More and more as Millennials enter the workplace, we're seeing the idea of a professional business environment go by the wayside. We hear all of the time about businesses, especially startups in the technology industry, allowing their employees to do things like wear jeans to work, offer flexible hours, or have meditation rooms in the office. To many of us who have been working for a long time, things like this may seem silly. But this new generation might be on to something.
I don't think every organization needs to allow dogs in the office or host Yoga classes. Each organization should only do what aligns with its values. That being said, the organizational culture that you foster in your workplace will draw a straight line to how well your employees perform and how committed they are to their work. You simply can't keep good people if they would be happier working elsewhere. Are your employees happy with their work environment?
Your employees may not care about the sorts of things that we see happening in startups, or they might. There's only one way to find out! I would suggest asking your employees what would make them happier in their jobs. Take a survey. Ask for their opinions. Maybe you can't do everything, but I guarantee you that you can do something. Being competitive isn't just about having the better product; it's also about having the better talent on your team. What have you done lately to make it worthwhile for your employees to stay with you rather than going somewhere else?
David Lykken, a 43-year veteran of the mortgage industry, is president of Transformational Mortgage Solutions (TMS), a management consulting firm that provides transformative business strategies to owners and “C-Level” executives via consulting, executive coaching and various communications strategies. He is a frequent guest on FOX Business News and hosts his own weekly podcast called “Lykken On Lending” heard Monday’s at 1:00 p.m. ET at LykkenOnLending.com. David’s phone number is (512) 759-0999 and his e-mail is [email protected].
