10 Surefire Ways to Design a Workplace That Is Good for People, Great for Business, and Just Might Change the World
Mix business with pleasure
Building relationships with one another is an essential component of what it means to be human. However, in today's workplace, the value of connection should be more frequently considered. Instant messaging has replaced face-to-face conversation.
Fortunately, these summaries will assist you in reintroducing the human element to your organization. From meetings to feedback to values, this is your go-to resource for improving interactions among the people in your organization.
In this brief, you will learn.
Why office friendships are beneficial for business;
How to hold more meaningful meetings; and
the most effective approach to give back to your community.
1. Bringing your authentic self to work benefits both you and your organization.
We're often told to keep our business and personal lives separate. But it may be time to reconsider this norm. That's because when you try to keep a strict separation between your profession and your personal life, you miss out on a significant opportunity: to bring your humanity to work with you and be your authentic self all day, every day.
A Harvard Business School study discovered that organizations that celebrate their employees' true personalities have higher employee retention and more satisfied consumers than those that try to impose a uniform "corporate identity" on their employees.
The main takeaway here is that bringing your authentic self to work benefits both you and your company.
So, how does business authenticity appear in action? A corporation founded on the modest kitchen apron can show us the way.
When Ellen Bennett launched her apron company, Hedley & Bennett, she positioned herself as a millennial with wisdom beyond her years. She started telling people that she wanted to make the world a better place, one apron at a time. Her communication style was also honest, even if it involved dropping the occasional F-bomb. This may not have been precisely corporate behavior, but it helped her stand out from the crowd. Hedley & Bennett is now the world's leading manufacturer of trendy kitchen aprons. Ellen attributed her success to just being "real" with everyone around her, including her employees, clients, and investors.
So, how do you make your company or brand feel more authentic? Well, one of the finest approaches is to embrace honesty and begin telling stories. After all, the tales we tell about ourselves help people understand who we are and who we want to be.
JetBlue is one example of a firm that effectively uses storytelling. JetBlue employees take the stage during the new hire onboarding ceremony to deliver stories that emphasize the brand's principles. However, JetBlue does not just allow staff to tell the company's story; it also employs audio recordings of delighted consumers discussing their positive experiences with the company.
One anecdote comes from a woman who recalls how a JetBlue crew member assisted her disabled kid in accessing a lavatory during an emergency. JetBlue uses storytelling to inform its new hires about the company's principles. Perhaps more importantly, the anecdotes highlight the company's warm, honest side.
2. It is critical to keep a human touch in the brave new world of technology.
When you're a customer, communicating with technology can be a blessing or a curse. Consider the experience of going to the airport and checking into a flight. If you're a regular flyer, using your airline's fast self-service check-in machines could be a dream come true. However, if you're not used to flying or using self-service machines, the same experience could be a nightmare. With no airline personnel to talk to, you could start wishing you had stayed at home.
The fundamental takeaway here is that it's critical to keep a human touch in the scary new world of technology.
Companies now face a significant challenge in balancing the needs of tech-savvy clients with those who prefer traditional customer service. The solution is to identify the sweet spot between human connection and efficiency-boosting technology.
This is more complicated than it may appear. By employing technology to liberate your employees from tedious chores, you may give them more time to engage in meaningful human connections.
Again, let us consider JetBlue as an example of this technique in action. Self-check-in and bag-tagging are now standard procedures at airports. Instead of having to repeat this arduous process for each customer, crew members may now mix and connect with passengers.
This implies they can identify customers who might want more specialized assistance. Perhaps they observe a tired-looking mother battling with her little children; she would enjoy a complimentary coffee. Maybe a wheelchair user would benefit from some extra attention to make his airport experience more comfortable.
JetBlue believes that the underlying benefit of contemporary technology is that it allows us to spend our time doing more meaningful human things, such as communicating with customers. However, often, the best place for technology in your firm is where customers need help seeing it.
All of the personnel at New York City's newly renovated Union Square Cafe wear Apple smartwatches. Waiters, coat check personnel, and cooks can all work together flawlessly, thanks to these timepieces. This, in turn, allows diners to navigate their restaurant visits more smoothly.
Customers are frequently unaware that current technology is subtly enhancing the situation; they continue to have a completely human experience with their waiter. As a result, they have a more enjoyable experience and spend less time waiting around.
3. To increase the effectiveness of your meetings, thoroughly plan them.
Your team meeting may provide the best opportunity for human connection. This meeting is also one of the most regular opportunities. After all, almost 36 million meetings take place every day in the United States alone. But how productive are these meetings?
