Elements Of Company Culture

Why High-Trust Cultures Excel on Productivity Metrics Like Revenue Per Employee

2025-04-02T05:00:53-04:00

Here’s how the Fortune 100 Best 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 outperform the market on a key measure of efficiency and profitability.

카지노 커뮤니티 추천 across industries have pivoted from the frenzied hiring of the post-pandemic era to questions about efficiency.

Nearly half of managers said layoffs were likely at their company this year, per a January survey. 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 of all sizes are looking to do more with less, leverage technology to increase productivity, and trim costs.

If your company isn’t actively trying to shrink its workforce, a smaller team might still be on the horizon as a mass retirement wave is predicted in key frontline sectors around the world.

Which companies are ahead of the curve on productivity and efficiency? The 2025 Fortune 100 Best 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 to Work For® have 8.5 times the revenue per employee (RPE) compared to the U.S. public market RPE.

What is revenue per employee and why does it matter?

Revenue per employee is the ratio of a company’s revenue divided by the total number of employees generating that revenue. For example, if you have revenues of $1 million and a workforce of 100 employees, your RPE is $10,000.

This simple metric can be used by companies of any size to answer a simple question: Am I getting enough value from the talent working for my company?

For most companies, this is an existential question. In analysis from McKinsey across eight major industries, companies spend at least three times as much annually on talent compared to capital expenses like machinery or facilities.

As a result, RPE becomes a meaningful indicator of profitability. Although it doesn’t capture the full picture, it’s a valuable tool for understanding efficiency across your workforce, when weighed in concert with other metrics.

Why great workplaces have higher RPE

The Fortune 100 Best 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 to Work For — a list of 100 organizations selected by Great Place To Work® based on employee survey data — represents a group of companies with the highest levels of employee trust in the U.S. as measured within the Great Place To Work Model.

These high levels of trust result in stronger business performance compared to typical workplaces. Great Place To Work compared the revenue per employee of the 2025 100 Best 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 against data collected by Aswath Damodaran, a professor and researcher at New York University’s Stern School of Business.

The result? The 100 Best companies have an average RPE of $883,928. That’s 8.5 times higher than the $104,030 companies in the public market typically see per employee, according to data from 6,000 companies collected by Professor Damodaran from public sources like Bloomberg, Morningstar, and the S&P 500. This gap cannot be attributed to factors like industry, or whether a company is publicly traded or privately held. In each industry, a significantly higher RPE was seen for the 100 Best. When looking at just publicly traded companies on the 100 Best, they had an RPE number 9.4 times the market, and private companies were close behind with an RPE 7.7 times higher.

The upshot? Regardless of industry, structure or ownership, high-trust workplaces have a much stronger RPE, indicating higher levels of productivity and performance.

Just look at the 100 Best, which over the past 26 years have outpaced the stock market by a cumulative factor of 3.5 times.

Making RPE sustainable

There are temporary ways to inflate your RPE numbers. Cut a large number of workers and suddenly it looks like your workplace is much more efficient on paper.

That’s not how the 100 Best do it. While they might conduct layoffs — an unfortunate, but sometimes necessary part of doing business — Great Place To Work data shows that something else is happening that drives sustained long-term performance at these companies.

“What you see is that leaders have a clear direction for the company,” says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice president of global research and recognition at Great Place To Work. “People are encouraged to innovate and find better ways of doing things, and there’s great communication.”

A combination of agility and effort drives efficiency and performance, resulting in more revenue generated per employee.

A foundation of trust unlocks the full potential of your workforce. At the 100 Best, 84% of employees say they can count on people to cooperate, a 29% increase over the typical U.S. workplace.

At great workplaces, a cooperative culture is one where promotions and recognition are awarded fairly and transparently. Employees have shared definitions of success, and open communication around company goals and expected behaviors. They can find a mentor who takes time to help them develop. They get support to try new ideas and are inspired to take on stretch assignments and take risks.

This creates a sense of purpose, an understanding that one employee’s success doesn’t come at the expense of someone else on the team. Instead, employees feel they have the tools to participate fully in a shared mission — and trust that their contributions will be celebrated and rewarded. People offer to help get a project across the finish line, even when the task at hand isn’t in their job description.

That’s why when employees say they can count on cooperation, they are a staggering 720% more likely to give extra effort on the job.

Why you should connect RPE to employee survey data

While revenue per employee can be affected by external factors, from supply chain costs to a changing economic climate, leaders should consider their workplace culture as a crucial driver.

Start by surveying employees, and use data to identify opportunities for building trust and unlocking potential across your workforce.

“This research emphasizes just how critical it is to invest in great leaders who can move your people and your business forward,” says Karina Monesson, director, global strategic workplace insights at Great Place To Work. With employee survey data broken down by leader, you can identify where employees are thriving or barriers that suppress team performance.

Do employees have a manager who is invested in developing them? Is there frequent communication about company priorities and long-term goals? Do they understand what is expected of their role and how it contributes to the bottom line?

“That all starts with managers,” Monesson says, with the nine high-trust leadership behaviors offering a playbook for improving leadership across the organization.

Another place to look is access to innovation and engaging more employees in “jumping the S curve” or growth. Great Place To Work research found that when employees at all levels of the organization have the opportunity to try new things and participate in developing new ideas or products, companies had 5.5 times the revenue growth of their less inclusive peers.

