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Nowadays, being an employer of choice is a must to attract and retain quality employees. After all, you’re only as strong as your team. According to Forbes, a positive workplace culture improves teamwork, raises morale, and increases productivity. Consequently, job satisfaction, collaboration and employee wellbeing are all enhanced. There are many ways to optimize workplace culture and usually, a combination of strategies yields the greatest results. Since you know your staff best, avoid one-size-fits-all solutions and truly develop initiatives that reflect YOUR company. Here are some proven methods to get the ball rolling.

Define the Ideal Workplace Culture With Your Staff

A main pillar of positive workplace culture is inclusion. People want to feel heard and understood; they need to know their opinions matter. A common mistake on the part of management is to work with a top-down approach, forgetting to involve the very individuals they’re trying to please. To truly maximize your efforts, connect with your people. Determine the best way to obtain constructive and genuine feedback through channels like one-on-one meetings, electronic surveys, group brainstorming sessions or email campaigns. Ask direct questions, be receptive, and keep an open mind. Once you understand the values that guide your team, make sure they’re reflected in your leadership style and organizational direction.

Set Clear Goals, Measure Them and Give Feedback

Being transparent is another key component of a positive workplace culture. When employees understand how decisions are made and why, they’re more likely to be engaged and motivated. For example, having clear and defined promotion practices helps your staff prepare accordingly, measure their performance, and improve where needed. It sets fair targets to aim for, which supports a healthy work environment.

Recognize and Reward Employees With Gift Cards

As part of their Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program, American Psychological Association scholars have researched the complex interplay between employee and organizational outcomes across 5 key intervention areas, one of which is employee recognition. By rewarding the staff in response to achievements, management can build a culture that optimizes long-term value for employees. This is one of the reasons why top employers often design workplace gift card rewards programs. Not only are they simple to administer when conveniently fulfilled by Gift Card Warehouse, but they also work! The trick? Develop a clear structure with realistic milestones to keep employees focused. And since what works for one company may not work for another, it’s best to craft something that reflects your own workplace culture. Performance indicators such as sales targets might be suitable in one setting, while behavioural kudos like being helpful to colleagues might be more appropriate in another. Again, include your teams in the discussions, listen, and act accordingly.

Don’t wait any longer to place positive workplace culture at the forefront of your human resources efforts. Everyone involved will reap tremendous benefits! For all your gift card needs, sign up for a free account today and we’ll assist you each step of the way!