What truly fulfills an employee?

A question that has been baffling employers for decades. Of course, the obvious reason is that everyone reports to work to earn a paycheck but what other factors help gain and keep employees in your organization? Benefits, workspace, and colleagues are all high on the list of what matters – but another component of work-life that’s very important is office culture.

What does office culture mean?

Although difficult to define, office culture can be loosely described as the ‘vibe’ of the office. It includes things like flexibility, fun, and opportunities for personal growth balanced with your day-to-day tasks and projects. Today’s employee is keenly aware of the fact that over 30% of their life is spent working, so they want to work in a place that values the same things they do.

How do you define and achieve your office culture?

One way to discover your culture is to survey employees. Ask what they like about working for your company and what could be improved. However, be ready for some cold, hard truth. Some of the common complaints are things like not enough opportunity for continued training and advancement, lack of flexibility and not enough f-u-n.

Ideas for establishing your workplace culture.

Flexibility is huge. Consider allowing employees to work one day a week from home. If that’s not possible, there are other ways to bend. Varying hours, flex time off, collaboration and quiet areas where work can be done via a laptop are just a few of the things you can implement that will make employees feel more in control of their day.

Investing in employees’ development used to be viewed as training them for their next job. Now it’s a retention tool. Don’t worry; you don’t need to schedule expensive retreats or seminars. Instead, hire a trainer to come to the office and present a topic that’s beneficial to them as individuals and as a team.

Examples can include presentations on:

• stress management
• personal marketing & presentation
• how to resolve conflict
• creative sales techniques
• using humor
• and more!

Schedule them monthly, quarterly or even semi-annually. If you want to make it even more special, serve food and call it a lunch & learn. Pro Tip: Ask to preview the presentation so you can ensure it’s appropriate for your team. A crash and burn will do more damage than good, so better to be safe than sorry.

Don’t forget to have FUN. Start with something like “Donut Day”. A monthly or quarterly event where donuts are brought in for the team. Position them where people can meet and greet one another. From there, try another short activity like pizza and games over lunch. If you’re feeling really fun, hire a comedian to entertain the group while they dine.

Next work on something outside of the office. Sponsor some slots in a 5K, pay for teams to take a painting class, or go bowling one afternoon. If there are limitations on activities, reformat the fun. Bring in a foosball table, exercise bikes, games, and toys … encourage your employees to take mental breaks throughout the day.

Benefits are also seen as part of workplace culture.

Health insurance and time off are considered standard. So, try going the extra mile and offering things like:

• discounts on services or merchandise
• a paid day each year to volunteer
• new parent perks
• longevity rewards
• onsite medical services (massages, minor exams, etc.)
• birthdays off
• Super Bowl Monday (or other non-holiday days) off
• health incentives
• referral bonuses
• snow/sun days (early departure for very nice or very bad weather)

We can help!

If you need any help with providing more comfortable, flexible surroundings for your team, we can help. We have an extensive selection of lounge seating, office accessories, and options for dining or meeting areas that will enhance your office and your company’s culture. Contact us today to learn more or schedule your free site survey!