The latest in HR trends is recognizing that its people are an organization’s most valuable asset. There are many reasons why this holds true; relationships formed between client and company typically begin with an employee or a team of employees. Employees champion your business and determine the success or failure of it. The work they do determines what customers and partners see, so it’s important for you to treat your employees with the value they bring.
Recognition that employees are an organization’s number one resource has skyrocketed in the last couple of years, due to the pandemic causing organizations to focus more heavily on their employees’ wellbeing during a time of hardship. And now, as we expertly navigate this new normal, it’s clear that people-focused organizations are here to stay, so it’s time to refocus on the journey toward becoming one.
What Is a People-Focused Organization?
People-focused organizations are those that have a culture of community and belonging that allows their people to be their best, authentic selves while achieving purpose-driven work. To achieve this there are several areas your organization should be focused on like company culture, creating personal and professional training opportunities, providing flexibility in where and how work is performed and providing tools to lessen administrative HR tasks. Let’s explore each of these a bit more.
Belonging is a basic human need and is rooted in people’s ability to be themselves in every aspect of their lives, which includes the workplace. When a person feels that they are part of a community and can make a positive impact, they are more likely to be productive. This is not only beneficial for employees but also the organization — a recent study by the Workforce Institute found that companies are 88 percent more likely to perform well financially when their employees feel heard, engaged and have a sense of belonging.
One of the fundamental ways to build a culture where employees feel that they belong is to establish trust at all levels within the organization. This requires leaders to communicate, be transparent and follow through. A SHRM article indicates that following through is perhaps the most important part of building trust because if leaders talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk, trust goes out the window.
Creating Purpose-Driven Work
Saying that the work environment itself has changed a great deal over the past two years is an understatement, but the thinking around what work means to employees has also changed. We’ve gone from work being a means to survive to work being something that should be meaningful, purpose-driven and make a positive impact. This means it’s critical to energize your employees by providing them with a clear understanding of how their work impacts the business and how they’re making a difference from wherever they may be in the world.
It’s no secret that employees can still be productive without having to be in the office. If your employees have been productive outside of the office, then why not give them the flexibility to split their work week between home and the office if possible? Designating two or three days for in-person work and coordinating meetings on those days to get face-time with employees, while giving them the option to WFH on the remaining days, provides the best of both worlds in many cases.
If this isn’t possible, then perhaps you could consider more flexible schedules where employees either come in earlier or later to be able to meet family commitments. Either way, trusting employees to get their work done even if they are not always in the office or working standard hours, will improve your relationship with them and boost their productivity.
Providing Your Team With the Right Tools
Providing your teams with the tools to be successful just makes sense, right? Well the HCM technology you pick can be a powerful asset that can help automate and reduce administrative burdens, empower employees and help you gain crucial business insights.
With self-service, for instance, you can empower your employees to take actions like updating personal information or initiating requests and give them control over their schedules. This approach also streamlines these processes for your managers and administrators so they can focus on more important things. In addition, the technology that you choose should allow you to collect data and more importantly, provide you with proactive insights in areas that need your attention so that you can address them before they become issues. Lastly, collect feedback from your employees so you can truly understand their sentiments and naturally adjust your people strategies.
Why Modern Work Requires Purpose
The way that work is viewed has changed dramatically — it is no longer a means for survival but now a means to fulfillment and as such, requires purpose. This realignment of employees’ priorities to find meaning and purpose in work is not a fad, and organizations need to refocus on becoming more people-focused. This starts with creating a culture of community and belonging and providing employees with a clear understanding of how their work will have a positive impact on the business.
Providing development opportunities and more flexibility around where and when employees get work done are also key to moving toward a people-focused organization. Lastly, leveraging technology to automate and reduce administrative burden in addition to enabling employees, will provide you with invaluable insights into employee sentiment and help you support and evolve your people-centric strategy.
Quanta Puts Your People First
At Quanta, we pride ourselves on being more than just a provider; we’re a partner. Our employee lifecycle specialists help you manage your most valuable asset (employees) from pre-hire to retire. You shouldn’t allow the backend of your business to slow growth or impede progress. That’s why we’ve created an all-in-one solution to manage the employee lifecycle. Our HCM suite, separated into HR, time and attendance and payroll modules makes your business – and your day to day – easier. Contact us to learn more about how your business can be a force for good when leaders step up and give back to employees, the community and ultimately, to the organization.
