Studies indicate that when employees show up as their true selves, it improves workplace culture - paving the way to a high-performing workforce. It also fosters an environment of deeper trust and thus increased loyalty and productivity.
The last month has revealed one of the most visible signs of unrest among FAANG companies (Meta, formerly known as Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Alphabet, formerly known as Google), causing a public outcry and a demand for change that resulted in walk-outs and protests.
How can your company be proactive and accountable in an authentic way?
At HACE, we have some key recommendations and tools that employers and people leaders can use to tap into boosting up their levels of effectiveness.
Set Clear Expectations
The rate at which employees have been resigning from their places of work stems from a disconnect with their employers. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace shows a correlation between employee resignation and employee engagement, identifying a global employee engagement rate as low as 20% in the U.S. in 2020. When employers are clear on what’s expected at work and are providing the necessary elements of engagement, employees become involved and better performers within their roles.
Be Transparent
Employers should foster an environment of trust and transparency. Over time, it can affect systemic changes and provide the framework for the workforce of the future. This can also play a role in employee satisfaction and commitment. A survey of over 1,100 employees and nearly 200 managers show that while 54.4% of employees were satisfied with their employer when transparency wasn’t present, 84.2% of those with very transparent employers were.
Ways to do this include: announcing metrics and setting goals publicly, being accountable and setting clear corrective measures for any changes that need to happen. When it comes to company transparency, “Honesty is the best policy”.
Offer Equitable Resources
As companies are called to operate with more transparency, the focus on equity in the workplace becomes more apparent. By creating an empowering environment for all employees and new hires, rewarding them with fair compensation that recognizes the value they provide, and granting access to specific resources and opportunities that meet them at their intersection - the bottom line is greatly impacted. These actions expose people to true belonging, a sense of gratification, and more productivity.
HACE offers extensive opportunities to engage employees through cohort-based leadership programs such as Mujeres de HACE and Emerging Latino Leadership.
In addition, HACE’s Annual Leadership Tour and ERG/BRG Symposium are other platforms for learning for both employers and employees. Every year, the Leadership Tour feature discussions that cover relevant topics and serves as a resource to address barriers for the advancement of Latino/x Professionals.
Recruit and Advance Underrepresented Talent
Re-evaluating traditional hiring practices has become vital as employers encourage their employees as well as candidates to bring their authentic selves to work. Through DEI efforts, workplace cultures are now brought to the forefront of the decision-making process. When companies take the initiative in ensuring that diverse groups have a significant chance of being offered a seat at the table, it signifies growth and progression for both the employer and the employee. A seat also requires development and proper onboarding. When providing resources and opportunities to help meet them where they are, the chances of success can be heightened immeasurably.
HACE’s culturally-relevant resources include recruitment events that connect job seekers with hundreds of companies and organizations dedicated to developing a pipeline of diverse talent in the workplace, as well as an online Career Center that features direct access to over 35,000 job seekers.
Actively Foster Communication
Employees want to know that their voices are actively heard, opinions are considered, and that they can stand present in a room where big decisions are being made. Having empathy can also help you to understand how someone else’s narrative can differ from your own. This provides the likelihood of gaining true connections, improving relationships, and strengthening job performance among colleagues. The ultimate objective of effective communication is seamless and unified understanding and an interpretation that leads to goal-reaching results, teamwork, and engaged employees.
Encourage Teamwork & Collaboration
Employers can inspire effective teamwork practices through defining and aligning with the organization’s mission, purpose, and values. When leaders make themselves available to staff, encourage team members to ask for help and guidance, and are honest and transparent, they are forming the basis of genuine trust and effective team collaboration. When employees are addressed with honest communication, they exhibit authenticity and become stronger communicators, which can increase the overall results of an engaged workforce.
Can we count on you to set the bar high enough to achieve a better accountability and authenticity score within your organization?