That might be one reason why employees are 60% more likely to give extra when every employee can receive special recognition for their work. As more employees have the opportunity to take risks and contribute new ideas, regardless of outcome, the number of employees going above and beyond in the organization increases.

Another key driver? Having meaningful work makes employees 50% more likely to give extra. Again, innovation often provides employees the chance to have a tangible impact, and become more connected to the deeper mission of an organization.

There are plenty of other factors responsible for these experiences in the workplace, Lewis-Kulin warns. However, for companies looking to revitalize their culture, these can be good places to start.

8 Key Elements of Company Culture with Inspiring Examples

2025-02-26T04:31:06-05:00

The secret to attracting and holding onto the world’s best talent isn’t about the work perks — it’s about relationships.

It can be hard to define, but you know it when you see it: a great company culture. One where employees feel seen and heard, where management is transparent, and where teams are proud and excited to work together.

Too often, company culture is presented as flashy perks: free lunches, unlimited time off, and dog-friendly offices, but the substance of a strong culture lies not in these amenities, but rather in how employees are valued, trusted, and encouraged to develop both professionally and personally.

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While perks and benefits are certainly great to have, and can help employees to feel supported and appreciated, they merely sit on the surface.

A great corporate culture goes much deeper: It involves open communication, mutual respect, shared goals, and a commitment to employee growth and development.

Why does a good company culture matter?

A great company culture makes for a stronger company overall.

In fact, when we compared the annual returns of the Fortune 100 Best 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 to Work For® against the Russell 3000 Index® (the broadest benchmark index for U.S. stocks), we found that these companies had a cumulative return of 1,709% since 1998 — compared to a 526% return for the Russell index alone during the same time period.

Strong organizational culture is also closely correlated with employee engagement, retention, innovation, and even customer service. For example, our research has found that employees at Great Place To Work Certified™ workplaces (where company culture is prioritized) are 34% more likely to believe their company’s customer service is excellent.

Achieving Great Place To Work 카지노커뮤니티™ shows that your company values its people and is committed to building a high-performing company culture that drives business success.

By thoughtfully investing time and effort into these eight areas, and drawing inspiration from successful company culture examples, you can show your people that you care about them, improve employee experience, and put your company on a path to creating a great culture.

An example of great workplace culture

At technology company UKG, culture begins on day one, with a warm welcome that shows new employees they’re joining an organization that cares. Pat Wadors, UKG’s chief people officer, describes it as “getting human” — showing employees that you’re ready to support their workplace journey with a positive first impression and helping them to feel connected with their new colleagues.

Other ways that UKG creates a positive company culture is by being adaptable and transparent and by prioritizing “who you are” over titles.

“카지노 커뮤니티 랭킹 titles will change over time, but what an individual brings to the table every day matters,” says Wadors.

Employee recognition, mentorship programs, mental health support, and social justice initiatives are all ways that the Best Workplaces™ demonstrate their company cultures. Check out these company culture examples for inspiration.

The 8 elements of great company culture

There are numerous things you can do to improve your organization’s culture. 카지노 커뮤니티 랭킹 data shows that great workplaces focus on these eight elements of company culture:

1. Credibility

Employees at great workplaces find their people managers and leaders to be more credible: According to our research, 83% of employees at the 100 Best 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 said management’s actions match its words, versus 42% of employees at the average workplace.

Trustworthy, credible, and personable managers have a significant positive impact on:

Employee retention
Overall workplace satisfaction
Employees’ willingness to recommend their company
Motivation to give extra effort at work

When employees say managers are honest and ethical, they’re five times more likely to want to work there for a long time, and 11 times more likely to think the workplace is great.

2. Respect

We all know this: You need to show people respect to earn respect in return. Respect can take many forms, but the best workplaces regularly show respect by recognizing employees’ efforts, seeking employees’ input, and caring for employees as people with lives outside of work.

For example, many of the 100 Best 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 trust their employees to work flexible hours and from remote places. This workplace flexibility makes employees more dedicated and engaged because they feel respected and trusted to meet their business goals in a way that works for their life.

Many companies today even offer unlimited paid vacation and let employees work from anywhere; strong employee relationships prevent people from abusing the policy.

3. Fairness

Humans place a high value on fairness. 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 where employees feel like everyone is getting a fair opportunity consistently report more positive employee experiences.

Fairness is an area that great workplaces excel at, as our workplace study revealed. When rating equal compensation and recognition, employees score these companies 37 to 42 percentage points higher than the national average.

Employees at these companies also report issues with favoritism and politicking far less often. On employee surveys, these companies score 38 percentage points higher when asking their people about these experiences.

Surprisingly, fair pay isn’t the factor that most impacts employees’ overall workplace satisfaction and intent to stay. Other, less tangible aspects of the workplace, such as pride and strong leadership, play a much larger role.

Employees say that being paid fairly for their work makes them twice as likely to think their workplace is great. But when employees are proud of their work, they are 20 times more likely to say it’s a great workplace.

4. Pride

Employees who have pride in their workplace believe in the company and what it stands for, from what it produces, to how it operates, to how it engages with the local community.

There are three levels of workplace pride:

Pride in your job and the work
Pride in the team
Pride in the company and its reputation

Pride is much more than a pat on the back. When employees feel proud of their workplace, they are more engaged: According to our data, they are 2 times more likely to want to stay with the organization for a long time and 6 times more likely to endorse their workplace to others.

