Improving Corporate Culture in a Small Business
Posted: May 9, 2017
As an Employee Benefits agent, I have heard many testimonies from employers and employees over the years about their work environment… good, bad and ugly. One of the most consistent themes I have heard over the years from both employees and employers is that morale in the office is down. It seems that now more than ever, there are lots of opportunities for employees to carry negativity into the work place. The news, social media, a person’s home life, health concerns, finances, etc. each can have an effect on the attitudes of employees. Those attitudes, when brought into a small business, can spread quickly. Before you know it, you are going to have to bring in consultants and send employees off to seminars like: How to Handle Conflict in the Work Environment or Learning to Be a Team Player. Though consultants and seminars are great they shouldn’t be reactionary.
How can employers help?
Here are some ways employers can improve morale.
- Set your employees up for success. As Gary Campbell, CEO Johnson Health Center and Founder Impact to Lead shared, “Make sure the expectations for your employees are clear. That begins with a clear and concise job description, mission statement and core values.”
- Listen to your employees. One of the best ways to make someone within your office feel valued is to listen to their concerns and allow them to evaluate their work environment. Surveys and staff meetings can help initiate these conversations but there is nothing better than a one-on-one conversation with their manager/employer.
- Offer benefits. Offering group-sponsored health insurance as well as other ancillary products such as vision, dental and life insurance retains employees. These benefits provide security to employees who may otherwise be worried about having medical problems. It also creates loyalty from your employees. They feel their well-being matters to you, their employer. Other benefits include retirement plans, employee assistance programs, paid-time-off and/or vacation.
- Do something surprising. Sometimes just closing the office early, bringing lunch in to the office or surprising your employees with an extra day off improves morale. This makes employees feel as though you see them and you see their hard work.
There are many unique ways to improve morale but these are a good starting point. Success happens when each employee comes to work knowing they are in a secure environment with people who value them.
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