By Tom Grandy, Founder
When you were growing up, chances are you had at least one close friend. Where did you spend a bunch of your free time? Many of us spent a huge amount of time at our friend’s house rather than our own. Did you ever stop to consider “why” you spent so much time at your friend’s house? Sure, your friend lived there but what else? Maybe it was the family atmosphere. You always felt welcome and were probably invited to stay for lunch or dinner on a pretty regular basis. Going a bit deeper, you felt welcome no matter the time of day you may have arrived. Your friends’ parents accepted you as one of their own and often included you in family activities. Besides that, those cookies his or her mom made were wonderful.
Working in a family environment, for many employees, is as important as their pay and benefits. Well-rounded families have rules, they respect each other, they work hard, and they fellowship together. Below are a couple practical tips to help any company create more of a family environment.
The bottom line was that you felt safe, loved and accepted…right? Your friend’s house was really just an extension of your own home where you felt the same things.
Did you go to your friend’s house because you had to? Of course not. You wanted to be there.
Now, switch gears for a moment and think about your company and your employees. Why do they come to work each day? Is it simply to earn a paycheck or do they enjoy being there? Is going to work each day more like spending time at your friend’s house? Believe it or not, for many employees the company really is their family.
- Rules – Families have rules and so should businesses. That is where a Company Policy Manual comes in handy. All employees need to clearly understand what the rules are and what the company’s expectations of them are. Just like families, when rules are broken, there will be consequences.
- Listen to One Another – Mutual respect is another trait of a healthy family. Each member of the family (or business) needs to feel they can speak up and be heard when they have an idea, concern or a problem. Creating frequent meetings in order to provide an environment where all thoughts and ideas can be heard is important. That might take the form of a weekly service meeting and/or monthly or quarterly company meetings.
- Work Towards a Common Goal – The common goal in business is to make a profit. The question is, who benefits when the goal is met? When a clear vision is provided of where the company is going and how reaching stated goals will benefit “all” employees, everyone will be more willing to work together towards that goal.
- Willing to Help Others – Families, and businesses, function best when the atmosphere is not “all about me”. Real families are willing to lay down their lives for other members. When a need is seen they pitch in. When help is needed they don’t need to be asked, they help because they care. Businesses should function the same way.
- Serendipities – Few things make individuals feel more accepted and/or appreciated than a spontaneous act of kindness. That can take the form of unexpected pizza for lunch, a gift certificate for outstanding service, a company gathering at a ball game or perhaps a summer picnic. Any and all of these things say “we care” without having to say it.
There is a huge shortage of techs and qualified employees today and it is not likely to get better any time in the near future. One of the best ways to retain employees is to create an environment where they enjoy working and feel like they are part of a family. This will serve as a huge plus when it comes to retaining employees long term.
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