Ideally, employees feel pride in all three areas, but this isn’t always the case — and that could be a problem. That’s because workplace pride needs to be reinforced over time, through consistent actions, no matter the circumstances.

For example, at the 100 Best 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 employees express a sense of winning together when times are good — and sticking together even when times are tough.

5. Belonging

Belonging in the workplace is an employee’s sense that they are accepted and valued by the organization. This goes beyond feeling appreciated for what they do, and into feeling appreciated for who they are.

Every company says it values employees. The 100 Best 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 don’t just say it; they show it. They celebrate employee accomplishments, they ensure new employees feel welcomed from day one, and they embrace the diversity and individualism of their employees.

For example, at the Best Workplaces, we’ve see things like parental leave practices becoming more inclusive, and employee resource groups being empowered to guide business decisions.

The result? Employees who feel a sense of belonging are 3 times more likely to look forward to coming to work and 5 times more likely to want to stay at the company for a long time.

카지노 커뮤니티 랭킹 research also shows that workplaces that are consistently great for all employees grow revenue 3 times faster than less-inclusive organizations.

6. Effective leadership

Leadership can make or break a team. A great leader will inspire, motivate, and drive innovation. A bad one will demoralize, kill productivity, and push employees to walk out the door.

The Great Place To Work leadership effectiveness index measures business leaders in four areas. How much management:

aligns their words and actions
avoids favoritism
demonstrates competency, honesty, and approachability
shows genuine interest in employees as people

Effective leadership is more than hitting company targets. It is fostering a team mentality that ensures everyone is working together and to their best of abilities. That environment will then help to hit those necessary targets.

카지노 커뮤니티 랭킹 research on effective leaders has found that they:

Seek out ideas from team members and involve them in decision-making
Recognize and celebrate employees and support their professional development
Demonstrate competence and honesty so that they can earn employees’ trust

The good thing is that people don’t need to be born as great leaders. A great leader can be created. The Best Workplaces invest in leadership development, identifying employees with leadership potential, and helping them to learn the skills and qualities needed to succeed — and thereby creating a pipeline of future leaders.

7. Values

Your company’s core values are your guiding star: the beliefs and principles that shape who you are, what you do, and why you do it.

The best workplaces lead with shared values rather than rules and policies. That’s because when rules are the guiding force, rather than an organization’s values, trust isn’t at the core of the employer-employee relationship. Shared values can engage and empower, which in turn boosts innovation, creativity, and productivity.

8. Innovation

When managers create a safe environment to express ideas and make suggestions, employees are 31 times (!) more likely to think their workplace is a breeding ground for innovation. Workplaces that have innovative cultures inspire employee loyalty, confidence, and willingness to give extra.

Employees at innovative companies are:

4 times more likely to say they’re proud to tell others they work there
9 times more likely to think their company is a great place to work
4 times more likely to give extra to get the job done

What is a toxic company culture?

If your current culture isn’t strong, you’re on a slippery slope into toxicity.

A toxic company culture is one plagued by negativity, where employees don’t feel engaged at best, or don’t feel safe at worst. There could be gossiping, backstabbing, bad habits and a general feeling of mistrust.

And while that may sound like a big jump, it’s not really — a mediocre corporate culture, where employees and leaders are merely going through the motions, can easily descend into something far more sinister. Things like a lack of values, ineffective leadership, and no sense of belonging can kill employee trust and morale.

On the other hand, employees that experience a healthy culture are more likely to give significantly higher levels of discretionary effort, reports Workhuman.

How to use employee surveys to improve company culture

By thoughtfully investing time and effort into these eight areas, you can show your people that you care about them, improve employee experience, and put your company on a path to creating a great culture.

To ensure you’re on the right track, conduct regular pulse surveys to get employee feedback on how they are feeling about their work, their workplace overall, and their place within it.

Why and How To Build Trust in the Workplace

2025-01-08T07:00:50-05:00

The three essential elements that all great workplaces have.

You might have several theories about what makes an organization a positive place to work.

Happy employees are surely those with inflated paychecks and unmatched benefit programs. Perhaps they get a share of company profits in employee stock ownership plans, or have ditched traditional hierarchy for a more equitable “flat” structure.

You’d be wrong.

Trust in the workplace

The employee experience isn’t fundamentally determined by whether a company is privately owned or publicly traded, whether its workers are hourly or salaried, or whether a company writes software in Silicon Valley or manufactures automobiles in Michigan.

The key ingredient is deceptively simple: trust. Do your workers trust you?

Discovering the magic ingredient was the result of thousands of hours of interviews and focus groups conducted by the founders of Great Place To Work® in developing its Trust Index™.

“For pretty much every theory we had, we found consistent exceptions,” says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice president of global recognition at Great Place To Work. “What we didn’t find an exception for was trust.”

The Great Place To Work Model

What builds trust in the workplace?

Trust can feel like a squishy word, even as it becomes more and more recognized as an essential business asset. Edelman’s annual Trust Barometer shows the way trust in institutions like the media and government can have profound implications for markets.

But what does it mean for employees to experience trust? Telling them to trust you doesn’t work. You have to build a high-trust culture over time.

According to Great Place To Work research, such a culture is built on three components:

Credibility. Do workers believe leaders are competent, communicative, and honest?
Respect. Do workers feel respected both as professionals and individuals with lives outside of work?
Fairness. Do workers see the organization as a place where everyone has a fair chance to succeed?

