What do employees really want from the workplace? It’s a question that’s been asked since the start of the modern business era, and one that can have many correct answers. Businesses that want to retain the best and brightest employees need to accommodate their needs and create a positive work environment. Some of the most valued workplace attributes for employees are work/life balance, trust, a sense of purpose, benefits, and investment. All of these elements fall under the broad umbrella of strong company culture. According to entrepreneur and philanthropist Jeremy Bloom, businesses now must prioritize people over profit if they hope to achieve success in the long-term. 

Company culture, as with any culture, is a melting-pot of different attributes and competencies. It can be difficult to identify areas where growth is possible in the short-term. That’s why taking time to understand your current culture can help you strategize and work towards an even stronger, more positive workplace environment. The following methods of improving your company culture are ones that you can put into practice now. The sooner you get that company culture into shape, the sooner you can create a tight-knit workforce. This blog will draw examples from alliantgroup’s own company culture to demonstrate the effectiveness of these strategies!

Emphasize Your Company Values

What is your company’s goal? Most organizations have a mission statement, an overarching synopsis of what they offer and why. However, achieving any goal is easier said than done. You can claim your organization provides the best customer service in the biz, but how do you quantify that? How do you work towards that? How is that achieved?

The question, then, becomes how your company works towards greatness, as well as how it succeeds on this front. Values should articulate what drives every company interaction and task, from executive management down to entry-level employees and interns. As HubSpot writer Caroline Forsey puts it, “Ultimately, core values are critical if you want to create a long-lasting, successful, and motivating place to work.”

At alliantgroup, we promote nine core values. We’ve covered each in our recent blog series; while they overlap, each offers a distinct message or influence for our employees. Those values are:

  1. Investment in our employees
  2. High performance standards
  3. A mission to create raving fans
  4. Taking an active, not passive stance
  5. Demonstrating energy and passion in all we do
  6. Taking ownership and responsibility
  7. Practicing urgency
  8. Encouraging collaboration across the office
  9. Promoting transparency in all communications

From day one, we teach employees these values. Our team members put them into practice, pushing themselves to be passionate, collaborative, high-performing professionals in a fast-paced field. And, as alliantgroup members grow in the company, they can continue honing these skills, using them to move upwards and create long-lasting relationships with clients.

Incentivize the Workplace

You can’t retain employees unless you draw them in—it’s common sense. But it takes more than a decent salary and polished office to entice and retain professionals, especially if the right dynamics aren’t in place. Incentivizing the workplace creates a work hard, play hard mentality, encouraging employees to follow the core values not just because they exist, but because doing so can open a world of possibilities. However, it’s also important for those perks to be ones that employees actually want. The human resource consulting firm Robert Half published findings from a 2018 survey of workers and HR managers in North America looking for trends in desired benefits, as well as a 2019 piece on perks that win over employees. Here’s what they found:

On the benefits side of the matter, professionals want competitive features—profit-sharing plans, sign-on and yearly bonuses, and compensation packages. The specifics of these offerings hinges on the industry of your business and its competitors, as well as job levels and tenure. The two most sought-after benefits are health insurance and paid time off (PTO), the latter of which includes vacation, sick days, and holidays. In a nutshell, employees want more than just a decent salary—they want unique benefits that supplement their paychecks rather than digging into them.

When it comes to office perks, free food and good coffee are big ones. It seems that employee morale, at least in part, is tied to full stomachs and sated appetites. In conjunction with this, another important perk that prospective professionals look for is a robust health or wellness program. From financial wellness to physical and mental health programs, employees and businesses alike are connecting on various fronts to promote all-around health. Robert Half’s research shows that almost three-quarters of employers have some mental wellness program, with stress management being one of the key ones. Such programs encourage open communication and help employees feel more comfortable in the workplace.

At alliantgroup, we understand the importance of benefits and perks alike. Benefits-wise, alliantgroup offers a 401(k) retirement savings plan, with a 50% match up to 6% of salary. We also have up to 15 days of PTO per year, with additional days based on tenue, as well as PTO for seven designated holidays. In addition to those benefits, alliantgroup also offers competitive medical, dental, and prescription drug coverage, as well as flexible spending accounts for health and dependents. 

Perks-wise, alliantgroup is all about health. Not only can employees enjoy free catered lunches each day, but they also have a selection of healthy snacks and beverages to choose from during work hours. Plus, our casual dress code means that employees can come to work feeling comfortable. alliantgroup also offers an onsite gym, amenities for new and expecting mothers, onsite wellness activities, and opportunities to travel. There’s so much for employees to get excited about, with plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy!