Generating Company Pride
Company pride is a key part of providing employees with purpose. Employees who don’t see purpose in their work will view it as just the dreaded 9-5. Clocking in just waiting to clock back out again. Providing employees with purpose will help them see more to their work. Letting them know the impact that they make, and the larger purpose of company, will help motivate them. According to recruitment firm Robert Half, pride in one’s organization is the strongest driver of happiness in the US. Their research found that company pride topped the list for men, women, and workers 35 and up. As discussed in our other insights, happy employees have spill over effects for retention, recruitment, and engagement. So providing your employees with company pride, will help boost your bottom line.
Fostering pride in the workplace can come from a couple different areas. It can be because employees believe in the company, or because they believe in their own work. In order to build up company pride, it’s best to put in strategies that tackle both these angles. The solutions you implement should focus both on an employees personal role, and the companies larger stance. Below, we’ve outlined our suggestions.
Increase recognition efforts
Recognising employees plays a major role in their overall satisfaction. Providing employees with recognition will make them feel seen for the work that they do. It will show that their work is important and provide them with a sense of purpose. We’ve covered strategies for employee recognition in a previous article. We recommend taking a quick look through there, if you’re feeling stuck. If you’re looking to use employee recognition specifically to boost company pride you’ll want to focus on the work they’re doing. Recognising employees for their individual efforts will help but praising their work specifically will elevate it. Point out how their work has contributed to the company, and the importance of it in a wider setting. Knowing that their work is a part of something bigger will help provide a sense of pride.
Give your business a purpose
Having a purposeful business makes your employees feel like they’re a part of something greater. It can give them a sense of pride and a feeling that they are working towards something bigger than themselves.
Ideally, your business purpose will have a societal or cultural impact. Your employees need to see how their work is positively impacting others, in order to be proud of it. To build a purposeful business you need to start with a company mission, vision, and purpose statement. Creating and communicating these to your employees will give them something to be proud of. Those who resonate with the purpose, can feel a great pride when they discuss the company with friends. They will also be working in an environment that they feel strongly about, encouraging them to work harder. If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to building your business purpose you can take a look here.
Act ethically
It’s no secret that employees are caring more about working for ethical businesses. An employee likely wont feel proud if they know that their employer is engaging in dodgy practices. While many companies appear ethical through sustainability programs and marketing, it takes more than that. Acting ethically is more than the environment and CSR, it’s about fair treatment of employees. Ensure that your business is engaging in ethical wage and employment practices. Employees won’t feel a sense of pride in their company if they believe they, or their co-workers, are being mistreated. Equally it’s important to ensure that your company has a diverse and fair workplace, such that no employee feels scrutinised or judged.
Invest in good leadership
It’s important to have leaders who set an example of pride in the workplace. This includes your managers, supervisors, directors and anyone else in a leadership role. Having proud leaders sets the tone for the company culture and sets an example for others to follow. It will make feeling proud of the workplace easier for employees, as they are in good company in doing so. It also will make employees feel better about how the company runs. Employees can’t always sense how the company is performing which is why having a proud leader will make them more confident in the company’s success.
Treat your employees well
Proud employees are often happy employees, but it works both ways. Employees who are happy in their position will feel a sense of pride in their company. They will be happy that they work for them, and excited to share that news with friends and family. Taking care of your employees means providing them with growth opportunities, treating them fairly, and valuing them as an asset. If you want to know more about how to boost employee satisfaction, take a look here.
Are your employees proud to be working for you?
Sometimes it’s hard to tell how your employees feel. It might not be obvious that they don’t feel a sense of pride working there. At the same time, employees aren’t likely to tell you if they’re proud if you ask outright. Employees might feel too much pressure to pretend they enjoy their workplace or are proud to be there. That’s why an anonymous survey is the best tool for catching these answers. With a CiVS anonymous survey you can find out what your employees really think. Every survey is completely customisable to your organisations goals and needs.
Sound interesting? Reach out to us at (08) 6314 0580 or info@civs.com.au