“What we're really talking about is that everyone in the organization is treated with credibility, respect, and fairness … regardless of their job role, their gender, any race, ethnicity, or other demographic category,” says Lewis-Kulin.

For a workplace to be great, the employee experience has to be consistent for everyone. If only senior-level, male managers say they trust the organization while front-line employees or women in management are having a very different experience, that won’t build trust.

That’s why Great Place To Work introduced its For All™ model, where gaps between different employee groups are measured to identify how every employee feels at work — not just the majority.

The building blocks of trust in the workplace

How do great leaders cultivate credibility, respect, and fairness within their companies? Closing the “say-do gap” is crucial, as trust only develops when words are followed by action.

For any culture to develop high levels of trust, it has to start with leaders.

“You can't create a trusting organization without it being modeled as a value from the top of the organization,” Lewis-Kulin says. Otherwise, you might have a pocket of employees who trust each other, but they get their backs up when working with people outside their team.

Machiavelli might approve, but it’s no recipe for success in the modern workplace.

Here are some ways for leaders to start building trust:

Credibility

Communicate consistently and directly.
Ensure your public actions mirror the values you subscribe to internally. If your PR team, for instance, publicly proclaims that your company champions DEIB, but employees aren’t experiencing an inclusive culture, they’ll view your actions as hypocritical.
Demand that public value statements match the internal experience of employees.
Make sure that communication goes both ways— listen to your people as much as you share information with them.
Take tangible actions every time you ask and receive employee feedback.

Respect

Create a culture that supports employees’ work-life balance, allows them to use PTO and flexible schedules offered, and acknowledges their lives outside of work. And don’t forget to set a good example yourself.
Show genuine interest in who your people are and what matters to them outside of work.
Show appreciation for employees’ good work and extra effort.
Provide development and training programs, give employees time to do them, and reward employees who complete them.
Ensure everyone can bring their full selves to the workplace by focusing on belonging and inclusion.

Fairness

Review compensation and close any pay gaps for employees doing equal work.
Add seats to the board of directors to ensure marginalized voices are heard.
Analyze workplace well-being programs to ensure they serve the needs of all employees.

7 ways to build trust in the workplace

Once your organization is committed to building trust, your leaders must develop an action plan to transform your culture. A great place to start is with the Great Place To Work Trust Index, which provides unmatched insight into the experiences of your workforce. Based on your data, you might consider focusing on one of the nine high-trust leadership behaviors that our research shows make the biggest difference in building trust.

Here are seven ideas for applying those principles to your workplace:

1. Make sure every employee has the chance to share their feedback with leaders

Listening is the foundation of all the high-trust leadership behaviors. Poor listening is one of the most likely culprits for a breakdown in trust, and the best organizations go to great lengths to ensure every employee’s voice is heard.

Employee surveys are a great place to start, but the best companies also host listening sessions with top leaders, engage with employee resource groups (ERGs), and even make employee listening a dedicated job within the HR function.

Top tip: Consider how different job roles in the organization experience communication from leaders. Can you bring frontline teams off the floor to participate in a brainstorming session with your leaders? Is there a team that never meets with the C-suite? The best companies find ways to make sure every employee, regardless of role or job level, has a chance to share their ideas.

2. Find ways for every employee to be recognized for their contributions to the organization

Thanking employees for their unique contributions is a crucial way to build trust. The best companies don’t just recognize one employee of the month. They ensure every employee is visibly recognized and celebrated even when a project ends in failure.

To do this right, leaders must get to know their employees on a personal level. What are their unique passions and talents? What are their career goals? The best expressions of gratitude are personalized to the recipient and are a consistent affirmation of their value to the business.

Top tip: Connect recognition programs to specific examples of how employees can live the values of the organization. Use recognition to connect employees with your mission, and help them find meaning in their work.

3. Provide training and development opportunities that help employees build meaningful careers

Employees expect to have opportunities to learn and grow at work. Nine in 10 (91%) respondents to the 2023 Work In America Survey from the American Psychological Association said it was very or somewhat important to them to have consistent opportunities to learn.

Helping employees learn new skills and develop their careers is a powerful way to build trust and boost business performance. The best leaders are mentors and coaches, finding ways to open doors and challenge their direct reports with new projects and opportunities.

Top tip: Identify employees by their skills, not their credentials or education. 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 can create libraries of skills and use technology to match employees with those skills to open projects and roles within the organization.

4. Prioritize employee well-being with investments in flexibility and health programs

Employee well-being has declined to pre-pandemic levels. Great workplaces are responding to this trend with increased benefits and renewed commitments to flexibility and balance. When leaders demonstrate care for their workers, they focus on creating inclusive and welcoming environments. They ask about the individual needs of employees and launch programs to cover gaps that are causing unnecessary stress.

Top tip: Consider how your workplace can address external factors that are causing problems for your workforce. Can you invest in the community, sponsor child care services, or promote a healthier environment near where your employees live?

5. Go beyond compensation to ensure every employee gets a fair share of the rewards for business success

Fair pay is an important place to start, but compensation is not the only reward that employees value from their work. Recognition, learning and growth opportunities, and charitable activity can also be highly valuable to employees and can create a sense of unfairness when some employees are left out.

