LEADERSHIP
How to create a great workplace Leaders need to provide hope, positivity, flexibility and open communication FINDING MOTIVATED, ENGAGED and highquality employees is paramount to the success of any organization. Employees like this truly make the workplace great. With COVID-19, it’s important that we pay more attention to how we can sustain a healthy, growth-minded culture. This pandemic has led to additional work and personal stressors for our employees. Many employees are still working from home, alongside their spouse and children. People are being pulled in so many different directions and feeling as if, at times, they can do nothing right as they try to balance their work and family life. It’s important to remember that, no matter what life throws at us, we can always work towards having an amazing workplace. Positive leadership is critical right now. This consists of hope, positivity, flexibility and open communication. What is working? What needs to be improved? What is the feedback and necessary action steps to continuously improve our positive results? A barometer health check to answer these questions will lead to an overall sense of purpose for everyone. Leaders are key for facilitating these discussions. Every employee is different, but they will all remember how they have been treated during these times. Not every employee is in the same predicament and should not be treated the same way. Some employees may be struggling and others may be thriving. Some people may not be comfortable coming back to work yet, while some team
members may work better from the office. One way to help every employee succeed is by creating personalized game plans that align with your culture. Having a customized approach will make all the difference in the world. These individual plans can include accommodations to ease day-to-day stressors that the employee may face. For example, you can work out a personalized schedule and flexible work hours (as opposed to the typical 8-4 or 9-5 shifts) for the employee. There is also power in making time for consistent one-on-one conversations and check-ins. In one of our operating companies, we allowed workers to have their children come to work with them. We have also encouraged those who are most vulnerable, or those who are not ready to be back in the office, to work from home. There should not be any lack of confidence or a negative stigma of working from home. Another part of having a great place to work is making sure your customers are taken care of. Even if your team is remote or working at different hours, it’s crucial to make sure that they know how important it is to still meet or exceed the expectations of your internal and external customers. This requires a level of trust that comes from having the right employees in this type of environment.
maximize your employees’ contributions to the organization and their overall effectiveness. Allow employees to make mistakes, as there can never be improvement without them. Don’t forget to do some fun things as well. Simple actions such as sponsoring a meal or providing discounts to services such as DoorDash can really go far with making an employee feel valued. This can also lead to increased workplace morale where everyone feels inspired to take part in simple, thoughtful activities. You can provide tips to help with mental health, such as meditation and exercise as well. What can you do at your workplace to make it even better? How will you involve your employees in that initiative? After all, it is stability, trust, respect and purposeful work that keeps us all invested. n
What else can be done? Employees will succeed when they know their purpose and that they are valued. The success of a company, however, is dependent on everyone’s success. When everyone works together to be successful, then the workplace will truly be great. You can help your team succeed by redefining what success means. Talk to your employees about how they can align to the company’s overall goals and purpose. It’s truly inspiring to be part of something bigger than themselves. To sustain these initiatives, encourage accountability and a culture of continuous improvement without excuses. Provide tips on topics such as efficiencies and the flow of work. Ask your team for their suggestions as well. Consider setting goals, such as making one improvement per week, in a tailored manner, to
JERRY JENDUSA Jerry Jendusa is the co-founder of STUCK Coaching and was the founder of EMTEQ. He is a business advisor, investor and the author of “Get Unstuck.” He can be reached at jerryj@getunstuck.com. biztimes.com / 25
