Companies are changing. The days of the traditional workplace are dwindling with companies turning focus to perfecting their corporate culture. More are realising the importance of an enjoyable working environment in order to retain high value employees.
While many companies claim to have exemplary workplace culture, most don’t walk their talk. It’s one thing to say your company goes above and beyond when it comes to nurturing talent, but it’s another thing entirely to make this a measurable part of your business.
Creating an engaging and rewarding environment has very little to do with ping pong tables and Friday drinks; it needs to be inherent in your business’ DNA.
Cater to the age of your staff
At Meltwater, the average age of our employees is 26 and it is important to understand what our young staff members value. I have found that creating a connection between their day-to-day jobs with the company mission gives them a deeper sense of purpose. For example, generation Y is more concerned with making an impact and having exposure to the goings on at management level rather than obvious office perks.
As a manager, I make sure to do everything I can to be accessible and approachable to everyone on the team. And I find this has far more value than putting down a generous bar tab at the next office social night.
It is important to remember that being accessible goes beyond imparting advice. In fact, really listening to staff and taking what they have to say on board is far more valuable than talking at them. You need to provide frequent opportunities for feedback, actively listen to what is being said and make swift decisions about how best to act on it.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realise that if your staff are unhappy and ask for things to change, you need to make those changes if you want to nip things in the bud and avoid minor concerns snowballing into massive issues.
Attract – and retain – the right talent
When it comes to attracting talent, making sure that person is the right culture fit is a critical factor in our recruitment processes at Meltwater. And I’m a firm believer that waiting for the right person is far better long term than hiring “the best of the bunch” right now. In recent times, Millennials and even Gen Ys have developed a reputation for changing jobs every few years. Many believe this is due to tiring of the role and their generations getting bored easily. I’ve found that this can be easily avoided.
If you create opportunities for them to remain challenged, to constantly grow and to prosper within your company, they will have no reason to leave. If you look after your staff and actively reward them, both financially and otherwise, the investment will pay off exponentially for your company. We always hope that the talent we hire today will become our company’s management team tomorrow. If you get the culture right, people will stay and be happy, then growth will follow.
Taking responsibility for the personal growth of your employees starts from the interview process. We pore over our potential hires and put a lot of effort into making sure the candidate is both ambitious and passionate about their career. Any weaknesses can be turned into strengths, but a desire to work hard, achieve and grow cannot be taught.
One-on-one weekly meetings between a staff member and their manager can be a very rewarding experience. This gives employees plenty of opportunity to give and receive feedback, reflect on how they feel and what they need to work on. This individual attention ensures your employees feel valued and like an important part of the team and company as a whole.
Lead by example – both in work and play
As a manager you need to walk the walk. I am very passionate about what I do and constantly strive for victory, but at the same time make sure I have fun while doing it. I expect this kind of enthusiasm from my team in return. You should keep in mind that at the heart of it, people just want to enjoy themselves. If you can help people to enjoy the work they do, they will work twice as hard without you asking them to.
At Meltwater, we implement a variety of fun activities and rewards that motivate staff to continue striving for greatness, whether it’s a financial reward for reaching targets, or something more symbolic like ringing a bell when a team achieves their goal.
Of course, a good company culture also means making time for fun – both at a business and social level. Having fun starts with the people you hire because you need to make sure that they add value to the existing culture. The best way to welcome newcomers into the company’s culture is to get them involved in social activities from the get go.
We induct our new hires into Meltwater’s culture club, where they help create and organise the company social events. For the first six months of their new job, these new employees already feel like they’re making an impact on the company culture.
Ultimately, a good company culture is based on two equally important components: fun and purpose. If you can provide this as an employer, you are well on your way to cultivating an enviable working culture.
David Hickey, ANZ Director of media intelligence company, Meltwater, a leader in media intelligence solutions that remains one of Australia’s Best Places to Work with less than 100 employees, placing 11th in 2016. This marks the third year the local team has been recognised in Great Place to Work® Australia’s annual list.
