Perception is what you think of the world around you and vice versa. It is usually just an idea of truth or reality and can differ from person to person.
Due to its subjective nature, perceptions can prove to be quite dangerous, if not controlled or clarified. If you’re an employer, it can be very harmful for your business and your brand image if your employees do not understand your values and culture.
In employee relations, perception is a major factor. Most of the time, it is formed by organizational roles, styles of leadership, styles of communication at the workplace, etc. and so it is very important that the organization be able to form the correct perception in the minds of its employees. Thus, a proper and effective supervision is required to prevent employees from having a wrong understanding.
Here are some key components that translate into a good employee perception that are essential for employers :
For anything to be a success, communication is an important aspect. Anything that we do will not make any sense if it is not communicated well to the target audience. One important step in reaching out to employees in the right way is to foster a culture of transparency.
When employees know what the organization is doing, it is easier for them to understand their roles and how they can best contribute to the bigger picture. Moreover, when there’s a lack of transparency, that can foster fear and lead to rumors that inhibit engagement and productivity among employees.
Hence, it is crucial for companies to ensure aggressive communication about its goals, mission, and vision to its employees.
To achieve the desired organizational objectives, it is important to have not only the right HR practices in the organization but the right employee perceptions of those practices.
Employees would be more engaged if they found that the HR practices were more motivated by the organization’s concern for high-quality service and employee well-being rather than finding out that the practices are motivated by a desire to reduce costs and exploit employees.
When employees perceive that HR practices reflect a commitment to quality, and are based on seeing employees as assets, they have higher commitment and satisfaction. If they viewed a practice as a sign that the company values quality service or products, and will empower employees to produce them, employees will feel more satisfied.
In today’s time and age, more than 50% of the workforce is millennials, and one of the best ways to keep millennials engaged is to give them a platform for innovation. Empowerment and Autonomy are something that millennials crave for.
Empowerment is the best way to engage young talent by offering opportunities for new ideas and making them feel heard. When employees feel a sense of agency towards decision-making, they feel more aligned to the organization and tend to grow loyalty towards their organization.
Organizations are taking many initiatives to form a positive employee perception for better productivity. Involving employees in the business planning process, creating knowledge sharing systems, creating open sharing spaces, presenting the financial state of the company, encouraging and providing learning opportunities, generating excitement about upcoming activities are some of the ways organizations are practicing to keep employees engaged with the workplace.
The bottom line is that although employees’ perceptions of HR practices can vary from person to person, companies that ignore those perceptions risk hurting their bottom line.
Wikipedia definition for organizational culture states, “Organizational culture encompasses values and behaviors that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of a business.”. However, this just gives a basic overview of the whole concept and does not fully explain it.
A company’s culture comprises two components, i.e., the way a company runs and what are the values the company shares. A company’ s culture is pre-existing in the basic DNA of the organization and is something that the employees of the firm carry with them.
The company culture is defined by a number of factors, such as the vision and mission of the company, the values that the company is based on, norms defined by the firm, system, language, beliefs, power dynamics, and habits that are followed by the company. All of these are integral components that help the employees and the consumers to identify the culture of the organization.
The culture of an organization has a substantial impact on the employees of the firm. This is what helps them to identify with and connect to their organization. A company which believes in a certain set of values, passes it on as a legacy through the years. If every employee connects to these values then they would be associated with the company for a longer period of time, learn more, participate more, and enjoy the time they spend in the organization.
However small or large the company may be, it is necessary for the employees to associate themselves with the organization they work for and the culture of the organization plays an important role in that regard.
A bad or undefined company culture can result in chaos and create distrust in the minds of the employees towards the company. Not every business has the ability to substance out a well-planned and detailed arrangement for organizational development and culture.
Actually, only a few organizations are able to do that since it demands a specific trust in your organization's long-term survival – something that can be difficult to find in these dubious financial times.
All things considered, in the event that the company has invested a ton of energy concentrating vigorously on the development and getting new workers, it may be a great opportunity to step back to see what sort of culture they want to foster.
An engaged employee is characterized as one who is completely consumed by and excited about their work and, thus, makes a positive move to encourage the association's notoriety and interests. But how does one ensure that their employees are happy and feel connected to their organization?
Well, the answer to that is a few simple tips that any company can apply.
The most basic step or technique is to appreciate the work of your employee. A small thank you email or a gesture to show appreciation would make them feel valued in the company and encourage them to work harder. This does not have to cost anything to the company too; a chance to present their idea in front of the senior management or a day off would work as well.
Another point to consider is that employers can mold their company's culture in a manner that it not only upholds its values but also engages the employee in a manner that they connect to those values. it’s necessary to define the culture of an organization and to try to make it as innovative and agile as possible because a bad company culture can be toxic for the employees.
Finally, guide your employees for their career development. You can't simply concentrate on their current employment obligations and anticipate that they will do likewise until the end of time. Discover what their interests are, and help them seek after those interests by giving them extra duties at work or providing them with new opportunities within their role or outside.
If your employee wants to climb in the positions, make the advancement procedure clear and responsible. Also, ensure you've bolstered their expert advancement so that they are ready for the new responsibilities.
These steps do not require additional resources or going out of the way but simply execution. In any case, that execution will profit your organization by helping you get a more grounded group, a more positive workplace, a more contributed workforce, and the various advantages of high employee engagement.
An organization will always thrive if its employees are happy and satisfied. Being conscious of your brand perception and putting effort in maintaining it will not just help your organization today but lay the foundation of a trustworthy work culture for years to come.