Build a productive workforce
These days a typical worker stays at a company for less than five years and the cost to replace these employees can add up. So, the ability to recruit and retain top talent is more important than ever, and the way a workplace is set up may play a key role in employee productivity and overall satisfaction.
22 Jun 2018
Every organisation strives to maximise the productivity of its workforce. However, there are a variety of challenges and misconceptions about how best to achieve that goal. Money, benefits, perks like free snacks and game tables may sweeten the deal. But what ensures that workers remain productive and content in their jobs to stay for the long haul?
These days a typical worker stays at a company for less than five years and the cost to replace these employees can add up. So, the ability to recruit and retain top talent is more important than ever, and the way a workplace is set up may play a key role in employee productivity and overall satisfaction.
Offering freedom from time-consuming chores allows employees more quality time at home and enables them to focus more at work.
Of course, providing right environment is just one way to improve employee satisfaction. Here are four more ways to create and maintain a happy and productive workforce that can help keep employee turnover low:
In that sense, successful employee retention begins with thoughtful employee recruitment. This means that companies need to come to the process with a clear vision of their hiring needs, which is not always so easily done, particularly under the time pressures common to the hiring process. You are trying to do this dance in a time frame that is short enough that you get the job filled but long enough that you get a sense of the candidate pool and ensure you are spending enough time with the right candidates to get a good hire.
These days a typical worker stays at a company for less than five years and the cost to replace these employees can add up. So, the ability to recruit and retain top talent is more important than ever, and the way a workplace is set up may play a key role in employee productivity and overall satisfaction.
Offering freedom from time-consuming chores allows employees more quality time at home and enables them to focus more at work.
Of course, providing right environment is just one way to improve employee satisfaction. Here are four more ways to create and maintain a happy and productive workforce that can help keep employee turnover low:
Flexibility
An important workplace quality that can make for happier employees is flexibility; Workers value the freedom to work as per their own schedule, on their own pace, and even at their own locations. Workplace flexibility is perhaps the biggest employee incentive after basic compensation, such as salary and benefits and we have the tools and technology to allow that now. A CBRE Research report released determined that the office of the future should include a mix of private, collaborative and social spaces that accommodate the varied needs of different job functions and employee preferences. Implementing a policy of “dynamic density” gives employees the flexibility to work in various parts of the office as opposed to being assigned a fixed desk. Following a workplace redesign that included more collaborative areas, better technology and health-focused features, 93 per cent of workers would not go back to the old way of working, 86 per cent believed there was a strong improvement in employee health and wellness, and 79 per cent of the workforce felt more productive compared to the previous office space.Providing the right tools
Access to right technology is also key to employee satisfaction and retention in that it gives workers the tools to do their best work. While flexibility comes with investing in design and creating office environments with a greater diversity of spaces, modern offices also need to provide the right technology that enables employees to work seamlessly from anywhere. Ensuring employees can access important files remotely is key to a productive workforce. Its important to help employees learn to access information through our cloud sharing and storage system, ensuring they are completely mobile and can access their documents from anywhere, at any time.Right expectations
Having accurate expectations is perhaps the most crucial key to maintaining a happy and stable workplace. A well-defined profile is essential, it is imperative that employers and prospective employees are on the same page regarding the nature of the job. If expectations of what the work will be like are not accurate, it usually leads to unhappiness. It is critical in recruitment and retention to accurately convey what the job is, what [skills] they are looking for, and what the career path is. It’s also important that employers be upfront about the pros and cons of a position.Make sure employees are in the right positions
Matching people to the right roles is critical to maintaining a happy workforce, according to West. Happy employees stay at companies longer.In that sense, successful employee retention begins with thoughtful employee recruitment. This means that companies need to come to the process with a clear vision of their hiring needs, which is not always so easily done, particularly under the time pressures common to the hiring process. You are trying to do this dance in a time frame that is short enough that you get the job filled but long enough that you get a sense of the candidate pool and ensure you are spending enough time with the right candidates to get a good hire.