The competition is fierce when it comes to being identified as a best place to work, or even a great place to work, but this status is about more than image or popularity. It’s about the staunch reality that some of the best talent is out there looking for work, and naturally, those people are bound to gravitate toward companies that treat their employees well and provide an environment that makes them feel good about waking up every morning and going to work for them.
If you’re not striving to be more like Airbnb, Google or Twitter, it won’t be the end of you, but it may bring you closer to the end of attracting the type of people that will ensure your organization’s success is long lasting. If you’re thinking that these companies are soaring when it comes to employee experience based solely on the fact that they are reputable brands, you’re wrong.
Great companies that consistently rank high across multiple top employer lists work hard to maintain their place. And with platforms like Glassdoor, they’ve got current and former employee experiences to back them up. Plus, companies that are ranked as top employers are aware of one very important fact – being a great employer isn’t just good for morale and recruitment, it’s also good for business.
So, what does it take to become an employer of choice?
It isn’t necessarily something that comes easily, especially if you haven’t had the time to give your employee experience much thought in the past. It requires understanding your employee needs and testing out different programs to gauge what helps your people feel appreciated and motivated to grow with you. So there isn’t any one magical recipe that applies to all companies looking to become an employer of choice, but there are definitely steps you can take to strive toward being a recognizably great employer. And whether you make it to the top or win the awards (or not), it’s still important to remember that working toward building a great workplace is definitely worth it – for the success of your employees and your company.
Here are 5 ways to start making your company the one people want to work for
Give people work that they can be proud of. You hear it all the time, especially with the transparency offered through social media – people want to do work that gives them a good feeling and has a great impact. Even if we aren’t all destined to cure cancer or put an end to poverty, it’s still important to offer your people work that matters. Design the jobs that you’re offering in a way that presents a clear link between your employees purpose and passion. A great employer can show its people how different jobs are important to a collective long term goal and add purpose to everyday life.
Live your company values. Every company has a vision, values and mission that they’re out to accomplish through their talent, but talking about the values of your company and living them are two entirely separate things. Top employers don’t just adopt their values by throwing them into an HR manual, they actually follow through on them by exercising these values through daily activity and work ethic. So remember that your company values aren’t just marketing tools to attract great talent, because talented people are also smart and will expect these values to be practiced.
Invest in a your company’s culture. It’s not always fun to come to work, even if you do have a great job, because you also have a life outside of that office that can get in the way. But coming to a job at a place that you want to go to comes from good company culture – which differs depending on who you are. Create a workplace that your employees look forward to coming to every day, and remember that a top employer believes in listening to their employees to better understand what they want and need.
Offer your people the chance to grow. People working at top-rated companies are likely looking to work within a role that offers them inspiration, growth and professional development. Give your employees a reason to grow with you and you’ll find that their personal success will propel your business forward. Offering your people mentorship, the chance to attend events, classes or workshops of interest to them, and a space in which they can grow while they work are a few great ways to recognize employee potential and embrace the opportunity to invest in your people.
Build a strong and supportive management team. Great employers are great because they build management teams that know how to communicate well, offer autonomy to their team members and demonstrate accountability within their organization. When you’re looking for leadership, remember that approachability is key to bringing out the best in your employees, and that managers who treat each of their team members equally are likely to see great performance in return.
Start with these 5 steps as you make your way to the top of the best rated employers list and remember that it’s never too late to become an employer of choice.
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