6 Reasons in Favor of Fostering a People-Centric Workplace

Wondering what does people-centric workplace mean?

Everyone yearns for a place they can call “home,” and for many employees, the workplace is just an extension of their actual residence. In there, they get to meet, work with, and create bonds with different individuals who eventually become a big part of their lives even outside the scope of their work. But for many businesses, employees are merely resources to achieve an end. Such organizations prioritize the needs of customers at the expense of employee satisfaction. 

A very defective business approach!

We simply can’t neglect the fact that employees are the thin line between an organization and their clientele, and having a team of highly motivated employees increases the efficiency of your workforce. 

Hence, the saying “happy employees lead to happy customers.

Adopting a human-centric culture allows you to empathize with your employees, treat them with respect, and prioritize their needs. Above all, you enhance the relationship with and within your employees and ultimately gain their loyalty. 

The benefits of adopting a human-centered approach are vast, so in this article, you’ll gain deeper insights about the importance of a human-centric workplace. 

How to humanize your workplace

How To Humanize workforce

The concept of a human-centric approach is built on empathy, creativity, and business needs, but in between these three elements lies the 360 feedback software, a product of technological advancement and a sophisticated HR software that allows you to keep track of

  1. Employee progress 
  2. Employee performance metrics and 
  3. Learning simultaneously.

While the concept of human-centric work culture isn’t a new phenomenon, let’s catch a glimpse of what the three elements stand for. 

  • Empathy: is that which showcases the amount of care we have for the people who will be using the workplace environment. It is the ability to fit yourself in the position of your employees while identifying their needs to create better working conditions. 
  • Creativity: We can’t stop being creative since our world is constantly changing and new problems keep arising, so it’s left to us to become intentionally innovative in solving problems such as inferiority complex and lack of connection at work.
  • Business needs: If perfection is our goal, then we must be willing to extend a supportive hand to our employees especially when it comes to enabling collaboration and communication. Setting up a work environment that boosts employee efficiency starts with including them in the design process. 

Benefits of Fostering a human-centric workplace

Committed and motivated individuals

Committed and motivated individualsA human-centric organization treats the employee experience as primary, and that increases the efficiency of the workforce. In fact, Gartner’s research shows that employees in human-centric organizations are 3.8 times more productive than when these practices aren’t implemented. 

  • When employees are fed with the impression that an organization prioritizes its profit margins over their well-being, they lose the zeal and focus to perform their tasks efficiently. 
  • It results in a decrease in overall productivity and affects the revenue generated. 

Keep in mind that employees are the driving force of any organization and must be treated with care. When you cater to the needs of your employees, then it’s just natural that they go the extra mile to impress you. 

Pro tips: 

  • Focus on employee wellness and embrace the hybrid work model 
  • Keep tab on employee progress through OKR meetings
  • Recognize accomplishments and introduce employee benefits packages  

Also read: Harnessing the Power of Employee Advocacy for Maximum Impact

Positive and effective communications 

Positive and effective communications

The role of a manager transcends the scope of work, and the quality of your leadership isn’t just measured by your ability to assign tasks and coordinate your employees but also by how well you can motivate and support them to become better at what they do. 

No matter the type and size of the business, the manager’s top concern should be the welfare of the employees. Provided you are a retail manager and your employees work in shifts, then managing your employees effectively and improving communication with them, as well as creating flexible schedules can be done by using retail scheduling software.

This will enable you to develop a productive and encouraging work atmosphere, since employees have a life outside the scope of work, which directly impacts their productivity at the workplace.

Employees have a life outside the scope of work, which directly impacts their productivity at the workplace. 

  • A human-centric work culture allows employees to share their woes, aspirations, and ideas with their superiors without fear of criticism.
  • While leaders showcase a level of emotional intelligence and servant leadership practices, employees develop a sense of belonging and are constantly inspired to display high levels of effectiveness when discharging their duties. 
  • This promotes an atmosphere of positivity and enhances the flow of communication at all levels of the organization. 

Pro tips: 

  • Create room for constant exchange of feedback and value employee inputs
  • Schedule occasional one-on-ones and skip level meetings

Also read: How to Improve Internal Communication in the Workplace

Highly satisfied customers 

Customer loyalty isn’t built in a day, and it takes a great deal of effort to stay at the top of customers’ minds. 

When you have a team of highly motivated people, employees become more passionate about their work and practice more effective communication modus operandi to meet the needs of your clientele.

The assurance that the organization prioritizes their needs serves as a driving force that increases their efficiency in the workplace. When customers become used to your services and eventually derive the satisfaction they yearn for, what you get is customer loyalty. 

