HOW TO MEET YOUR EMPLOYEES NEEDS
Remember the good (?!?!) old days when HR was called Personnel, when contracts were a bit hit and miss, and who knew what holiday we were entitled to?!?! Our latest blog shares how HR has changed and how, now more than ever, we can strive to meet the needs of our employees.
HR has certainly been on a journey since then, and a good one at that. Whether you are a small business owner, a big one, a charity… if you are employing people then HR needs to be part of your agenda, either you crack on yourself with a bit of support, or you bring in the experts (we might know someone if you need it!)
But HR is no longer just about contracts, offer letters and sick pay, it’s much more than that. What we are hearing is that employees needs are changing.
What employees need and how they need it has evolved over the last 3 years especially, and with a boom of technology that supported innovation and change, and a thrust of growing empathy to the sometimes complex and wobbly line of life/work balance (life before work is intentional 😊) it’s no wonder that employees need, and want something more.
With the changing needs of our employees, and most probably our customers and clients too, how can we ensure that we are doing our best to support this evolution?
Lets take a step back now, reflecting on my own needs as an employee, they changed over time. Before having my own family, my needs were definitely focused on progression and the pennies in the bank at the end of the month. It suited my carefree lifestyle at the time and I was quite happy in that space.
But fast forward a little bit and the focus needed to shift, I was a Mum of two (pretty amazing) girls and so having the flexibility to be with them when they needed me was important. Here, flexibility and work/life balance replaced the desire to progress and the pennies in the bank. And although it makes the world go round, money had less importance, at that time.
And now its changed again, my once little girls now tower over me, they need me that little bit less and now I place huge value in the value that I can add, that’s a big driver for me.
So when I reflect back to my own changing needs, it helps me to put everything into context and reflect on how as employers we can do the best for our employees.
That’s not to say we can please everyone all of the time, but aspiring to ‘do the right thing’ can help us to stay on the consistency and supportive employer track.
What are our takeaways?
Flexibility – not all employees needs will be the same, but applying flexibility in the way we manage, will help us to show employees that when life throws them a curve ball, or things just change, how we engage with them flexes depending on what they need at that time.
Emotional Intelligence – being in tune with your employees, having a strong relationship that is built on an equal measure of trust, is pretty key to engaging with employees. Have you ever wanted to do well for someone who you didn’t trust? Getting to know your employees better will absolutely help you to ‘tune’ in. Get those catch ups and 121’s booked in, spend time with them, laugh with them.
And finally, and for me maybe the most important one…
Just be the employer, the line manager, the leader that you needed in your career, and with that as your moral compass you can’t go far wrong.
If you would like to delve a bit deeper in what your employees might need from you, get in touch.