Great leaders make sure every employee can share in the benefits of working for a successful business. That means ensuring employees have equal access to information and roles that are structured to allow them to participate in the full range of company activities, from social gatherings to charitable events.

Top tip: When considering fairness, make sure you are measuring the right metrics that capture the full experience of employees. Invisible dynamics in your organization might be creating an unfair system, and correcting measurement mistakes is the first step to fixing those issues.

6. Make sure new employees receive a warm welcome when joining the organization

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Onboarding is a crucial part of the employee experience, and poor execution can dramatically impact trust for new employees.
This starts with the recruiting process, where experiences with hiring managers can set expectations and send important signals about how welcome a new employee is to bring their authentic self to the organization.

Top tip: Go beyond the handbook for orientation. Send new hires a welcome note and start getting them integrated into your culture before their first day. Pair new hires with a buddy other than their direct manager, and find ways to connect new hires immediately with important groups in the company, such as ERGs.

7. Connect every employee to your purpose as an organization

Meaningful work is a crucial driver of the employee experience and makes a big difference in how likely you are to want to stay with your company long-term.

The best companies make sure that every company has the opportunity to experience the impact of their work on the world, whether that is meeting with a customer or testing a new product. This sense of purpose then contributes to the pride employees feel in their workplace.

Top tip: Engage frontline managers early and often to ensure they are helping their teams connect to the big picture. When frontline managers are not clear about the direction and mission for the company, the business is less likely to experience the benefits of being a purpose-driven workplace.

The business case for trust

The good news for leaders is that building trust has an unmistakable impact on financial performance for organizations across industries.

According to independent investment firm FTSE Russell, cumulative stock market returns outpace the market by a factor of three for publicly held organizations on the Fortune 100 Best 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 to Work For® List.

The data is clear: 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 that invest in their workers deliver stronger financial results over the long term. Even better, those companies have the resilience to ride out economic downturns. Great Place To Work research shows that companies that supported key employee groups were able to grow during the Great Recession from 2008 to 2010, and have vastly outstripped the competition in the decade since.

The outcomes of employee trust on the bottom line are undeniable:

High-trust cultures have half the attrition turnover of industry competitors
High-trust cultures have accelerated rates of innovation
High-trust cultures see more employees go above and beyond to deliver for clients and customers

Take your first step towards a healthier company culture with Great Place to Work’s research-backed engagement survey.

4 HR Mistakes That Lead to Unfair Promotion Practices

2024-01-11T07:00:42-05:00

Here are some of the ways bias can upend your talent pipeline, even when you are trying to improve fairness and increase access for traditionally overlooked workers.

How do employees feel about the path to promotion at your company? Measurement mistakes can obscure the picture.

Even leaders that are heavily invested in fairness and equity can make unconscious mistakes that disadvantage groups of employees. When executives focus only on targeted programs designed to increase equity and inclusion, they can miss other factors that have a profound impact.

“Leaders think: ‘We’ve got this program, this career page, and we’re doing everything fairly’ — but everything outside of those activities is having a negative impact on employees’ experiences,” says Marcus Erb, vice president, data and innovation at Great Place To Work®.

Erb shared insights from The Great Transformation, a multi-year research program into practical strategies to improve diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging in the workplace.

Attend our annual company culture conference May 7-9, 2024

The research has revealed the importance of Four Equities, a powerful framework that helps companies diagnose and response to hidden bias in their workforce.

Erb shared four of the common mistakes that Great Place To Work has found when analyzing a lack of fairness in promotions:

1. You don’t account for individual relationships.

The hiring process or promotion evaluation system might be identical for all employees, but still misses important relationships that can skew the results.

“The way you get assigned to a project, which is what determines your pay and career path, and your network, can be very different across roles and individual identities,” says Erb. “It’s one of those things that can be an invisible.”

To combat bias, organizations must be very intentional in how they foster relationships between management levels.

“Are you bringing people in and connecting them with advocates and mentors and sponsors in an equitable way?” Erb asks.

2. You have unnecessary, or irrelevant job requirements.

Does every role in your company require a college degree? How should a 4-year bachelor’s degree weigh against four years of service within the company or company-offered training?

When college degrees are required for making the jump from the frontline into management roles, that barrier can hamper diversity and undermine workers’ investment in a future with the company.

“A default requirement for a college degree might prevent people who’ve been in a part-time hourly role from moving up — even though they’ve earned the same experience and insights while working at the company,” Erb says.

3. You don’t measure horizontal movement.

You might be carefully tracking how many individual contributors make the jump into frontline manager roles each year. You might know how many of your C-suite once held a position in the mailroom. It’s much less common to track how horizontal moves enable some employees to climb the ladder while others can’t advance.

What are the fast-track lanes for advancement in your company? If joining a specific team or participating in a special project opens important career doors, those opportunities should be carefully measured.

Great workplaces should also measure how many employees are taking new roles in different departments, even when those moves are not a promotion. Those moves might clear the way for future advancement, and often play a significant role in overall equity across the organization.

Again, it often comes down to manager discretion, says Erb. “If there’s no system for decisions on lateral moves and opportunities, managers will rely on instinct and personal preference, and bias will remain invisible.”

4. You don’t ask employees about their experiences.

An external auditor can help evaluate hiring practices and the path to promotion — but you have to ask employees directly about their experiences or you will miss an important piece of the puzzle.

