Did you know that up to 72% of Malaysians place a good work-life balance more important than many other factors in determining their ideal career path? Having time for family, friends and hobbies is more important than “progressing in a leadership position,” “retraining for a new job,” or “working on exciting products, topics, or technologies,” according to a survey conducted by JobStreet and published on the site the year 2022Report on the future of recruitment. Today, Malaysians value people-centric organizations more than ever, as they “increasingly work to live, not live to work”.
Has your company recognized this reality? Are you already putting the well-being of your employees ahead of your business goals? If you're still hesitant to make the switch, learning the benefits of a people-centric culture should tempt you to make the move today. You may be surprised to find that ensuring the well-being and keeping your employees interested leads to greater organizational prosperity. Read on to find out how you can cultivate such values in the workplace in a simple yet productive way.
What is people first culture?
Do you want to attract top talent in the market? Or are you looking for effective solutions to retain your high-performing employees? The first question you should answer: Are you offering them what they need in their career and in life in general? A whopping compensation package may no longer be enough. Nowadays you need to attract them by promoting a positive employee culture in your company. But what exactly is that?
As the name suggests, a people-centric culture prioritizes employees over all other components of the business. Yes, that means: People on Profit, People on Sales, People on Business Growth, People on Development and People on any other Key Performance Indicators (KPI) the company has used in the past.
This shift in values emphasizes actively listening to the needs of its workforce, understanding them and solving them in every possible way. This could include the implementation of hybrid forms of work, flexible schedules and training opportunities. Or it could go as far as introducing menstrual vacations, scheduling down days for the entire team, or completely switching an employee's KPIs from results-based to values-based. For example, instead of the X number of sales in a month, measure an employee's performance by how many hours they spent helping a colleague or how many times they clocked in on time.
The company's goal now goes beyond ensuring you equip your people with the right skills and tools to help them do their jobs successfully. Instead, it is about creating and developing an environment that enables their fulfillment. You can no longer view them as means to achieve your preconceived goal, for they are the assets that make up that goal.
Examples of a culture that puts people first
To better understand this workplace-centric principle, you can look at how Meta, Google, and Apple run their businesses. These examples make it clear:
- Make work more meaningful by prioritizing people in outcomes, whether they're actual employees, clients, or customers.
- Allows flexibility in how work is done and goals are met.
- Equip leaders with the tools to empathize and implement people-centric change in their teams.
- Offer employees the opportunity to make a difference in the project or in the organization as a whole.
- We offer clear pathways for professional growth and development within manageable time frames.
- Implementation of specific guidelines on work-life balance, such as B. Regulations for after-hours correspondence, family-related leave and corresponding bonuses and additional benefits.
- Encouraging employees to provide real-time feedback on projects, managers and the company.
- We are committed to ensuring that employees put their own well-being and that of their colleagues before the well-being of the organization.
Are your employees excited to go to work every Monday? Do they feel empowered to make comments and suggestions at town hall meetings? Are there more smiles and laughter and fewer growls and threats? Can managers discuss both important business matters and non-work matters freely and without problems? Do you feel that everyone is generally happier and more motivated - maybe even with momentum in their steps? Then you might be on the right track to cultivating a people-centric culture in your company.
The key benefits of a people-first culture
You shouldn't do a complete organizational makeover to buy time—a people-centric company wouldn't do that. Also, don't overemphasize these values if you just want to be the talk of the town, set trends on social media, and boost your image to attract more job seekers. You should be doing this for the right reason: because you care deeply about your people.
Ultimately, you and your employees will benefit from this culture change. Here are some benefits you'll notice once you're on the right track:
- People feel valued for their tasks and feel recognized for their achievements.
- People become more grateful to their colleagues and bosses.
- People jump into a new project without hesitation.
- People don't complain about their daily chores.
- People feel supported in every challenge.
- People are more productive in the same time frame and without additional tools.
- People form valuable, lasting relationships with their teammates that can extend beyond the workplace.
- People use their annual leave without feeling guilty.
- People can spend more time with their families and friends.
- People succeed and overcome obstacles with ease.
- People help anyone in need without expecting anything in return.
- People smile more.
How a people-centric culture impacts business
The last point is a big plus if you're a people-centric company. Happy employees can help customers more effectively, which can help you make profits. But beyond this benefit, there are many other benefits that this culture shift can bring to your organization. Here are some you will soon like:
Attitude
Showing that you care about people's well-being will help youattract more qualified job seekers. This allows you to select the most suitable candidates from a larger pool. It also means greater diversity, so you can welcome a variety of skills and backgrounds.
productivity
Highly motivated employees lead to better (and more!) results. Think of it this way: When your partner expresses how much they appreciate you, you feel more motivated to be successful. The same goes for a company that fosters a culture that puts people first.
Engagement
Offering employee ownership opportunities can have a number of positive effects on your business. First, it can lead to more creative ideas. It also promotes better collaboration within the team. And you can expect everyone to care more about the company's well-being.
retention
Does your company experience multiple layoffs that are already impacting your operations? You may need to change your internal culture as soon as possible to reduce turnover. The problem could boil down to luck. When your employees are happy and content, they are likely to stay loyal and not look for other opportunities.
Ultimately, these benefits translate to improved business metrics, be it in terms of sales, deals, customers and profits. Satisfied and motivated employees lead to more success for your company.
How to develop a people-centric culture
It's high time your business abandoned the 9-5 mindset. Your next challenge is to make work experience-based for all your employees. After all, they are not robots. Here are some simple steps you can take to change your internal culture:
- Review your company mission and business goals and align them with the needs of your employees.
- Create opportunities for real-time feedback within teams.
- Create a safe and welcoming environment.
- Schedule regular one-on-one meetings and health check-ups among members.
- Create concrete opportunities for leaders and managers to recognize their teams.
- Encourage your employees to use their annual leave.
- Host people-centric events where everyone can learn, educate, progress and have fun.
- Develop strategies so that people are heard.
The needs of employees are constantly evolving. Nowadays, you need to make sure they enjoy a solid work-life balance based on nurturing a people-centric culture. do it for her Remember, people take care of their work when their work takes care of them.
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