5 Company Culture Trends That Especially Matter Today

The changes brought about by the COVID-19 outbreak will not only have a lasting impact on how businesses operate and the way consumers behave, but also in the work environment.

Although we’re nearing the end of the pandemic tunnel, the effects of last year’s events will likely stick with us for a while.

Mental health issues are very real, and they can take a toll on us. As a business owner, this is something you want to address in your workplace because mental illness can directly impact your employees and their performance, which will also affect your organization as a whole.

So, until things are fully back to normal, what can you do to help your employees and your organization function at their best?

As your go-to SEO company in West Palm Beach, we will share with you the top five company culture trends that we think are especially important today:

1. Workplace Flexibility

Post-COVID, workplace flexibility is no longer just a perk. You are expected to provide your employees the option to work remotely at least a few days a week.

Working from home means your employees don’t have to stress about commuting or meal prepping. Plus, less social interaction means fewer chances of contracting the virus.

One of the common concerns executives have with work flexibility is collaboration and productivity or the quality of work. But, this misconception about working remotely has long been debunked.

According to a survey conducted by TINYpulse, employees tend to be more productive and experience higher work satisfaction when given the option to work on their own .

In fact, Airtasker discovered on their survey that flexible workers perform 16.8 more days per year compared to traditional office employees.

Another survey found that 80% of employees will likely leave their current position if another job paid more attention to employee mental health.

Other benefits of workplace flexibility include the following:‍

• ‍Boosts morale: By showing trust in your employees’ ability to get their work done without supervision, you can make them feel more confident and fulfilled in their work. ‍
• Helps reduce stress: Since the fight against COVID-19 is still ongoing, you need to remember that there’s added pressure on your employees to keep their jobs, take care of kids schooling from home, or other family members who need assistance, and not to mention the pressure from business-as-usual expectations from work. Allowing them to work according to their own schedule can help reduce stress and ensure that they’re functioning at their best. ‍
• Creates a better work environment for introverts and night owls: Let’s face it, all of us are different. Some of us function at an optimum when we see the people around us working, while others work better when they’re all alone, and then there are others who tend to be more productive at night. Providing workplace flexibility helps you better accommodate various personality types and working styles, optimizing the potential of your employees. ‍
• Prevents chronic stress: Workplace flexibility supports work-life balance and prevents chronic stress. Chronic stress can lead to physical problems, like hypertension, heart problems, and digestive troubles. It can also affect a person’s mental health and often linked to depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Offering workplace flexibility can help keep your employees physically and mentally healthy.

If you aren’t offering workplace flexibility right now, coordinate with your HR to create a workplace flexibility policy that works best for your company and your employees.  

2. Safer and More Secured Work Environment

Right now, workplace safety isn’t just a major concern for manufacturing and warehouse working environments, but also inside offices and buildings.

As an employer, it’s your responsibility to provide a safe place for your employees to work to give them peace of mind and help them function at their best.

To do this, make sure to set cleaning procedures, health and safety protocols, temperature checks, conduct health surveys, and create sick time policies. It’s also vital that you communicate this well to your employees and assure proper implementation.

Another thing you want to address is making your employees feel secure in their jobs.

A survey shows that 85% of office workers feel like they need to look like they’re working hard to keep their jobs.

You don’t always have to lurk on your employees to know if they’re doing their job. Instead of adding pressure by keeping an eye on them and making sure they’re busy without being truly productive, encourage an output-based culture.

The output-based system leads to better results by focusing on hitting revenue numbers, efficient production process, new product innovations, and more.  

3. Speak Up on Social Issues

We’re now in an era where companies that offer weak statements regarding social injustices experience a backlash and are being criticized by the society and community they’re in.

This means that it’s time you take a stand and speak up on social issues - such as racial injustice, gender inequality, environmental injustice, and economic inequity.

Aside from taking a stand on social issues and speaking up about them, it’s also important that you practice what you preach by implementing HR policies in place that encourage gender diversity, racial equity, and sustainable environment.

In other words, you should have women in upper-level management positions, be open towards employing people of color, and develop practices that promote caring for the environment. For instance, you can practice segregation or use of organic cleaning materials instead of toxin-heavy cleaning agents.

Creating an inclusive work environment decreases the turnover rate and plays a major role in the attraction of the right talents for your company.

We understand that being truly diverse and inclusive takes a lot of work. So, rather than striving for perfection, look for improvement and education.

4. Employee Experience

Employee experience or professional development is one way to keep everyone in your company engaged, fulfilled, and more productive.

When you provide an avenue for them to learn a new skill or hone an existing one, you’re also allowing them to achieve the career goals that they’ve set for themselves. This puts them in a better place to contribute and feel more accomplished.

Aside from professional development, it’s also important to foster an environment that allows your employees to better collaborate with each other, especially with the new WFH set up.

This could mean creating a system or buying a software, using business messaging apps, and offer training to ensure that everyone in your company knows how to properly use the new systems and be able to contribute and work together effectively.

During this time, you need to be more considerate in terms of response time. Exchange of emails or conversations in messaging apps won’t be as prompt as speaking to them in person.

You also want to set a time each week where everyone can come together and talk about stuff that aren’t necessarily related to work. You can introduce happy hours, weekly coffee meetings, and whatnot. However, you should keep in mind that your employees have other things to do as well, so don’t eat up much of their time, especially for activities that are done outside of their normal work schedule.

As an SEO company in West Palm Beach, we make sure to keep our employees engaged by hosting office parties and fun activities, team lunches, and offering professional trainings and development.  

5. Physical Health

Your employees’ physical health plays an essential role in their mental well-being. When they have a sound mind and healthy body, they’re able to perform better at work and keep a positive attitude in life.

According to a recent finding in the field of nutritional psychiatry, there’s a link between what we eat, how we feel, and the bacteria living inside of us.

Encourage everyone in your workplace to eat healthily and maintain an active lifestyle. This could mean offering healthy snack alternatives in your pantry, sponsoring free healthy lunch a couple times a week, or setting up an office gym your employees can use.

It also helps when you encourage your employees to take mental health days or sick days when necessary- and making them feel comfortable asking for it. Taking a break isn’t just for when your employees are feeling sick, sometimes it’s also necessary when they feel burnt out or they need to recharge.

An SEO Company in West Palm Beach You Can Trust

In a post-COVID world, it’s necessary to be more aware and sensitive towards the changing needs of your employees - not just their physical wellbeing, but also their mental health because it’s vital to your organization’s success.

Create a work environment where your employees are inspired to work, feel great about themselves, motivated to get involved and engage, and are generally happier and more productive by adopting the five trends we mentioned above!

Digital Resource is your go-to SEO company in West Palm Beach. We don’t only care about getting our clients more customers online, but we also care about the welfare of our employees.

If you’re looking for an SEO agency with a heart, look no further. Contact us today!