“You can do really complicated math to prove you’re being equitable, but the voice of the employee doesn’t sugarcoat anything,” says Erb. If employees are having an experience that contradicts the math, it’s time to reconsider your strategy.

“It’s not always bad news, either,” Erb says. “Sometimes employees say, ‘This is working for us; we’ve made improvement here.’”

When you find something that works, you can formalize the practice and scale it to the rest of the organization.

Get more insights

Learn more strategies from our workplace culture experts at our For All™ Summit, April 8-10, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV.

World’s Best Workplaces Make Strong Case for Building Trust With Workers

2023-11-16T07:01:11-05:00

Here's how they best companies in the world create winning workplace cultures.

The basic elements of a positive employee experience don’t change depending on where in the world you live.

Employees in Latin America need the same things from their managers and colleagues as employees in Europe or Asia: trust in leaders, pride in their work, and connection to coworkers.

Great Place To Work® analyzed more than 6.2 million survey responses representing the experiences of 18 million workers around the world to find the 25 companies on this year’s Fortune World’s Best Workplaces™ List.

These companies easily beat the typical global workplace experience. At winning companies, 90% of employees reported having a great workplace, compared to a little more than half for most regions of the world.

Attend our annual company culture conference May 7-9, 2024

“It doesn’t matter what country or continent you call home,” says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work. “What matters is the trust companies build with their employees. High-trust workplaces listen to all their people, innovate, adapt, measure, and repeat.”

All around the world, having a great workplace is life-changing for employees.

“We have data that proves that some great companies create an experience for underrepresented people that is better than their other experiences in their country,” Bush says. “When businesses create a great place to work and live for all, it is measurably better for the world.”

To be eligible, companies must operate in three or more countries, employ at least 5,000 workers globally with 40% or 5,000 employees outside their headquarters country.

This year’s list was more competitive than ever, with a 28% increase in companies participating in the global survey from 2022, and a 40% increase in the number of surveys received.

The 25 winning companies had a larger percentage of workers reporting fair pay (75%), healthy work-life balance support (84%), and a voice in decisions that affected their lives (81%), compared to the typical global workplace.

At winning companies, 88% of employees would recommend their employer to friends and family — 34 percentage points higher than the global average of 54%.

What ‘great’ looks like

Here are some of the ways companies on the list are investing in their employees and creating experiences that drive stronger business results:

1. Involve employees in decisions that affect them

Hilton, the new No. 1 on this year’s list, ensures that employees have their voices heard when making decisions that affect them.

In Central and Latin America, Hilton launched “My Voice Matters,” an eight-week listening campaign where leaders received feedback from over 5,000 team members. A commitment to listening is why 84% of Hilton employees say management involves them in decisions that affect them — three percentage points higher than the average for all winning companies.

2. Ensure every employee has a fair, engaged manager

At the World’s Best Workplaces, 79% of employees say their manager doesn’t “play favorites” — and at Cadence, No. 9 on the list, it’s 86%. To accomplish this, Cadence has 90% of its managers around the world complete unconscious bias and allyship trainings.

Cadence’s focus on developing its managers is epitomized by its mentorship program, which came out of work with its employee resource groups (ERGs). By supporting both mentors and mentees, the company is able to build deep trust between workers and management.

3. Encourage every employee to find a healthy work-life balance

At Atlassian, No. 16 on this year’s list, 94% of employees say they are encouraged to find a healthy work-life balance, 10 percentage points higher than the average across winning workplaces.

One of the extraordinary things Atlassian offers is a distributed-first work environment. Employees are not required to work from an office and can spend 90 days a year working away from their permanent work location. Teams are oriented around time zones, with team members maintaining an overlap of at least four hours each workday to support collaboration.

Remote work isn’t a panacea for the employee experience, but the way Atlassian enables remote teams offers a level of flexibility that its team members value deeply.

4. Connect every employee to meaningful work.

At the DHL Express, No. 2 on the list, 90% of employees report feeling that their work is more than “just a job.”

That’s in part due to company efforts to support the communities where it operates, spending 1% of net profit each year giving back. Some examples of this commitment are how DHL helps refugees find a new start with the company, or efforts to shrink its climate footprint.

To ensure every employee feels connected to the company mission, countries are asked to cascade information and engage employees around the question of purpose. For example, in the Americas, employees were asked to upload their own personal purpose to start a conversation around how every employee contributed to the big picture goals for the organization.

Get recognized

Learn more about these winners and submit your company to make a Best Workplaces™ list.

The Difference Between Debate, Discussion and Dialogue

2023-06-13T10:56:22-04:00

Navigate the nuances of workplace communication and understand the subtle yet profound differences between dialogue, debate, and discussion.

Is it dialogue, discussion, or is it debate? There is a difference, and each has its value. Do you know the difference? Would you recognize dialogue if you heard it in your workplace?

To guide you through this question, let's distinguish dialogue from the other common forms of communication—debate and discussion first.

Debate is combative and seeks to be victorious; it wants to express itself and say it is better than you.

Discussion can be described as debate trying to play nice. Much like debate, it is interested in advocating its viewpoints and challenging those of others.

Dialogue, on the other hand, seeks to find a shared connection. It is not concerned with winning or losing; rather, it aspires to listen more deeply, understand more fully, and build a collective perspective.

When the diversity of personality and opinion create moments of conflict and tension, dialogue steps in and mediates the conversation back to a renewed sense of connection.