Pro tips:

  • Satisfy the needs of your employees by recognizing and rewarding their efforts and see how they move your business to greater heights. 
  • Show appreciation to employees who are putting in their best.

Increased revenues and organizational growth

Increase in revenue

Employee satisfaction and customer loyalty are important factors that determine the growth of any organization. While the latter is dependent on the former, organizations must strike a balance between the two to reach their full potential.

  • Having an all-inclusive work model where employees and their superiors alike are constantly updated on the company’s progress can ameliorate the engagement and productivity of your workforce. 
  • If you take care of your employee engagement, you can double the business efficiency, which all leads to lasting impact on your customers’ satisfaction. 
  • Organizations can then leverage this as a means to generate more income and step up the growth of their businesses.

Pro tips:

  • Focus on your workforce first and what you get is customer satisfaction, organizational growth and higher profits. 
  • Create learning and development opportunities 

Also read: How to Set and Reach Department Goals?

Increase employee retention rates

Organizations are constantly striving to retain talented employees, but only a few firms understand how profitable a human-centric workplace can be in enhancing the employee work experience.  

Just as organizations will make extra efforts to keep talented employees in their workforce, employees give preferences to organizations that prioritize their well-being and psychological safety. Everyone wants to feel at home at their workplaces and be treated with respect

  • When employees experience setbacks in their workplaces or personal lives, they expect a certain level of empathy from coworkers and superiors in the organization. 
  • Human centric businesses prioritize employee wellness over profit margins, and decisions are made to satisfy the needs of employees. 
  • The long term effect of this is increased employee retention rates and a surge in overall business productivity. 

Pro tip:

  • Streamline company strategies and operations to enhance employee experience. 

Attract talent pools

Attract talent pool

 

A human-centered work culture does more for you than just retaining employees; it can also be an effective tool in attracting today’s best talents.

Job seekers can be particularly inquisitive when looking for job placement, and many will go to great lengths to conduct background checks on the position and work ethics of the organization they are vying for. 

They want to know 

  • What is achievable within the organization, 
  • How employees are treated, 
  • How conducive the working atmosphere is, 
  • The relationships that exist between coworkers and superiors, 
  • The employee benefits package, and what have you. 

All of these and more are what a human-centric workplace promises for employees. With these, you won’t have to expend much effort to hunt down talented candidates, as they will naturally come to you in myriad ways. 

Pro tip:

  • Create a good first impression in the hearts of potential employees by adopting a human centric work approach. 

Set your course for greatness 

Employees are hardwired to seek out comfortability in their workplace; they want to be reassured that their career path is laced with elements that drive efficiency and not regression. 

Organizations, on the other hand, strive to beat the fierce competition in the business world by way of innovation and ingenuity while relying on the efficiency of their workforce. 

To that effect, the human-centric work model should be an integral part of every business looking to up its game in the global market, as it balances the interests of employees and organizations alike.

While the benefits it brings are unquantifiable, it is the key to unlocking the full potential of an organization.  



Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is a people-centric workplace?

Ans. A people-centric workplace is an organization that prioritizes the needs, well-being, and satisfaction of its employees above all else. In a people-centric workplace, the focus is on creating an environment where employees feel valued, respected, and supported, and where their contributions are recognized and rewarded.

This type of workplace culture values open communication, collaboration, and teamwork, and places a strong emphasis on creating a positive and inclusive work environment where everyone feels empowered to do their best work.

Q2. What is an example of people-centric workplace?

Ans. One example of a people-centric organization is Patagonia, an outdoor clothing and gear company. Patagonia has a reputation for being a socially and environmentally responsible company, but it also prioritizes its employees’ well-being and satisfaction.

For example, Patagonia offers its employees generous benefits, including paid parental leave, onsite child care, and an employee health care plan that covers alternative and holistic treatments. The company also encourages its employees to pursue their passions outside of work, with initiatives like its Environmental Internship Program and its Environmental Grants Program, which provide funding and support for employee-led environmental projects.

Patagonia’s commitment to its employees goes beyond just benefits and perks, however. The company is also known for its flat organizational structure and open communication policies, which encourage collaboration and teamwork across departments. And perhaps most importantly, Patagonia’s leadership prioritizes transparency and ethical decision-making, which helps to build trust and a sense of shared purpose among its employees.

Overall, Patagonia is a great example of a people-centric organization that values its employees as much as its customers and the environment.


Author: Rilwan Kazeem

Rilwan Kazeem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rilwan Kazeem is a freelance content writer, and an enthusiastic one at that. He has been in the writing world for three years. Being an explorer and reader, he engages his readers with in-depth and thought-provoking blogs and articles.