The quick response is, "Not very." It is estimated that American corporations lose a total of $37 billion per year on unnecessary meetings. So, what's happening? The primary issue is that our gatherings are often purposeless.
Consider the following scenario: your team is faced with an issue that it needs help tackling. Following a few weeks of halted progress, you convene a meeting to address the matter. The purported goal of the conference is to resolve the issue. But let's be honest: how can sitting around a table help with issue-solving? What does bringing everyone together actually accomplish? Your meeting will likely be a waste of everyone's time unless you have a well-defined strategy.
The main idea here is to properly plan your meetings so that they are more fruitful.
So, how can you improve your meetings? The first step is to confirm that they are consistent with your organization's values.
Mogul, a digital network that communicates with young women, is constantly seeking ways to align its meetings with its ideals. Mogul encourages transparency during company meetings by providing updates on its financial health and crucial performance metrics. Attendees will gain a better understanding of the company's performance.
You can also make your meetings more meaningful by redesigning the physical environment in which they take place. When you imagine a meeting, you might see a large, rectangular boardroom table. However, if you want to foster more open and lively communication among your meeting attendees, consider installing a circular table. This easy tweak will make everyone feel like they're equally involved in the interaction.
Another tip for better meetings is to make sure that everyone has a fair part of the talk. According to research, when six people gather, two of them typically do 60% of the talking. If you're leading a meeting, you can address this issue by asking the group's more reserved members to share their thoughts. According to psychologists, introverted persons prefer to be asked for their ideas during group discussions rather than spontaneously participating.
4. Supporting your employees' wellness has numerous benefits.
In 1700, the world of employment altered forever. It all began with an eye infection. When physician Bernadino Ramazzini encountered a cesspool operator suffering from an eye infection, he concluded there is a link between our health and our jobs. This prompted Ramazzini to write The Diseases of Tradesmen, which established the specialty of occupational medicine.
Ramazzini's discovery of the work-health relationship paved the way for today's corporate wellness system. Today, around 70% of American firms provide a wellness program for their employees. Good health helps both employees and businesses.
The main message here is that supporting your employees' wellness provides numerous benefits.
Of course, one of the advantages is financial. A 2014 study published in the Harvard Business Review examined the relationship between employee well-being and company financial expenditures in the United States. It discovered that every dollar invested in employee wellness initiatives saved companies six dollars in healthcare expenses.
However, investing in your employees' well-being has more than just financial benefits. In 2015, researchers discovered that wellness interventions increased staff productivity, performance, morale, and engagement.
But what precisely do we mean when we discuss wellness programs? While this term has become synonymous with subsidized gym memberships and cholesterol screenings, the finest wellness programs provide far more.
Vynamic, a healthcare consulting firm, has elevated its wellness service to new heights. In addition to the standard perks, Vynamic has implemented nutritious snacks, ergonomic chairs, and treadmill desks in the office. When its consultants engage with customers offsite, Vynamic arranges for these wellness benefits to accompany them.
But Vynamic does not end there. The organization acknowledges that true well-being encompasses both the mental and social elements. With this in mind, it has chosen to do something unprecedented in the consulting world: allow its staff to choose their own projects. Other companies inform their consultants where they're required and expect them to just hop on a plane and go. Meanwhile, Vynamic discusses many choices with each employee to ensure that they are never sent wherever they do not want to be.
Unsurprisingly, Vynamic's unique wellness initiatives produced exceptional results. While most consulting businesses have a 20% staff turnover rate, Vynamic's attrition rate is half that. This demonstrates that if you establish a caring, human-centered workplace, your talented people will want to stick around.
5. When your firm assists the larger community, everyone benefits.
Making relationships with other people is part of what it means to be human. Giving something of yourself to others, or giving something back, is a powerful way to form these bonds.
The world's most successful corporations have long recognized the value of giving back. In fact, more than three-quarters of the small businesses named by Inc. magazine as the best places to work allow their employees time off to volunteer for charitable organizations. Furthermore, a 2015 study conducted by consulting company Bain & Company found that employees who are inspired by volunteer projects are three times more productive than employees who are not inspired.
Here's the main message: When your firm supports the larger community, everyone benefits.
So, how can your organization begin giving back?
The most important thing to remember is that authenticity is king. It is not enough to merely state that you intend to do good; both your customers and staff need to see evidence that you are taking genuine, meaningful action. According to one recent study, 76 percent of millennial consumers will conduct their own research to see whether a firm is speaking the truth about its environmental or social policies. So don't simply talk, act.
However, the most excellent technique for selecting how to give back may be to wait for the proper time.
