What Qualities Make a Company a Great Place to Work?
Posted by Molly Hitchens | Jan 28, 2019
An ideal workplace motivates employees to utilize their skills and abilities for the mutual benefit of the company and their professional growth. With this in mind, what qualities make a company a great place to work?
From locale to resources to the provision of physical amenities that facilitate job execution, the list is endless. We will discuss some of these qualities in this article.
If you are a leader who is determined to make your employees satisfied, you can also adopt these attributes in your organization.
A company that adopts an open communication system facilitates the efficient execution of tasks in the least possible time. Such companies are transparent in their operations.
They accommodate creative ideas from their employees. This creativity facilitates a team spirit that results in increased profits.
In addition, employees working in a company that encourages open communication have a better understanding of their roles.
They also understand how these roles relate to those of other workers. As a result, they have a clear flow of information. This makes it easier for all staff to move in the same direction and pursue one goal.
For effective open communication, upper management must lead by example. The administration must build mutual trust that protects employees’ vulnerability.
An open office layout, various team building initiatives, and common recreational areas encourage collaboration amongst staff.
Excellent Work-Life Balance
Today’s employees have to juggle school, work, and family. The likelihood of experiencing burnout, chronic stress, or any other physiological ailments is high.
However, a company that creates a healthy work environment ensures a good work-life balance for its employees.
Some companies also assist their employees in achieving a work-life balance by offering extended maternity/paternity leave, telecommuting opportunities, and adequate vacation time.
Some allow flexible employee schedules that make it possible for them to study and still raise a healthy family. They aim at offering a career path that supports the lifestyles of their employees.
Similarly, modern workspaces now feature recreational facilities such as a gymnasium, ballroom, swimming pool, and a soft drink or juice bar. These are just some of the qualities make a company a great place to work in this age of millennial goals.
Career Trajectory
A person’s career trajectory is a summary of all their lifetime career achievements. In a real sense, your career trajectory is directly related to the company policies in place.
What qualities make a company a great place to work considering an ambitious career trajectory?
Companies that limit the number of years one is allowed to retain a particular role before being promoted show a disregard for the careers of their employees.
Such companies have no room for poor performance. They can guarantee that you achieve your dreams in the next five years.
Some high performing organizations such as football teams demand wins or other performance metrics before they renew the employee’s contract.
Today, maintaining a job at one company for long is seen as a lack of ambition and stagnation.
On the other hand, companies that offer defined career progression paths give their employees a sense of purpose. In turn, such companies have higher employee retention rates.
Goal Oriented Approach
A goal-oriented company focuses more on the results instead of the process employed in achieving goals. Such companies pursue ambitious goals that remove the disconnect between management and front-line employees.
Their remuneration features competitive salary packages as a reflection of the targeted goals.
Goal-oriented companies and departments have flexible working hours and promote employees’ growth.
On the other hand, employees working for goal-oriented companies understand the link between their direct duties and the overall organization’s success.
These workers are more engaged in their work, hence, more productive. They are also less likely to quit.
Foster Positive Values
A great company to work for has clear positive values listed on their mission statement. They also practice these core values in their day-to-day operations. These companies are characterized by:
Carrying out the company operations in an ethical, honest, and sustainable manner
Fostering innovation and excellence
Having programs that aim to do good for everyone
Active corporate social responsibility initiatives that reach out to the less fortunate
Honesty, compassion, reliability, loyalty, consistency, credibility, and open-mindedness are some of the attributes of such companies.
In as much as no company has negative core values, not all companies implement their positive beliefs.
When you are looking for what qualities make a company a great place to work, single out companies that have environmental policies against pollution.
Those that carry out regular fire drills to be prepared for any future fire disasters are also better suited for employee growth.
And those that insist on utilizing natural organic ingredients in all their products, and have proper waste disposal procedures that safeguard the ecosystem tend to be more considerate on the whole.
If you are juggling studies, a young family, caring for elderly parents, and a demanding career, working from a convenient job location is critical. Some job locations could also naturally limit your productivity.
For example, working outside the country requires you to adjust to a new culture. You have limited contact with extended family and a limited career advancement path as a result.
On the other hand, shifting from an urban setup to a rural one may limit various amenities including quality schools for your children, basic medical facilities, religious places of worship, and modes of transport and communication.
Similarly, working in a densely populated town has a strain on various natural recreational facilities such as beaches, hiking, and picnic sites.
But job location also includes the internal work environment of the office.
A company that employs people with diverse cultural backgrounds and orientations is great for beginners. Some companies offer the option of working remotely. This makes it possible to work for a company anywhere around the globe.
Others have offices located globally and employees can choose which office they prefer to work in. Such qualities make a company a great place to work for, based on location.
So what qualities make a company a great place to work? The list is endless. Make a deliberate effort to match your career goals and lifestyle standards with the core values of your company.
During your interview, ask questions that address all the qualities you are looking for in a company.