In our modern globally-oriented markets, the successful construction and maintenance of a clearly defined company culture reliably leads to the creation of a universally identifiable brand—and resulting brand awareness—that has a direct and invaluable market impact for every forward-thinking business organization.
The modern business reality is that HR not only can, but must engage at every step—and must engage at every level—in order to successfully promote your company’s specific culture, define your company’s specific brand, and then improve team performance standards to both positive and sustainable levels.
Here are a few key steps for HR to engage, promote and improve overall team performance in 2020:
Company Culture Engagement Begins at Hire
Your company’s mission—and mission statement—is important. However, sometimes the company mission can be simply misunderstood by prospective hires looking to “get in where they fit in”.
HR engagement must begin at this most crucial initial stage. Clearly define and communicate your company mission. Your prospective employee(s) must be aware of how their role specifically integrates with the company mission moving forward.
Prospective hires can be brought up to speed with a basic information packet that defines the company mission even before the onboarding stage. This is not only a preemptive information jump on the initial interview, but also serves as an effective evaluation of their motivation.
Additionally, by requesting that prospective hires share their thoughts on the company mission not only gives you valuable insight into their understanding, but also allows for a mutually positive initial engagement.
Engaging Employee Needs Ensures High Level Performance
Your company’s onboarding process is of course a crucial step, but successful HR engagement must consistently continue throughout your co-worker’s tenure. In order to maximize performance, we must keep the communication lines open regarding the tools they need to succeed.
Reach out to focused groups of employees to survey their progress and inquire about their ongoing tasks. Whether formally or informally, regularly scheduled or impromptu, team meetings are an easily accessible way to maintain employee health and well-being through direct communication.
If/when team meetings are not ideal, an occasional face-to-face brainstorming session allows for coworkers to fully engage in a meaningful manner that promotes ongoing communication.
Integrating team surveys through timely emails that positively inquires as to employee concerns, questions, updates and progress can also be an effective way to maintain positive engagement.
Prioritize Employee Engagement, Maximize Business Goals
From an HR perspective, engaging positively can take many forms, and can happen on numerous preemptive levels. In addition to those already outlined, recognize and respond to the needs of your workforce:
Keep Lines of Communication Open: An “open door” office policy encourages all to express concerns regarding individual requirements, which in turn can be properly oriented towards overall company goals.
Mutual Feedback is Mutually Beneficial: Monthly, biannual or annual questionnaires (depending on your specific circumstances) can go a long way towards fostering a productive give-and-take that benefits all. Keep it basic, keep it simple, and keep it brief!
Recognize Team Milestones: Recognition (and reward) of team accomplishments reliably provides motivation that is not only positive, but also sustainable as you all move forward towards company goals together.
At every level HR engagement can provide the positive reinforcement of your company’s goals, as well as fortify an energetic employee drive to excel. And following these basic steps will open doors to future engagement opportunities which will in turn promote a company cultural environment of sustainable success.
The future will undoubtedly be filled with fresh new challenges that are best tackled as an engaged, coordinated and motivated team moving forward as one. Business is a team sport, and your success will be a team effort.