What type of culture have you created in your business?
Is it innovative? Hierarchical? Purpose-focused? Market-driven?
No matter what you might use to describe it, here’s something you should always strive for: flexibility.
A flexible company culture can help you keep your employees happy—and as we all know, your team is the backbone of your business. In this blog, we’re going to define a flexible company culture, show you all the benefits, and give some actionable tips to help you build one. So without further ado, let’s get underway!
What is a Flexible Company Culture?
Flexible company culture is more than just a simple work-from-home setup. Because if that’s all it took, then all WFH employees would be living happy, stress-free lives.
But it’s not that simple. A flexible company culture should give your team members more freedom to handle life’s unpredictable situations.
Whether it’s taking some time off for medical appointments, family affairs, or just for their own personal reasons, they have to feel like they’re not being held hostage by their jobs.
Your company should be a safe space for all your team members. Rather than taking time away from them, it should allow the other aspects of their lives to integrate seamlessly.
How Can I Build a Flexible Company Culture?
There are several routes you can take to build a company culture that fosters happiness, loyalty, trust, and productivity.
Don’t Monitor Your Employees
“Every breath you take
And every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I'll be watching you”
— The Police
This song may be an earworm, but nobody likes feeling constantly watched.
Many business owners tend to hover. That’s fine sometimes, with new hires or with critical projects, but eventually, you need to let your employees do what you actually hired them to do. Plus, constant micromanaging can result in employees feeling fearful, constricted, and mentally and emotionally drained.
One way to avoid this is by simply stepping back. If you need them to log work entries, it can be done in a way that lets them know you still trust them. And if mistakes slip through, train them and give them the capacity to succeed, rather than taking over.
That way, your employees can breathe easier knowing they’re working for a boss who understands them.
Listen to Your Team Members
This step may sound simple, but you can’t just make a token effort. Make sure your employees feel like their concerns are being considered, regardless of the eventual outcome, rather than being placated.
How do respond if your employees want slightly longer breaks? Paid holidays? Additional training materials?
Ultimately, it’s still your call. It is your business, after all. It’s up to you to filter out the unreasonable requests. But whether or not you implement them, having discussions and town halls with your staff goes a long way in showing them that they are valued by the company, and can increase team morale and productivity.
Implement A Flexible Work Schedule
Want a flexible company culture? Start with the schedule! Nothing beats a good ol’ flexible work setup to ease the pressure off your team members.
Rather than having a set shift, allow your team members to accomplish their tasks in their own time while staying mindful of deadlines. Trust us—it’s a setup that will pay dividends!
Some benefits of a flexible work schedule include…
Increased productivity
Little to no need for micromanagement
Increased chances of staff retention
Final Word
If you’re still here, we’d like to say thanks for reading! With these tips, slowly but surely, you can build a flexible company culture and improve your team members’ morale and level of production.
That’s it for today. Stay tuned for our next business blog, which is sure to contain even more game-changing insights for you!
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