated with.

STEP 2: Determine what Legacy You Want to Leave Behind

What does your company want to be known for? Although it is inevitable for the economy and workforce to evolve, your purpose can (and should) remain consistent. Even though it might be enticing to switch causes every so often, keeping it the same will give you something to be recognized by. It will make the company look more genuine as being passionate about a specific cause instead of half-heartedly contributing to any cause you can get involved in.

STEP 3: Set a Goal

What type of change does your company want to facilitate? To feed or clothe a certain number of people each year? To find X number of people a job every year? To raise a certain amount of money for the non-profit of your choice every event? To volunteer a certain amount of times within a year? Setting a goal will give you the ability to map out exactly how you’re going to follow-through with achieving it and gives employees a chance to see how they fit into the plan as well as gives them something to look forward to.

STEP 4: Combine the Goal with an Action Step

Now that you know what the goal is, put all of the necessary steps to reach it in place. This means; get in contact with the organization you want to partner with, set up what day each month the donations are going to come out of the account, book the space you’re going to host your benefit events, schedule the employee volunteer outings. Once all logistics are put into place, you can focus on achieving the goal you set by taking the action steps needed to bring it to fruition.

If your company is looking to bring in new talent, Award Staffing is here to help. Be sure to check out our services page and contact us here:

 

Employee Value and Company Morale

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“Success in business is all about people, people, people. Whatever industry a company is in, its employees are its biggest competitive advantage.”   – Sir Richard Branson 

Winning with your customers/clients begins by winning with your employees. Your employees are your pipeline to customer engagement, positive reviews, and word of mouth advertising, and a prosperous bottom-line. The more your employees feel valued, the higher and more profound than your employee engagement is; the greater your employee engagement, the more positive and stronger your company morale will be. It’s a domino effect that begins with a company’s decision to recognize the value of their employees.

Employee value begins with taking the time to ensure that every employee understands:

  • • The company’s mission statement and purpose and their role and input in attaining that purpose. In fact, a 10-year study by Grow Author Jim Stengel reveals that companies with a high sense of purpose outperform others by as much as 400%.
  • • That their attitudes, efforts, and accomplishments are recognized and appreciated. Only 12.4% of workers who are recognized for their work have interviewed for a potential new job switch in the last three months, while more than 21% of workers who don’t feel recognized have been exploring new opportunities. (TINYpulse)

When employees are appreciated and valued as the asset they truly are, they are much more likely to be engaged employees. Engaged employees contribute to tangible returns for your business. The numbers speak for themselves. Valued, engaged employees:

  • • Take their tasks seriously and be self-accountable for their responsibilities –ensuring that they complete their part of a project well and on time, and going above and beyond their required tasks for the company’s benefit. (Studies reveal that companies with highly engaged employees improved operating income by 19.2% over 12 months)
  • • Stay with the company, reducing turnover. (Engaged organizations have reduced turnover by as much as 87%)
  • • Become a brand ambassador for their company. (78% of engaged employees would recommend their company’s products and services)

When employees are engaged, company morale – employee outlook, attitudes, satisfaction, and confidence – climbs. Employees are positive about their work environment and confident that they are in a place where their career can grow and dreams are attained.

Susan M. Heathfield points out that, “Feeling part of the goals that are bigger than themselves (and their job) contributes significantly to positive employee morale. Many employees want to feel as if they are part of something important and contributing to success for the greater good is a real morale booster.”

So, what gives employees a sense of personal value within the workplace? What builds company morale? While there are multiple angles, it boils down to 5 essential pillars.

  • • Purpose: As we already mentioned, it’s vital for your employees to connect with the company’s mission and purpose – to know that their tasks contribute to a big picture.
  • • Well-being: Creating an atmosphere that says your employees matter to you – that you care about the whole person – including their emotional, social, and mental health — a sense of camaraderie among their coworkers.
  • • Appreciation: Nothing contributes more to a sense of purpose and well-being than knowing that your contribution is recognized, respected and appreciated.
  • • Growth opportunities: Providing the encouragement and provision to learn and grow in their knowledge, abilities, experience, and career opportunities.
  • • Freedom: A chance to be innovative, creative, and even take a risk without fear of repercussion if an idea doesn’t pan out.

Focusing on these five pillars to bring value to your employees, engage them in your culture, and build overall company morale pays a significant ROI. Studies have shown that companies who place value on and invest time in their employees are:

  • • 53% more likely to have highly engaged employees
  • • 29% more likely to have employees innovating and performing great work
  • • 27% more likely to have increased in revenue last year

With numbers like those, who can afford not to place value where value is due?

At Award Staffing, we recognize the value of our staff and our temps. Because we do, you can count on the talent we place in your business. Our mantra is work hard, have fun, and be nice. It makes a difference you can’t get along without. Contact us today.