Dialogue and company culture

A great workplace fosters dialogue and encourages a diverse perspective. After all, these are the very elements that lead to growth and innovation.

In other words, dialogue and diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace are interconnected.

But too often, dialogue is flimsy in organizations, most likely because if it is practiced so little, it is because it is understood so little.

4 principles of effective workplace dialogue

Let's explore some of the principles that make dialogue so valuable in the workplace. When an employee or manager engages in dialogue, there are four keys to making it work:

Suspend judgment
Listen
Inquire
Explore assumptions

When we suspend our judgment, we temporarily silence our thoughts and open our capacity to engage as listeners.

Greater inquiry into others' viewpoints helps us better understand our colleagues and adopt new ways of thinking.

When we explore our assumptions, we encounter unchallenged ideas, unchecked biases, and thought patterns that influence and possibly inhibit our workplace engagement.

Dialogue is also, however, a very challenging undertaking. Becoming aware of personal assumptions is tough work.

It places us to measure the consistency between our words and our actions and realize that their alignment may not be as linear as we believe.

Inevitably, the practice of dialogue asks us to consider that our opinions are not always correct and that others may have more effective methods for approaching situations. Doing this is neither natural nor cathartic, but growth is very rewarding.

How do you know if you're creating a culture of dialogue?

Trying to figure out if you're really sparking good conversations within your team? We've got a tool for that. It's all about using feedback from your team members.

We've spent more than 30 years helping businesses, just like yours, keep a finger on the pulse of what's going on with their team.

We're talking about measuring the things that matter, like teamwork, how well everyone's communicating, and how your leaders are doing.

Curious about it? Ask us how. We'll show you how the Great Place To Work 카지노커뮤니티, which incorporates employee surveys and in-depth analysis, can help you assess and enhance dialogue within your organization today.

Why Shared Values Triumph Over Rules and Policies in the Workplace

2023-05-24T12:35:31-04:00

How top firms are shaking things up, favoring shared values over rules to boost trust and spark innovation in the workplace.

In our ongoing study of Best Workplaces, we've noticed a prevailing trend among leading companies: they're shifting from a policy-laden employee handbook to a focus on concise, shared values. This transformation signifies a move away from the waning command-and-control leadership style towards a more trust-based, value-oriented organizational approach.

One standout example comes from Nordstrom. Instead of an extensive list of regulations, they've streamlined their approach to employee behavior with a clear and effective principle: "Rule #1 is: 'Use good judgment in all situations.' Rule #2 is: 'Go back to Rule #1." Interestingly, this succinct credo appears to be all their employees require, and it works.

Fundamentally, when organizations enforce rules and policies, trust is sidelined in employee relationships, and this setup doesn't encourage a company culture conducive to innovation or empowerment.

However, the picture changes when a robust set of shared values and principles are established. They act as steady markers guiding decision-making and actions, inspiring creativity, innovation, and empowering employees. Empowered employees are a driving force – they come up with the most creative ideas, provide excellent customer service, and introduce the most revolutionary solutions.

But don't just take our word for it. Here are some perspectives from a company culture conference we held back in 2019 where we gathered perspectives from top leaders.

The advice they gave then remains as relevant and powerful today as it was when they first said it. They underlined the importance of shared values and principles and how they empower employees, inspire creativity and innovation, and guide decision-making:

Terri Kelly, former President & CEO, W.L. Gore: "At any Gore site, you will find [a poster outlining Gore's values and guiding principles] in every office and conference room. 카지노 커뮤니티 랭킹 associates use this as their decision-making and action planning compass. This guideline serves as their touchstone for ensuring alignment with our company's cultural ethos."

The late Blake Nordstrom, then co-President, Nordstrom: "Rule #1 is 'Use good judgment in all situations.' Rule #2 is: 'Go back to Rule #1.' This is all employees need—and it works."

Victoria B. Mars, former chairwoman, MARS: "In every MARS unit around the globe, The Five Principles form the bedrock of our cultivated culture. We are unwavering in this approach. We have few rules beyond these principles. They reflect our values and define how we conduct our business."

Bill Emerson, former CEO, of Quicken Loans (now known as Rocket 카지노 커뮤니티 추천): "As a company expands, it's unrealistic for senior leaders to be omnipresent and make every decision. It's crucial, therefore, to foster a culture and philosophy that people can understand and relate to, because we want our employees to be decision-makers."

The shift to a value-centric approach is an affirmation of the changing dynamics in modern workplaces, as the command-and-control style gives way to more trust-based, engaging, and empowering organizational cultures.

In companies like Nordstrom, W.L. Gore, MARS, and Rocket 카지노 커뮤니티 추천, we've observed the efficacy of implementing shared values and principles that guide decisions and actions. Instead of bogging employees down with intricate policies, these organizations have chosen to empower them with a set of values that instill a sense of purpose, responsibility, and belonging.

In essence, shared values are the modern 'secret sauce' to creating a thriving, innovative, and trust-based work environment

Actively evaluate and reinforce shared values in your organization

The Great Place To Work® Trust Index Survey™ helps gauge and scrutinize the extent of employees' connection to company values, amongst other facets of workplace culture. Discover more about our 카지노커뮤니티 and survey today.

How Toxic Company Culture Is Driving Employee Turnover

2023-04-21T11:52:35-04:00

Research into toxic workplace culture reveals how a lack of inclusion, fairness, and purpose at work is causing employees to leave their jobs in droves.

