Company Culture Archives - Page 4 of 4

Spread The Christmas Cheer With An Office Christmas Party

The good old office Christmas party has somehow earned a bad reputation over the years. They are often portrayed as painfully awkward events that people only attend for the promise of free food and drinks.

In reality, the workplace Christmas shindig is a priceless opportunity for businesses.

When done right, an end of year party can play a vital role in building team spirit and developing your workplace culture. And let’s face it, we all could use a little more fun and frivolity after the year we have had!

Read on to find out why it’s more important than ever to spread the Christmas cheer with an office party this year.

**Is An Office Christmas Party Really That Important?**

The answer to that question is yes, yes, a thousand times, yes!

But only when it’s done well! Most of your employees devote a third of their lives each year to helping your business succeed. While you should be acknowledging, thanking, and celebrating them year-round, a Christmas party in their honour is the icing on the cake.

It’s a powerful way to publicly recognise their hard work over the past 12 months and show how much you value them.

Teams that play well together tend to work well together. What better time and place to relax and bond as a team than the office Christmas party? Events like these bring everyone from all management levels and departments together, encouraging positive communication and camaraderie that can flow through into the next year.

Your Christmas festivities also reflect your workplace culture. Which company do you think becomes a coveted employer of choice – one that offers a fun-filled Christmas bash showcasing teamwork, support, and positivity, or one that skips the party and sends a formal thank you email from management on the last day of the year?

Christmas Parties In The Time Of COVID

You certainly don’t need to be reminded of the craziness that was (and still is!) 2020. Businesses have been heavily impacted. Many workplaces were transformed as people worked remotely, and the budgets took quite the knock.

Understandably, you might be wondering if it’s appropriate to celebrate 2020 at all or just write it off and move on.

Truthfully, your office Christmas party is more important than ever this year. Sure, you may have to do things a little differently due to restrictions, social distancing, and budget issues, but if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we can be really adaptable when we need to!

Reconnecting As A Team

More than likely, your team have become disconnected via remote work and social distancing this year. The Christmas party is a way to bring them back together, rebuild those bonds, and let off some steam after a gruelling 12 months.

Remember, it doesn’t have to be an extravagant, high-budget affair if times are tough. You can create a fantastic environment on a smaller budget by adding personal touches and working within your company culture. If you are struggling for ideas, ask your staff what they would like to do, and see if they have any cost-saving suggestions to help make it happen.

Many people are sliding into the end of the year feeling exhausted, anxious, and unsure about the future. Help your team relax, smile, and go out on a high note by creating Christmas cheer that will last well into the New Year.

Staff morale probably took a huge knock in 2020. You might be feeling like your team are a little more disconnected than they used to be.

This is something that you can work towards improving in 2021. A positive team environment can mean all sorts of good things for your business. So, if you want to make sure 2021 starts on the right foot, get in touch with us here at Spice HR.

We have some effective tactics that you can implement to pull your team together and get ready for a great 2021 ahead. Reach out to us today for a chat about what that could look like in your business.

How To Become An Employer Of Choice And Showcase Your Business

A stellar employee (or two or three) can propel your business from average to outstanding. So naturally, you need to entice, intrigue, and retain high performers. But dangling a few carrots and hoping for the best isn’t going to cut it. These days, you must tailor your benefits and perks to the top talent and find ways to communicate why you are an employer of choice.

Not only will this help you attract high calibre employees to your business, it will also ensure you retain them long term.

Read on to find out what will give you the edge for today’s best candidates, and how to dazzle them during the interview stage.

Become An Employer Of Choice And Showcase Your Business

What’s On The Wishlist?

Most skilled professionals are looking beyond a fat salary. So don’t assume that as a smaller business with a lower budget, you can’t compete with larger organisations. Conversely, businesses with higher wages shouldn’t sit on their laurels and rely on numbers alone to attract the talent.

Here are the benefits and perks that today’s workforce value most:

Flexible work schedules
Remote work opportunities
Generous paid time off
Family leave
Student loan assistance
Education and development
Wellness initiatives/work-life balance
Health insurance

Supporting Work-Life Balance

Even before 2020 hit us with work from home rules, flexible work hours and remote work opportunities were some of the top priorities for experienced candidates. And they continue to dominate.

With that in mind, how can your business support employees to find that work-life balance? A few of the options from the list above are a great place to start, including leave and paid time off, remote working, and flexible schedules.

Other simple yet valuable options might include day care, health and wellness programs, pet-friendly offices, and firm guidelines on no-after hours emails or phone calls. This is particularly essential for employees working from home, who may find it harder to separate work and home life.

Don’t forget that you still have H&S responsibilities even when your employees work from home. Ensure you develop policies to help them manage their health and safety effectively.

