How to create the ideal work environment for your employees (5 tips)

Employees are your organization's calling card. Happy employees = happy customers. In fact, research has shown that organizations with engaged employees perform better. For Millennials (born between 1980 and 2000) the work environment is an important point why they choose or don't choose a job. And as a true Millennial, I know that better than anyone else. Money has long since ceased to be the main driver. But how do you make sure your employees are "happy"? And how do you make sure you create the ideal working environment for potential employees?

Step 1: put them in the right place

It's actually quite easy. You shouldn't put a machinist in an airplane. That's guaranteed to go wrong. So step one is: where do your employees perform best? If they are artists, then they probably work best in a studio. Are they artists? Then put them on stage, and if they are mechanics, they prefer to work in a garage. Everyone has a different task in and around the workplace. You have to give everyone the opportunity to best perform that task in his/her own way.

Step 2: culture

Create a culture where everyone is eager to work. As mentioned earlier, for the upcoming generation, money is really no longer the most important factor in whether or not to choose a job. Millennials want to work at an organization that shares the same values as themselves. Only then can they give everything of themselves. They want to be heard and seen and be truly meaningful within an organization. Determine what your corporate culture is. What are your norms and values, written and unwritten? Make sure your common ambition is clear, so you can work on it together. If you all know where to go, you wouldn't get lost. It gives a kick to be able to contribute to this ambition as an employee. If you do this well as an organization, you will see that you (almost) never have to look for new employees yourself. They will automatically come to you.

Step 3: the best people

Always hire people who are better than yourself. A point of view from our CEO Iris Zonneveldt. And we don't mean people who are better than you in everything. No, people who are better at a particular function or task. Example: someone who is better at administration is going to do administration. Someone who is better at marketing, is going to do marketing. Everyone has their own qualities. If you put this person in the right place, they can do what they do best.

Step 4: feedback

Solicit feedback from your employees. Perhaps employees need additional training to work better. You can get this feedback very easily from 1-on-1 conversations. Don't just ask the person about his/her work. Also ask him/her about when he/she is happy. What gives this person energy? Where does he/she prefer to work? Within Treams we have such a conversation with our manager every two weeks. We talk about daily activities but also about happiness at work. What is also an easy tool to get this feedback are Pulse Surveys. These are short questionnaires with which you can easily collect feedback.