Consulta-M

By Monica Nolan  for www.HRResource.com

How does it feel to go to work?

This is the question your employees answer every day as they move through their duties. Their answer has a surprising impact on their performance. In general, when employees are happy about their work environment, they are more productive. Employees choose how much extra time and effort they will spend on work after fulfilling their minimum performance expectations. When companies foster engaging environments where workers feel connected to their work and co-workers, employees will put in more effort to produce outstanding work. As such, creating a feeling of community among workers is key to increasing employee engagement and productivity.

Fortunately, you won’t have to reinvent the wheel in order to create a sense of community. Humans’ social nature virtually guarantees that they will create community on their own, with or without encouragement from management. Think of your workplace as a garden; community will sprout up no matter what, but when management is involved, a workplace community can be pruned to be as productive as possible.

Consider these techniques for increasing community in the workplace.

1. Gather Input. As you consider how to build community among your employees, be sure to ask for their thoughts. You may choose to hold a meeting or distribute a questionnaire, but be sure to ask employees to consider what community means to them, and what kind of community they would like to see at work. Do they prefer to work in teams? Would they attend off-site events? How about a book group? Implementing your employees’ community-building ideas will increase buy-in and enthusiasm.

2. Work & Play Together. After-hours social events have long been used to create community in the workplace. Company-arranged events such as happy hours, holiday parties, and retreats create community by providing an off-site environment for employees to get to know each other. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on these events for them to be successful. Why not arrange for a company softball or soccer team? Or how about passing around a sign up sheet for local cultural events? Ensure high attendance by keeping your social events fresh and meaningful.

3. Communicate Company Values…