The working conditions of your employees have a significant impact on their performance. Indeed, a person who feels bad can hardly give the best of themselves for the good of their organization. In the same way, a happy and happy employee is more motivated, and therefore more productive. So, How to act on the working conditions of its employees ? Here are our answers.
What are working conditions made up of?
Definition
The working conditions are all the elements that make up the environment in which employees live in their workplace. They are important because they have a impact on the well-being of employees, their motivation, their safety and even their health. We'll detail that a bit later.
The elements that make up working conditions
It is important to emphasize that working conditions are not limited to the material elements made available to employees (table, chair, break room, etc.). Other aspects are just as decisive. Here are the most important ones:
- Les physical and environmental factors. This includes the equipment made available (recent and functional computer, correct heating, noise level, etc.).
- Les organizational factors. These are more related to the way in which the company is organized, to the charters in place, to the existence or not of internal regulations, etc.
- Les social factors. It's about relationships between people, the type of management, communication, recognition, etc.
- Les psychological factors. They mainly intervene in a negative way, when stress becomes predominant and has consequences on the health of employees.
All the elements we have just mentioned have a greater or lesser impact on employees, but also on the efficiency of the organization.
What is the point of worrying about the working conditions of employees?
For companies, promoting the working conditions of employees as much as possible has multiple benefits.
Reducing absenteeism and turnover
First of all, an employee who feels good at work is statistically less prone to sick leave. He also has a tendency to stay with the company longer. So this implies a reduction in turnover and recruitment fees.
Better health for employees
Good conditions also ensure a better physical and psychological health for your employees. This reduces stress, and all the associated symptoms: tension, back pain or even sleep difficulties. It is simply increasing the well-being of employees in general.
A strengthening of the sense of belonging
For an employee to be able to thrive within a company and be committed to it, it is essential that they feel good there. This requires equipment and premises adapted to its work, good management and healthy working relationships. Together, these factors can make it possible to strengthen the sense of belonging.
All these factors (reduced turnover, increased well-being and strengthened sense of belonging) result inincrease employee productivity, and therefore the overall performance of the company.
What are the main areas for improving working conditions?
To act correctly on the working conditions of your employees, here are three elements that are easy to put in place.
Take stock of your situation
In a factual and objective manner, try to Make the list of everything that you currently make available to your employees. You can also carry out an investigation with them in order to obtain their feelings as well as the elements that they consider necessary to change.
For it to be useful, it must be accompanied by actions. Establish a list of priority actions to be put in place in the short term and then in the medium term. For example, this may include optimizing workspaces, offering more remote working, or even organizing more teambuilding events. Each business has specific needs, it is therefore important to take stock of what is urgent and priority for you.
Encourage employees to take initiatives
Your employees are the people best positioned to know what is important to put in place for their well-being. So do not hesitate to give them the opportunity to set up projects themselves, in favor of employees.
Some tools, such as the Teamstarter crowdfunding platform, can help you do that. Volunteer employees can propose a project and determine the amount needed to complete it. Everyone can then choose to allocate a monthly budget to the project that they like the most. Once the amount is collected, the project is set up by the person who proposed it.
This type of initiative is very effective in increasing engagement, the feeling of belonging and the working conditions of employees.
Good working conditions are essential for ensure the well-being of your employees. They also allowimprove the overall performance of businesses, because employees are more productive when they feel good about their organization. To improve the working conditions of your employees, you simply need to listen to their needs. It is by letting them express themselves that you will understand the levers on which you need to act. Also, do not hesitate to Encourage them to take initiatives : they are the people best placed to create projects that are in the best interests of the teams.
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