The Indian corporates are finally giving credit where it is due. That is, to its employees. The time-honoured bureaucratic system is dwindling for good, and the leaders have discovered the benefits of keeping their employees content for productive turnovers.
To quote Richard Branson, founder of The Virgin Group, “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.”
The age-old concept of customer or client is king is now being passed on to the employees, and this change is here to stay (for good). More and more companies are turning their attention to building an employee-centric organisation to boost customer-centricity.
What is an employee-centric organisation?
An employee-centric organisation is where communication flows two ways. Employees are free to speak their minds, share feedback, and take a personal interest in the goals and growth of the organisation. In an employee-centric organisation, the leaders and system are open to ideas and suggestions from the workforce. There’s transparency, and employees’ opinions are valued when planning organisational goals and strategies.
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Why is employee centricity important?
Building an employee-centric organisation will boost overall productivity since the employees feel valued and heard and make them stay longer, which will eventually reduce cost per hire. It will also give the leaders ample time to understand the employee’s strengths and weaknesses and aid in assigning the right tasks. Besides, it also increases the chances of attracting top talents to the organisation.
Here are some strategies that can help build an inclusive and employee-centric organisation:
Foster an employee-friendly workplace: Blame the pandemic as the employees are used to working in a more relaxed environment than spending time in cubicles, and they wouldn’t be happy to shed that freedom. So rather than restraining their comfort levels, companies should introduce hybrid or remote working, flexible hours, or even transform their workplace to give employees a comfortable working space.
Value your employee’s ideas, opinions, and feedback: Making your employees feel heard and valued is one of the critical aspects of building an employee-centric organisation. Every leader must listen to what their employee has to say, or the organisation must organise frequent feedback or surveys to identify and understand the general issues. Your employee will engage more willingly after knowing that their company cares about them.
Introduce wellness programs: The last few years with COVID have been tough on people’s mental health, and there’s been a stark increase in the cases of burnout too. Besides the hybrid working model, introduce more wellness and health programs regarding mental health, healthy eating, and more to aid the employee in working efficiently without affecting their health.
Organise upskilling and reskilling workshops: Provide them with the space to learn new skills or retrain their old skills. At some point in their career, several employees feel the pinch of stagnancy, which can affect their day-to-day productive levels. Encourage them to keep learning or exploring new skills to give their work-life the needed boost.
Protect their confidential data: Employees trust the organisation with their personal data, which every organisation must strive to protect and keep confidential. Strengthen cyber security by reaching out to tech experts and maintaining transparency about the same with the employees. The same level of protection should also be maintained while collecting data, feedback and surveys that the employees entrust you with.
In a nutshell, prioritise the needs and contentment of your employees to drive the organisation towards progress. Those are some critical aspects that every organisation must reinforce to build an employee-centric organisation. Your employees are the pillars of the workplace, and making them feel valued will only benefit the company in the long run.
References:
- 4 Strategies To Become a More Employee-Centric Organisation | toolbox | Heather Rollins | April 12, 2022
- How to Create a More Employee-Centric Workplace Culture | Bplans | Jon Muller
- How (And Why) Your Company Should Become Employee Centric | Pacific Data Integrators | Alison Divis
- Creating an Employee-Centric Company Culture Will Not Be the Death of Your Business | Business.com | Jennifer Post | October 19, 2021
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