Three key factors in building a workforce culture of success.

How can we foster a culture of success within our organisation, both for the organisation as a whole and for the mindset of each individual? Are there certain behaviours that could be utilised or in some cases, extinguished, to ensure that we have a successful organisation driven by its workforce that serves its purpose and ultimately maximises profits?

The below are not the only factors that play a part but from our experience of what we see from various businesses in Cayman, their utilisation (or lack of) can make a significant difference.

Innovation

A culture that values innovation is contagious. It could help to improve or transform the overall oganisation and push past its competitors, be it through new products and services or even just new and more efficient ways of doing things.

Leadership should look to inspire forward-thinking and encourage employees to express themselves freely, bringing new ideas to the table. Regularly seeking feedback from employees at all levels is a great way to do this. How do they feel that their service line or product could be improved? Could they think of a better way to perform a certain task?

Some forward-thinking organisations even hold regular company-wide feedback sessions, ideas from which are often implemented. Such exercises also make employees feel more valued and increase general productivity.

Communicate appreciation

Employees want and need to know how they are performing and that they are important to the organisation. Appreciation is an organic motivator – it keeps employees engaged, improves morale and can improve overall productivity and creative thinking. It also helps to build loyalty as employees feel valued.

As a recruiter, a common frustration I see amongst candidates is a lack of appreciation or even communication as to how they are performing from their seniors. Ironically in so many cases, their employers’ appreciation is not communicated until they have handed their resignation.

Appreciation should be a daily occurrence and not saved only for performance reviews. It is about giving positive feedback and gratitude regularly and openly.

Individual success

Individual success leads to collective success. While team success is key to the overall performance of the business, individuals need to feel a sense of self-accomplishment and that they have a structured and progressive path. An individual will nearly always put their own long-term needs above their employers.

Wherever possible, organisations should encourage and facilitate their employees to reach for individual success and provide them with opportunities for growth. In turn, organisations will see higher productivity, employee engagement and loyalty. As you can imagine, many of the candidates that we work with approach us because they feel stagnant in their role.