Flip Your Interview Strategy

Interviews of old have traditionally been rather one-sided. It’s all about what the candidate can offer you, rather than what your business has to offer them. But, things have shifted now. Remember, you are not the only business looking to hire the most qualified and experienced applicant. You may be facing stiff competition, so take the opportunity to showcase your employee value proposition during the interview.

What sets you apart and makes you a fantastic employer over and above anyone else? Once you know this, communicate it by giving each applicant a unique and engaging candidate experience – from your first job post to the final hiring process.

Instead of whipping out the old behavioural-based questions, think of how you can show your organisation’s personality. Focus on having a conversation with each candidate, and think about culture fit as well as skillsets.

When coming up with questions, frame them around the values and culture of your business, and attach your purpose and why. This will help candidates understand your culture and help both parties figure out if the fit is right.

Welcoming the ideal candidate into your business is only possible when you position yourself as an employer of choice. Think beyond dollars to carve out your unique employee value proposition, craft a compelling candidate experience, and you will find it much easier to be united with qualified and experienced applicants who are the perfect fit for you.

If you need help with crafting the employee value proposition then get in touch with the team here at Spice HR. We can help you nail all the aspects to become an employer of choice! Reach out to us today.

Is Learning Part of Your Company Culture?

Have you ever wondered what the Spice Girls would be like now if they had stayed together? We sure have! Sadly, we can only imagine the incredible tunes they might have produced if they had been allowed to grow and evolve within the group instead of being trapped in their predetermined ‘roles’. Today’s workforce is much like Posh, Ginger, Sporty, Scary, and Baby: they need to be in an environment where their learning and development opportunities are supported.

If denied that learning culture, they will quickly move on.

So, what can you do about it? How can you create a strong learning culture in your company?

Let’s explore what a training and development culture looks like, and why it’s so vital.

Is Learning Part of Your Company Culture?

What Does A Learning Culture Look Like?

Because every business is different, there’s no one-size-fits-all prescription for a learning culture. Each business should create development and training opportunities that fit into the values and culture that already exists.

However, there are commonalities.

Training and development is not merely a “ticking the boxes” kind of activity. It’s a strategy that encompasses all the ways your people share, support, and learn together, both on individual and collective levels.

It’s about connecting the dots and understanding that individual learning is the foundation for collective success.

Opportunities Are Everywhere

Traditionally, training meant sending your staff to lengthy courses and trying to cover their time out of the office. Now, development opportunities can take place both inside and outside the workplace.

The standard 70:20:10 model suggests that a mere 10 percent of learning occurs at formal training sessions, 20 percent from informal studying, and a whopping 70 percent is on the job development.

Online courses are extremely popular, but less structured opportunities to learn, such as YouTube videos or TED talks, can be equally effective. Find the tools and resources to fit your team.

People Enablement Is Where It’s At

The concept of people enablement was trending a few years ago and is still growing in popularity.

Rather than a static progression along a pre-defined pathway, organisations are focusing on a learning culture that allows employees to gain valuable experience, explore new skillsets, and reinvent themselves.

Training opportunities could look different for each team member, depending on their skillset, progression ambitions and availability.

Integrate Development Plans

Performance and development go hand in hand, so development plans should be part of your toolkit. Employee reviews and catchups should have a heavy focus on growth and development. They should be created as a two-way discussion with employees, where you both identify the support and tools needed for success.

It’s a great opportunity to speak with each team member about the areas they want to improve in and how the business can enable them to skill up.

The Delicious Side Effects of A Culture Of Learning

Providing development opportunities to your team drives employee engagement and strengthens your culture. The benefits are numerous and include:

Employee Retention

The modern workforce, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, highly value learning and development. If they can see opportunities to upskill within an organisation with a robust, built-in learning culture, they are likely to be fulfilled and won’t need to seek opportunities elsewhere.

In fact, 93 percent of employees say they will remain at an organisation that invests in their development and training. Not only will you retain your best employees, but you will also save money by reducing employee turnover.

Recruitment

To attract top talent, your organisation needs to become an employer of choice. Having a successful culture of learning builds your brand and makes you more attractive to skilled employees. This reputation will generate a better quality of candidate.

Improved Performance

At the most basic level, training helps people perform their tasks efficiently. Enhanced efficiency equals enhanced productivity. But beyond this, there are other tangible benefits, such as increased confidence, innovation, and creativity, a problem-solving mindset, and improved morale.

People development initiatives are just one piece of the puzzle in building an engaged, exciting, and high performing team. Your employees are your biggest asset, so it makes perfect sense that an investment in their knowledge and skills is an investment in your organisation, too.

Don’t let your team drift apart to make their own opportunities like the Spice Girls did… provide them with opportunities to grow, learn, and experiment, and you’ll stay strong for years to come!

If you would like to discuss how this could look in your business, then get in touch with us here at Spice HR. We can help you create a people and culture development program that will make your company an enviable place to work! Drop us a line today.