A social enterprise is one that is recognized as much for its occupational efficacy and performance as it is for its social responsibility initiatives.
India Inc. relies on the talent of its human capital to realize its goal of being recognized as a social enterprise. The cogs in the wheels of the efficiency of an organization are technology, equipment, and policy strength, which are all human-resource oriented.
Business entities of today realize that the human capital and resources of an institution that form its social enterprise are far more valuable than any intellectual property or assets. In short, they put in every effort to tune the organization into a humane, well-oiled machine so that its human capital enjoys the process of work and reaping rewards. Side by side, they take extra pains to be of use to the less-privileged parts of the society and bring in their energies to uplift these sections.
Employee engagement is the most recognized and sure-shot collection of practices and policies to nurture and develop the workforce which a business prizes above all else. Employee engagement in the context of creating a social enterprise suffers if attrition routinely disturbs the moral and ethical balance of staff. Hiring practices such as poaching from one’s competitors causes consternation to the human-centric set up of an organization. The foremost method of safeguarding against disconcerting practices is to create an engaging workplace replete with the human connection at work.
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Offering value to the human experience at work – creating enough motivation, challenge, reward programs, and overall employee satisfaction – ensures that the employee experience is at a deeper connection that cannot be replicated elsewhere. Employees who feel recognized for their specific strengths, experience, talent, and ability to learn and grow are not easily pried away from their employers.
Non-monetary benefits offered for employee engagement are perks too. Today’s workforce appreciates flexible work timings, the possibility to learn on the job, earn certifications in emerging skill-sets, and become more marketable in their work profiles. Such workers would lend their loyalty and continued goodwill to their employers even in the event they leave.
Freelancers, remote workers, and part-time workers or consultants are on the way to becoming contributors to the scheme of staffing of an organization. Recognizing these changes and finding ways to keep even these cohorts high on employee engagement is crucial. Coupled with change is the “flattening” happening in the organizational structure. Hierarchies with rigid ranks are giving way to flatter structures with more approachable top management – another sign of growing employee engagement.
Google is a notable example of employee engagement creating a social enterprise that is exemplary to all corporate bodies, according to the Economic Times review of top workplaces in India. Google India has an in-house tech support shop to offer timely assistance to employees on software and hardware issues. SAP Labs India shows similar benevolence toward employees through extended maternity leave, work from home options, and the famed Business Women Network to encourage women in tech. When a social enterprise is handled well by managers all the way to the top, employees are empowered and equipped to act as social workers who function faithfully to further social entrepreneurship organizations.
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Reference:
- ET Bureau, Top tech companies in India to work for, The Economic Times, 16th July 2012
- David Brown, Leading the social enterprise: Reinvent with human focus, Deloitte Human Capital Consulting, April 2019
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