Traditionally, what mattered most in a company was the commercial strategy and its results, while human capital remained in the background (or underground, in some cases). In the whirlwind of meeting goals and increasing sales, it's easy to forget that employees are people. And even that they have feelings. For this reason, humanizing the workplace (whether virtual or face-to-face) is very important to improve the commitment and job satisfaction of employees, thus improving the company's productivity. We will never tire of saying it: people are the most valuable assets of an organization!
Do you think a workplace where employees are happy is more surreal than a Magritte painting? Fortunately, today there is a growing awareness of how fundamental the human team is, and more and more leaders contribute to humanizing the office by promoting organizational cultures where people enjoy collaborating to achieve common goals.
We can all contribute our grain of sand to create a better work environment together (and, in addition, obtain greater profitability). If you don't want your collaborators to go to work spending a few hours there just for the payroll, these are some of the ways to have a more humane organization:
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Work-life balance. Promotes a balance between work and personal life. We have confirmed that nothing will happen if someone leaves earlier one day, arrives later or teleworks. Promote flexibility and you will get happiness and good performance.
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Technology. It may seem contradictory but investing in technology helps humanize your organization: the digital transformation saves time , streamlines processes and can even create collaboration links.
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Time. Investing in people is investing in the success of the organization. Make sure they know you are there for them when they need you.
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Open communication. The more transparency there is within the communication process, the more innovation there is. Invite collaborators to participate in decision making and showing their thoughts. How? Through chats, videoconferences, meetings, feedback or self-assessments.
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Active listening. It is one of the most required skills, especially for leaders. In addition to listening carefully, it involves acknowledging and supporting the other person's perspective. It is very important that you carry it out when you receive feedback (either positive or negative).
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Collaborative environment. Don't waste anyone's energy on competitions. It encourages the whole team to share their best practices, what they have been learning and what their views are on the job. Positive experiences motivate and inspire. The hierarchical level does not matter , the more diversity of experiences, the more productive it will be for everyone.
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Positive feedback. Thank your collaborators for the work they are doing and congratulate them on their successes. In each meeting, you can even invite others to thank and recognize the work of one of their colleagues to help them recognize their strengths.
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Negative feedback. Talking about what went wrong requires an extra dose of psychology and consideration. When you talk to your employees about their mistakes or areas for improvement, focus on constructive criticism and what are the key necessary learning points that they should acquire, surely you can also reinforce what is the good work they have done so far the moment.
When people feel connected to your organization and share your goals, they are the best corporate image you can aspire to, and all the marketing in the world couldn't compete with that. So the responsibility of leaders is to create the means for people to grow engaged and satisfied. The success of any organization lies in enabling people to do what they do best.