Brian Berger, the founder of the men's underwear business Mack Weldon, wanted to make sure to take time into a cookie-cutter philanthropy endeavor. Authenticity was one of his firm's fundamental beliefs. Therefore, Berger chose to wait until an effort resonated with what he - and his organization - stood for. Five years later, Berger discovered what he was seeking for a textile recycling project called Community Recycle.
With the assistance of this strategy, Mack Weldon began encouraging its consumers to return their old, undesired clothing whenever they acquired new items from the brand. The cotton from these used garments would then be recycled and utilized to make new apparel for communities in need.
Since launching this effort, Mack Weldon has made a significant environmental and social effect, preventing eleven thousand tons of old clothing from ending up in landfills while also producing high-quality apparel for neglected populations.
6. To be truly productive, you may need to take a vacation from being productive.
In today's fast-paced society, it's easy to forget that you're a human person. Instead, you begin to feel like a human being. Because you are continually working, you never get the pleasure of doing nothing. However, this workaholic mindset is not only detrimental to your health, but it may also harm your business.
According to research, taking a break from our daily routine allows us to come up with our most excellent and original ideas. Boredom is the mother of all invention. And pausing won't simply boost your creativity. It also benefits your professional development. According to studies, employees who take holidays are 6% more likely to get promoted than those who do not.
The essential takeaway here is that in order to be genuinely productive, you may need to take a break from being productive.
If you believe that being bound to your desk will help you improve your career, consider reconsidering your plan. It may be time for you to take a break. Taking a break from work will not only provide you with much-needed rest but will also allow you to view the broader picture. It may help you address aspects in both your professional and personal lives that could be improved.
For example, one study investigated what happened when a group of entrepreneurs and executives took a week off from all technological devices and online activities. Surprisingly, only three days into the experiment, many of the participants opted to make significant changes in their relationships and employment. By the end of the trial, these recovered tech addicts were making more eye contact with one another, had improved their posture, and reported feeling more energetic.
When it comes to taking time off, certain business executives are leading the way. Tristan Walker is the CEO of the health and beauty firm Walker & Company. Walker grew up with an absent father, so as a father, he determined to always be present for his own children. That's why he chose to take three months of paternity leave when his son was born.
Walker & corporation is currently a tremendously profitable corporation. This demonstrates that, when it comes to success, you do not have to pick between your bottom line and your life outside of work.
7. Make a relationship by saying "thank you."
When was the last time you felt truly valued by a company?
The author and her small daughter used to go to their local Starbucks every morning. The author's daughter, who enjoyed the pumpkin scones, was upset when the shop ran out one day. But when they exited Starbucks and began walking down the street, their barista, Ashley, pursued them.
She held a bag of gingerbread, which she presented to the small girl instead of her favorite pumpkin scones. At that moment, the author felt seen and valued - not only by Ashley but also by Starbucks as a whole.
The essential idea here is to make a relationship by saying "thank you."
Of course, you may have yet to have the opportunity or desire to follow after individuals with a bag of gingerbread. Fortunately, there are more discreet methods to demonstrate your appreciation for the people you work with.
SoulCycle, a fitness firm, has created a unique and unforgettable way for employees to express gratitude to one another. New recruits are handed 10 little pins, each representing one of SoulCycle's fundamental beliefs. When an employee sees someone in the firm exemplifying the principles, she can show her appreciation by giving her coworker one of her pins. One facilities manager, for example, has collected 17 pins from his coworkers.
Making time for thankfulness helps you get to know the individuals you work with better. When travel start-up Indagare began having a daily Thanksgiving meeting, it asked employees from throughout the firm to share what they were grateful for in both their professional and personal lives. These daily sessions were more than simply an opportunity for employees to express thanks; they also provided a better understanding of one another's lives.
Fostering this level of intimacy and connection among coworkers is highly beneficial to your firm. A recent Gallup survey demonstrates this. It was discovered that when employees believe they have a good friend in the office, their level of involvement increases while their likelihood of quitting the organization decreases.
So don't be scared to express your gratitude to the person at the desk next to you. It costs you nothing, yet the benefits could be enormous.
Final Summary
When you get to work, you don't have to shut down your humanity. Enjoying genuine relationships with your coworkers and customers will not only improve your well-being but will also increase productivity. Don't be a slave to your Wi-Fi connection; instead, use today's technology to your advantage, allowing you to spend more time engaging with others.
Actionable advice: Sit close to the folks you wish to collaborate with.
Why not vary your office seating arrangement to promote deeper ties among your employees? People are typically seated near those to whom they report, but this is not required. Instead, try to place your squad adjacent to another team. After all, sitting near others allows for more and better interactions. So, the next time you want two people to collaborate, try bringing them together in person.