Small Business Ideas: When Work Works

Saturday, 5 April 2008

When Work Works

Part of the joy of running a small business is the chance to create a life not just a living for both yourself and your employees. Sometimes knowing what else you can do to create a fulfilling workplace (and not run the business into bankruptcy in the process) can be a challenge.

This week the Alfred P Sloan Institute released their report on When Work Works - a report of the winners of a major US competition for Business Excellence in workplace flexibility. This 90 page report is worth a read by any one who has employees.

Some of the points they have found is the best businesses all have a few things in common:

These employers don’t see looking over employees’ shoulders as the way to ensure good work. They trust employees, but hold them accountable and focus on results.
They don’t see the individual employee in potentially heroic terms. It is the team that must deliver performance.
They don’t think that automatically putting “customers first” above employee concerns is the best way to succeed. They have learned that a workplace that addresses staff issues has a staff that is more responsive to customers.
They don’t think that killer hours are the only route to profit. They try to ensure that their employees have the time and space for renewal to do their best work.
They don’t say that “only work-centric employees need apply.” They find that dual-centric employees – who contribute to their communities and are involved with their families – are among their most committed and productive employees.

While many of the businesses profiled are medium to large businesses - the concepts of allowing flexibility for life, volunteering and study are applicable no matter the size of your business.

The other applicable concepts are listening and acting on employees comments and holding employees accountable for results not "face time" in the office.

You can download a free full copy of the report from www.whenworkworks.org.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff
Heart Harmony

Labels: HR articles, hr tips