[Published in Manila Bulletin, August 2011]
In my last column, I wrote about “Ten Characteristics of Star Employees”. This time, I’d like to explore the flip side and discuss what makes employers great to work for.
See, your happiness and contentment in the workplace is directly affected by how the company that you work for is run. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just the salary that people look at when they choose employers. Money is not the end all and be all of job satisfaction. So if you want to be part of a great company, aspire to find or even develop these ten characteristics in your company:
1. They have a clear vision
Great employers have direction. Their leaders have a clear picture of what they want their company to stand for and where they want to go. We’re talking here about full enculturation of the company’s vision, mission and values wherein employees live by these guiding principles. It’s not just about putting a mission statement in a frame and hanging it on the wall. It’s about building a culture that employees are proud of and can easily identify with on a daily basis.
2. They have a good recruitment process
Great employers know that top notch employees equal an excellent company. So they establish recruitment systems that are designed to get the crème of the crop, not the bottom of the barrel. They seek out people who are skilled with the right attitude to fill in key positions in their company. They are organized in their recruitment efforts and have done the necessary homework for finding competent employees.
3. They have adequate compensation and benefits programs
Once they’ve hired their employees, great employers are able to keep them longer because they provide not just competitive salaries, but also benefits and perks. These benefits may include essentials such as healthcare, allowances for uniforms or food, to fun stuff like workshops and outings, to cool perks such as transportation assistance and mobile phone loads.
4. They train their people
Great employers also ensure that each employee grows professionally by providing training to help them do their jobs. From the beginning, as soon as an employee is hired, they are given an orientation. Then as they settle in their jobs, they are provided on the job training. This is also followed up by seminars, workshops and learning materials that will help employees develop further.
5. They monitor their people’s performance
After all the training, great employers make sure that their employees are able to apply what they have learned. This is done by continuously monitoring performance. Managers and supervisors constantly look at how their subordinates are doing. They provide guidance and immediate feedback. Then this is followed up by regular performance evaluations that are documented by the company’s HR people.
6. They recognize and reward good performance
The reason why performance is monitored is so that the company can reward the good ones and correct those that need to be improved. To encourage and motivate employees, great companies provide rewards and incentives. This could range from simple treats and tokens, to elaborate programs like employee of the month, sales target bonus with gifts like gadgets and trips abroad.
7. They equip their people with tools that help them work better and faster
If you want to double or triple your team’s performance, it is important to equip them with the right tools and equipment. Great employers understand this, so they make sure that their people are given the best software and hardware. More importantly, they are trained to maximize them. They understand that, “When you give a man the tools and know-how, you can step back and see the ingenuity that may come after.”
8. They have safe and conducive work environments
Great employers understand that a person’s environment affects his or her moods. So they take care in providing a workplace that’s conducive and safe for work. You can easily determine if a company is great or not by how clean and well-maintained the place is. So gather those waste baskets and purge unimportant items, clear your desks and organize! A clean work station will improve your mood and make you work better for a great company.
9. They care about their people
Great employers are able to provide programs that ensure their employees are well-taken care of physically, emotionally and spiritually. The company has heart and they show it to their people with kind words, caring leaders, firm and constant guidance. They understand that, “When you care for your people, your people will take care of the company.”
10. They develop leaders
Lastly, great employers develop leaders. They encourage initiative and innovation. They allow their employees to shine and provide opportunities for star performers to develop themselves as leaders. From the group of star performers, they choose and hone select people to lead the company to greater heights.
The truth is, there’s no such thing as a perfect company. Great employers are simply built by the people who work for it. If you want to work for a great company, it is in your hands to make your company a great and happy place to work in.
If you are looking for a job, seek to find a company that has these qualities. If you are already employed, make your company a great place to work in. If you have influence in your company, seek to develop these characteristics to make your company great and reap the rewards of a happy and productive workplace!
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy, HR Club Philippines and Teach It Forward Organization. Since 2003, her company has served more than 15,000 participants from various companies and industries by providing corporate skills training, business and human resource seminars. To know more about the seminars and services that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may also call (632)6874645. Email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com
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