Creating an Employee-Friendly Work Environment

If you were put in charge of your company, what would your first order of business be?  That was the question posed to senior executives in a recent Robert Half International survey, and “improve the work environment” received the largest response. Following are some tips on building a positive, employee-focused culture that can increase the satisfaction of your accounting staff and aid your retention efforts:

Let employees be all they can be.  Allow your team to take ownership of assignments and put a personal stamp on their work.  Encourage entrepreneurial thinking and offer autonomy when appropriate.  People often do a better, more thorough job when they’re fully accountable for their own actions and decisions.

Improve office ‘feng shui.’  Take a close look at your employees’ workspaces and strive to create a welcoming and comfortable environment that’s conducive to productivity.  This might include, for example, enhancing the lighting quality or upgrading office furniture so that it’s more ergonomic.

Promote work/life balance.  Flexibility is important for today’s employees.  Many individuals need time for activities such as taking professional-development classes or caring for their children or parents.  Offering flexible work hours, telecommuting options, on-site childcare services, tuition reimbursement and other perks can enable people to better balance their various work and personal obligations.

Show your gratitude.  Sometimes the simplest and most easy-to-implement ideas are the most effective.  For instance, remembering to always say “thank you” for a job well done is an excellent motivator.  And don’t wait until annual-review time to praise an employee for stellar work on an assignment.  Prompt recognition boosts morale and tells staff you are paying attention to their efforts and value their contributions.

Be a good corporate citizen.  Show you care about your community by giving your employees the opportunity to engage in volunteer work.  You also might consider establishing a matching-gifts program or encouraging employee involvement in local nonprofit organizations with possible company sponsorship.  Reinforcing your organization’s core values inspires employee loyalty.