INSIGHT: COLLABORATIVE CULTURE
The MAGIC FORMULA for a great place to work
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hat makes somewhere a great place to work? Often, when you ask people about what they look for in an employer, the initial focus is on the benefits and perks that make a workplace more flexible, convenient or fun – but this is only part of the picture. Here, Chris Webb, HR Director, Domino Printing Sciences explains why the foundations of any great workplace lie within a company’s culture, and outlines what he believes to be the magic formula for making somewhere a great place to work.
company values should act as a mirror for individuals, to assess how their actions echo those of the company that they work for. In this way, company values should resonate individually with each member of an organisation, providing an opportunity for self-reflection and learning.
A substantial salary, generous employee benefits scheme, subsidised gym membership, and free onsite canteen might be enough to convince someone to join a company – but is it enough to get someone to stay?
Employees need to be free to challenge the normal way of doing things, to share ideas, put forward suggestions, and not be afraid of making mistakes. We recognise the value to be found within a fresh perspective. An open mindset culture and setting challenging goals for continuous improvement allow us to keep evolving our business for growth.
A culture of collaboration ensures that everyone has an opportunity to express their ideas and to help improve the business. Collaboration helps to broaden perspectives and challenge conventional wisdom so that we can reach better outcomes, together. If 2020 has taught us anything, it is in the value of listening to the thoughts, ideas, and concerns of our colleagues and customers. This focus on building employees’ expertise represents an opportunity for everyone, as we embark on a journey of learning and development and invest in the experts of the future.
It’s important to make sure that employees are well looked after and rewarded for their service; this is something that all companies should be able to achieve. But to create a great workplace – the kind of place that attracts, retains, and inspires the very best talent – requires more than just the fulfilment of basic, intrinsic human needs.
The magic formula An honest purpose and a set of clear values together provide a shared framework and mindset for employees, a magic formula which, when done right, positively impact the employee experience and provide the building blocks of a truly great workplace. Of course, competitive salaries and a generous employee benefits scheme are important – but they are just one small part of what makes a company a great a place to work. A much bigger part of this is having something that everyone shares, everyone can believe in, and everyone can all work together to achieve.
The purpose of a purpose Developing a coherent purpose helps to motivate and inspire employees, and, as such, is an essential part of any successful organisation. As human beings, we are inherently social, and so having a unifying belief that aligns us with our colleagues, and with a business as a whole, is crucial to feeling valued. One of the biggest pitfalls in drafting a company purpose retrospectively is creating something, which isn’t true to the business. A purpose needs to be honest and believable to be effective.
Living by company values Company values are the principles that drive a business – those underlying philosophies that support the purpose by emphasising what a business and its employees stand for. Values also provide insight into what each member of an organisation can expect from their colleagues and the business as a whole. When developed carefully, and truthfully,
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