Taking care of our personal health and wellbeing is super important, that’s why we join gyms, meditate, eat a salad (even if we want a burger) and visit the doctor regularly. But when was the last time you checked in on your business’s health? We aren’t talking about taking the whole office down for a checkup, what we mean is taking the time to see how your workplace culture measures up when focusing on some key business health areas. Don’t worry we are here to help and will provide you with tools, tips and tricks to get your business health up to scratch to make 2020 your best year yet!
HEALTH CHECK AREA #1 – Employee Expectations
As the workforce diversifies and even more millennials enter the workforce, it is important to remember each generation brings with it a different set of expectations. Millennials are looking further than job stability, competitive salaries and benefits to be committed and loyal to a company and as the workforce shifts to a millennial majority it is important to address their expectations.
Diagnosis: We aren’t suggesting that you need to spread yourself too thin and meet everyone’s expectations, but you may need to rethink how you address and meet the expectations of a diverse workforce to maintain a strong corporate culture.
Prescription: Aim to improve the employee experience for your whole team, by acknowledging the value all generations bring to the workplace. Achieve this by having the right people in the right positions to identify this such as HR. As we move into the future and we acknowledge a diverse workforce we also need to acknowledge a greater need for a more dynamic, purpose-driven and versatile workplace environment. If companies want to harness the potential of this future workforce, then they need to focus on satisfying employee expectations across all generations.
HEALTH CHECK AREA #2 – Embracing Digital Transformation
Today the employee experience is just as important as the customer experience. It’s no secret that the world is evolving and technology is now playing an essential role within most organisations. But this also means that your team may expect more from you in terms of a digital presence and what technologies and software are available to them.
Diagnosis: With the increasing use of technologies it is becoming increasingly important to have not only access to a series of tools that will then enable your team to perform not just one single skill, but also the capabilities for them to learn and expand their skillset. For example, with the help of online platforms like Canva, anyone can become a designer.
Prescription: Explore what technologies and software will benefit your team and business and provide employees with the opportunity to learn. This may look like learning a new skill that compliments their role through introducing new technology or software or taking external classes.
HEALTH CHECK AREA #3 – Remote Working
How are you when it comes to flexibility in the workplace? We are finding more and more organisations are adopting a flexible work environment, with an increasing number of employees working remotely.
Diagnosis: There are many benefits to this including increased productivity and employee retention, it’s cheaper and is shown to improve morale and happiness. Although having a remote workforce may not work for every workplace if you have the capabilities and the flexibility to offer it, it can be very beneficial.
Prescription: If you choose to adopt a remote working option, make sure you clearly define the expectations and the procedure for working remotely. For example, how much notice is required? Do you need to send a calendar appointment to your colleagues?
HEALTH CHECK AREA #4 – Environment and CSR
We are becoming more conscious of the impact we are having on the world around us and what we can do to reduce our footprint. Thus it is becoming increasingly important to think about our impact on the earth and this is why companies are becoming more CSR focused.
Diagnosis: People want to work for a company that cares about the world around them, so it is important that you make it clear how you are making a difference.
Prescription: Show that you care by holding a charity focused team building activity or encourage community volunteering. With so many ways to get involved there is something to suit every organisation and employee. Need some inspiration? Check out these companies who are leading the way.
HEALTH CHECK AREA #5 – Mental Health Awareness / Wellbeing
Mental health affecting more and more individuals, with 1 in 4 people in the world affected by mental illness at some point in their life.1 It is becoming increasingly important as we become more open to talking about mental health and wellbeing, that we feel comfortable to do so in the workplace.
Diagnosis: We are looking for our workplaces to lead the way in this conversation and make mental health more accessible in the workplace. You don’t need to force everyone to talk about how they feel, but having the option available is a strong step forward.
Prescription: Why not bring in a speaker to do a talk on mental health to get the conversation started? Also clearly detail organisations that people can reach out to if they don’t feel like talking to a colleague or mentor.
HEALTH CHECK AREA #6 – Personal and Professional Development
Today we aren’t just looking for professional development from our workplaces; we are also looking for personal development. As a workplace, it is important that you support both.
Diagnosis: It can be difficult to support individuals through personal and professional development as each individual learns differently and has different expectations. But although it seems like a big task, we promise there are effective ways to accomplish this and satisfy your team’s needs.
Prescription: There are lots of tools available that can assist with both personal and professional development (two birds, one stone). Consider running a team workshop, that helps identify your teams strengths and weaknesses. These insights will not only help you put together the best team possible, but also provide individuals with a clear understanding of how they work, it’s a win, win!
HEALTH CHECK AREA #7 – Team Development
I’m sure it comes as no surprise that the success of your business, ultimately comes down to the people you have on your team. So just as it is important to look after each of the individuals, it is also important to look after the team as a whole.
Diagnosis: As the working world evolves, so does the way we bring our team together. It is important that you understand what will engage your team and what will allow people to feel comfortable as they get to know everyone.
Prescription: Try holding a monthly or quarterly team day where people can get the chance to interact outside of the usual stresses of the work environment. You could try something casual like a family fun day, a structured team building activity or a team lunch.
So how do you measure up? As with most medical conditions, the key is early diagnosis and the good news is there is always time to turn your business health around. Still not sure how healthy your business health is? Well, we have developed a quick and easy quiz to give you an accurate diagnosis.
- World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/whr/2001/media_centre/press_release/en/, 4th October 2019
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