Blog: Changing the workplace one nudge at a time

Leadership

Changing the workplace one nudge at a time

Here are some steps HR leaders can take to nudge their organizations towards delivering better employee experiences.
Changing the workplace one nudge at a time

The general outlook on the Indian workplace culture is largely negative. While the workplace cultures of individual companies may vary, many employees experience lack of trust, work and personal life imbalance and the pressure to constantly rise up higher in the ranks. Currently, India has the world’s largest number of millennials. At 400 million, millennials are the dominant generation of today’s Indian workforce. These workers are not only seeking a hefty paycheck, but they are also looking for employers who will help them achieve their personal and professional goals. 

Companies hoping to attract the best talent available must shift their focus from viewing employees as disposable commodities to seeing them for what they are, the company’s most valuable assets. Organizations are beginning to recognize the need for a positive employee experience and engaging workplace culture. 

Fostering a healthy work culture helps employees become more productive, creates a happier workforce, and has a significant impact on how the company is perceived internally and externally. In order to build healthy workplace culture, we must invest in the company’s most valuable stakeholder, the employee.

Here are three steps HR leaders can take to nudge their organizations towards delivering better employee experiences:

Build Greater Employee Engagement

Creating a more engaged workforce may require companies to adopt new policies and processes around the employee experience. Employee-focused programs such as flexible work hours, opportunities for internal mobility, and increased communication which provides transparency into the company’s business goals, growth, and progress have an indelible impact on the organization and its employee/employer relationships. The result will be engaged employees who are more productive and better able to contribute to the company’s success. 

Encourage Talent Mobility 

Talent mobility allows people to grow and learn, promoting a healthier work culture where employees do not have to be restricted to their roles but can move to various roles within the organization. Mobility within the organization helps employees develop new skills and experience interesting challenges that will keep them interested and engaged. Establishing a redeployment program that includes career development opportunities is an effective way to retain high performing individuals and prepare them to be successful in their new roles.In addition to enhancing employee engagement, redeployment and career development programs create a strong leadership pipeline within the company and enhances the employees’ value to the organization.

Nudge, Nudge…wink, wink

A little intervention goes a long way. Workplace nudging includes making small changes in the organizational setup to create a productive and collaborative work culture. As a tech first-generation, millennials will not be averse to using technology to change undesirable workplace behavior or for increasing productivity. Workplace nudging through the use of emerging tech such as AI will put in place small changes to further engage employees. Employee nudging might include suggesting an employee take up microlearning modules for career development. Management nudging to allow employees enough time in a workday to be a part of learning and development programs that are specifically designed for them will provide for greater internal career potential. You might even nudge managers to become mentors to recently on-boarded employees or to those who want to make career changes inside the company.

If an organizational setup is successful in providing, greater engagement, talent mobility and opportunities for becoming a better professional, it adds to the employee’s overall experience. The employees’ experiences in an organization are significant to business success as these individuals will go on to serve as the employer’s brand ambassadors or greatest detractors. Employers that make the effort to improve the workplace culture and alleviate employee issues are those that will successfully retain talent while keeping their employer brands intact.

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Topics: Leadership, Life @ Work, Employee Relations, #GuestArticle

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