“I love it here” – a quote we recently captured in an employee focus group. Isn’t that music to your ears? Wouldn’t you love it if most of your employees shared that sentiment?
In a cynical world, talking to people who genuinely love their work experience is refreshing and hope-inducing. During our time with employees at this organization, we captured several love-related quotes about working there.
What’s the secret? What does this organization do to help foster loving relationships? Is it just the will or wiring of the employee that brings joy, or does endearment land in the lap of the organization and its leaders to create a space where employees can find a sense of contentment in, or even love of, their work?
The relationship between an employee and the employer is complex. Some people are naturally wired to find joy in life no matter where they land; others seek or even demand varying levels of care, attention, and connection – aka nurturing. While it’s foolish to oversimplify the complexities of the worker-employer relationship, here are two key lessons to follow:
- Define what your organization stands for. Ensure all your leaders understand it, are committed to it, can articulate it, and use it to drive every decision, from the benefits you provide to the projects you take on to the customers you attract and the work environment you create.
- Hire people who most likely love what you stand for. Plan to attract and select candidates whose personal values and aspirations align with what your organization stands for. Build a mutually transparent process so that the applicant has just as much opportunity to connect with the company as you do with them.
Naturally, I’d love to help you figure out how to nurture purposeful connections within your organization.
