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When I walked into my local Centier Bank branch one day, the tellers said to me, “Hey, Chrisanne, you’re in HR, right? We have a manager position open, and you’re so nice. You should check it out.”
I thought they were all nice, too, and figured the bank must have been doing something right to have such happy associates. I told them I would look into it.
Nearly 30 years after getting that first role with Centier, I’m still here, because it wasn’t just a great place to be a client but also a great place to work. The world looks different than it did when I started here, and workplace, employee and client needs have all changed. However, the fundamental elements of a great workplace—flexibility, empathy, communication—remain intact and are as important as ever.
◗ Be flexible.
In addition to the “musts” of a workplace, like competitive pay and health care benefits, flexibility is at the top of the list. Employees want the ability to work from home to cover service appointments or have the flexibility to attend their kid’s sporting event, a vet visit, or a medical appointment with a loved one.
Not all businesses are able to offer fully remote options, and some service businesses might have less ability to offer hybrid work-from-home schedules for on-site workers. Fifty-eight percent of Americans are fully on-site workers, and recent polling by Gallup reveals that these workers highly value time flexibility. Employers should offer longer lunches, flexible schedules, or condensed work weeks to accommodate the same level of flexibility for on-site workers.
◗ Embrace generational differences.
Diversity of ages is important to a company’s success, and with five different generations in the workforce, there’s no shortage of differing opinions on how to get work done. No one generation is a monolith, but certain stereotypes and assumptions can come into play.
For example, the work ethic that was instilled in older generations can make it harder for some individuals to understand what younger generations place importance on in their work environments. It’s not a bad thing that those differences exist; in fact, they should be embraced. That first means helping workers be adaptable. Managers need to understand the pros and cons of different generations’ motivations, communication styles and worldviews to guide their teams to bring their unique advantages to their roles.
To attract talent with a diverse range of ages, workplaces should meet candidates where they are by posting open positions in a variety of locations such as LinkedIn, Indeed, AARP and recruitment events to reach all generations. Don’t forget to review your offerings, as well. How are your benefits stated, and are they designed for what is important across generations? If you aren’t sure, ask your current team members for feedback.
◗ Ask for feedback and respond.
The most important thing any business’s leadership can do to be a standout workplace is to ask its employees for feedback. What do they and don’t they value? Are you providing it? What could be improved?
Oftentimes, we think we know what our employees need or want, but we might be missing the mark and not realize it. Third-party anonymous surveys can be particularly helpful in these cases. We appreciate making Indiana Chamber’s Best Places to Work list each year, but more important, we value the insights from our associates and hearing about what they value and what we need to consider adding or changing.
Remember, though, if you ask for feedback, you must act on it. When implementing changes based on feedback, detail those changes and why they were implemented so employees know you listened to and valued their feedback. Not acting upon that feedback will erode trust and open communication.
◗ Prioritize employees.
Too many employers can have an “us versus them” mindset (leaders versus employees). There’s no room for “versus” in a business. From the CEO to the newest hire out of college, it should be everyone working together toward building a great place to work.
Finally, and most important, putting employees first is crucial to higher retention and long-term success. Offering flexible work schedules to encourage a strong work-life balance, recognizing and awarding achievements, and promoting group collaboration are all strategies to help create a work environment where employees feel valued and inspired.
When you genuinely care for and support your team, they come to work motivated and committed to achieving the company’s goals while in turn supporting customers. Prioritize your employees, and they will take care of the rest.•
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Christ is senior partner over human resource development for Centier Bank.
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“Remember, though, if you ask for feedback, you must act on it.”
Nothing kills morale faster than going from “I think the boss doesn’t care what we think” to “The boss asked what we thought and did nothing, so it’s obvious they despise us and think we’re worthless”