The 9 to 5 grind wouldn't feel like a grind if your workplace is comfortable and your employer cares about your well-being. Most of the time, we don't get exhausted at work because there's too much work to do, but because we work in an uncomfortable and stressful environment. Psychological, mental, and emotional stress can tire you as much as physical stress (or maybe more).
There was a time when employers were inconsiderate towards their employees. They didn't bother about how their employees were doing. All they cared about was work. This puts employees under a lot of stress.
However, today, there's a massive shift in the employer mindset and workplace culture. It took the employers a while to understand that stressed employees don't perform the best. An inflexible and stressful work environment reduces employee productivity, and this has led employers to adopt an employee-centric culture.
This blog post talks about how an employee-centric workplace benefits employees and employers and how a workplace can be made employee-centric.
Is Adopting an Employee-Centric Culture Worth it?
Adopting an employee-centric culture isn't so easy. It requires the acceptance of an entirely different mindset. Only after you've opened your mind to a new approach can you take the first steps toward making your workplace employee-centric.
The question that may be bothering you is whether the process is worth it. Well, continue reading for all the answers (and motivation) you need to get going!
Employees will work with Greater Dedication
When employees know their employers care about them, they'll naturally be more willing to go above and beyond to get things done. Knowing that their employer puts their safety, health, and well-being above everything else makes employees feel valued. Moreover, adopting an employee-centric culture where the employees feel comfortable raising concerns and knowing their concerns will get addressed will also result in greater employee productivity. All in all, when you make the workplace more about your employees than the profit margins, the employees will notice it, and they'll work with greater dedication and commitment, resulting in better results for the business.
Better Growth of the Business
The employees are the backbone of every business. The success of a business can be measured by looking at how productive and competitive the employees are. As we've already said, an employee-centric workplace will result in higher employee productivity and better results. By better results, we mean high-quality work delivered on time. This means higher customer satisfaction levels. All of this means good things for the business. It won't be wrong to say that adopting an employee-centric culture boosts business growth!
Employees Communicate More Effectively
A very important aspect of an employee-centric workplace is a stress-free work environment. The managers give the employees space and ownership of their tasks, giving them a sense of authority and putting in their best to deliver the highest quality results. When an employee knows they've got the authority over a certain task, they'll communicate with all the members of their team and other relevant departments more efficiently to ensure there are no bottlenecks in the task completion. A workplace that promotes healthy communication between employees is a workplace that fosters healthy competition and healthy employees (mentally and physically).
Higher Employee Retention
One of the most common reasons employees quit organizations is their employer's lack of concern for them. If the workplace doesn't offer a sense of safety there are no measures in place to safeguard employee health and well-being, and there's no hope for things to get better, the employees don't see the point of investing their time and energy in the job. However, when an employee knows their employer cares about them and is actively looking into ways to make their workplace safe and healthy for the employees, the employees stick around for longer, and they do so happily!
Achieving an Employee-Centric Workplace Culture
Transforming the workplace culture to make it more employee-centric is a challenging task, as we've already stated earlier. However, it's possible, and employers worldwide are actively taking the appropriate steps. When others are doing it successfully, you can too!
Below are some tips to help you make your workplace employee-centric.
Consider Your Employees Humans and Not Paid Robots
The first step towards making your workplace employee-centric is to start seeing your employees as humans instead of paid robots. Understand that they're humans and have needs and concerns that your responsibility is to take care of as an employer. Back in the day, the employees needed to be given more freedom to raise their concerns. They were expected to work in whatever conditions and with whatever resources the employer-provided. This resulted in the employees facing challenges along the way that delayed the timelines and affected the quality of work.
However, when you empathize with your employees and consider their concerns and complaints, your employees will feel valued. They'll know they aren't wasting their time and energy on someone who doesn't care. They'll know you care and do whatever you can to address their concerns and complaints.
Make Your Workplace Comfortable and Safe for Employees
Another important feature of an employee-centric workplace is employee safety and comfort. If you want to make your workplace employee-centric, take the necessary steps to enhance employee comfort and safety.
Start with replacing the furniture in your workplace. Get rid of the traditional office furniture and equipment and switch to ergonomic office furniture. The problem with traditional office furniture is that it needs to address the individual comfort needs of the employees, and they're made with an assumption of 'one-size-fits-all,' which isn't the case. Every employee is of a different physique, and they can't be comfortable using the work desk and office chair of the same dimensions.
This is where ergonomic desks and chairs can help you enhance comfort for your employees. An ergonomic desk like the Height Adjustable Whiteboard Standing Desk has an adjustable height that allows each employee to adjust the height of the work desk to suit their comfort needs. Using a work desk of the right height ensures the employees are seated in the correct posture. Sitting in the correct posture enhances employee comfort and reduces the risk of posture-related musculoskeletal disorders characterized by pain in the neck, shoulders, and lower back.
An ergonomic chair also has various adjustability options to offer employees superior comfort at work. From adjustable height to adjustable seat depth and flexible backrests and armrests, an ergonomic chair ensures the employees sit comfortably in the right posture. And as we said earlier, correct posture also reduces the risk of work-related health conditions.
Higher employee comfort and sense of safety will also have a positive effect on employee productivity and efficiency. Therefore, investing in ergonomic furniture is a win-win situation for employees and employers!
Ensure a Stress-Free Work Environment
A stressful work environment leads to reduced employee productivity and efficiency and also affects their mental health. The employees are always edgy, anxious, and stressed when their environment is stressful. One way to make your workplace employee-centric is to ensure a stress-free work environment. Some ways you can do that include:
Don't follow up too frequently.
Make your employees feel comfortable so that they can communicate their concerns to you.
Respect your employees.
Offer flexibility in work schedules.
Don't ask too many questions when your employees ask for leave.
Appreciate and Reward Your Employees for Their Efforts
Don't make the business about yourself and the profits. Remember that your employees are the actual driving force for your business. Appreciate your employees for their efforts and reward them for their exemplary performance and contributions regularly. Simply acknowledging their efforts and offering small rewards like certificates, presents, cash vouchers, or similar incentives can go a long way!
Encourage Your Employees to Take Breaks and Relax
One of the most common characteristics of old-school employers was to expect their employees to work every minute of their shifts. They didn't like it when their employers took a break. This stressed the employees out and also resulted in employee burnout. However, when striving to create an employee-centric workplace, you should encourage your employees to take short breaks between work. You can even design relaxing rooms where employees can relax for a while before returning to their workstations. You may think this would result in lost time at work, but it boosts employee productivity, efficiency, and mood!
Closing Words
An employee-centric workplace is one where you keep employees first. Their health, safety, and well-being matter to you, and you actively implement measures to make your employees feel good about their jobs and themselves. Gone are the days when employees were seen as robots. Today, employers who see their employees as humans and consider their wellness are the ones who are growing and prospering.