Toxic company culture is a lot like catching a nasty bug. It can spread quickly, and before you know it, everyone's feeling under the weather.

Toxic vibes can race through an organization, with people picking up on bad habits and negative attitudes. When employees see others gossiping or treating their colleagues unfairly, it's easy for them to fall into the same pattern, and soon enough, the whole atmosphere takes a hit.

Toxic company culture has increasingly become a significant concern for organizations, as more employers are waking up to how company culture can have a heavy sway on employee turnover, employee morale, and productivity. Addressing and transforming an unhealthy culture is crucial for the long-term success and sustainability of a business.

In 2022, MIT Sloan Management Review published a survey that delved into the role toxic culture played in the Great Resignation.

After analyzing 34 million online employee profiles, researchers found that "a toxic corporate culture is by far the strongest predictor of industry-adjusted attrition and is ten times more important than compensation in predicting turnover."

According to the MIT analysis, toxic company culture is characterized by a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion, workers feeling disrespected, and unethical behavior within an organization. Such an environment can lead to high employee turnover, low morale, and decreased productivity.

What are signs of a toxic work culture?

Key signs of a toxic workplace culture include:

1. Unfair treatment or discrimination

2. Exclusionary behavior or cliques

3. Lack of workplace trust and support among team members

4. Excessive workload and unrealistic expectations

5. Poor communication and lack of transparency

7. High levels of stress and burnout

8. High employee turnover

Great Place To Work® research reveals the same about employee retention and flight risk drivers.

In our 2021 survey of more than 330,000 U.S. employees, those who said they didn’t intend to stay at their company a long time pointed to the absence of the following as key culprits:

Purpose in their work
Looking forward to coming to work
Feeling proud to work at their company
Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging

Let’s narrow in on that last one: diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). Employees with low intent to stay raised these concerns about issues relating to equity and inclusion:

Gender equity
Fair promotions
Fair pay
Equal and limited opportunities

The same study also revealed that underrepresented minority groups were at the highest risk of leaving.

Changing a toxic company culture

If toxic company culture is the problem, can it be fixed?

In short, yes. But it will take time and consistency.

"Rebuilding trust is possible," says Julian Lute, senior strategic advisor at Great Place To Work. "Steady, consistent focus in the right places will help you gain traction in support of your efforts to be better."

Julian recommends three ways leaders can start to change toxic company culture:

1. Accepting accountability for past mistakes and current issues

2. Following your words with your actions, demonstrating a commitment to change

3. Committing to ongoing, transparent, and two-way communication with employees

Many organizations that achieve Great Place To Work Certified™ status score high on fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) efforts and experience high retention figures.

Take the company Bitwise Industries, which tripled in size over the last two years while others struggled to hire and retain staff.

CEO and founder Jake Soberal credits the rapid workforce growth to their commitment to diversity and individualism and meeting employees' needs (rather than only expecting employees to meet company needs).

"It's not: we will tolerate you, we will charitably serve you," he says. "It's: you are essential to our collective success. We have continually gotten better if for no other reason than we've added wonderful people who have expanded the edges of that culture and enriched it."

Focusing on employee needs pays unending dividends, as evidenced by decades' worth of research. Organizations that prioritize connecting purpose to employee work and fostering diversity and inclusion, among other things, experience a positive workplace culture and higher retention.

Using employee surveys to fix toxic company culture

Employee surveys can be an incredibly powerful tool for diagnosing a toxic company culture. Just like a doctor uses tests to identify what's causing a patient's symptoms, we can use surveys to get to the heart of any issues within our workplace.

Surveys can help you pinpoint problems preventing you from creating a more positive environment:

Gathering honest feedback: Surveys give employees a safe space to share their thoughts and experiences, confidentially if needed. By encouraging honest feedback, you can gain valuable insights into how your team members truly feel about the work environment and identify areas that need improvement.
Spotting patterns and trends: By analyzing survey results, you can identify patterns and trends in engagement, collaboration, and willingness to recommend their workplace. This information helps employers recognize potential issues, like favoritism, lack of recognition, or poor communication, that may be contributing to a toxic culture.
Inclusivity and representation: Surveys ensure that everyone's voice is heard, no matter their role or position within the organization. By including all employees in the process, we can better understand the unique experiences and challenges faced by different individuals and groups.
Measuring progress: Regular surveys allow us to track our progress over time. As we make changes to address the issues uncovered in the surveys, we can gauge the effectiveness of our efforts and make any necessary adjustments to keep moving in the right direction.
Encouraging open communication: Surveys can help foster a culture of openness and transparency, demonstrating that leadership values employee input and is committed to creating a positive work environment. This can encourage team members to share their concerns and ideas more openly, both during the survey process and in their day-to-day interactions.
Identifying strengths and opportunities: While surveys are excellent for spotting problems in a toxic company culture, they can also help us recognize what's working well. By celebrating our strengths and building on them, we can create a more resilient and positive culture that benefits everyone.
Building trust and collaboration: When employees see that their feedback is taken seriously and leads to meaningful change, it can strengthen trust and collaboration among team members. This shared commitment to creating a healthier work environment can bring everyone together and make the organization stronger.

Is your workplace showing signs of a toxic culture?

The Great Place To Work Trust Index™ Survey can be your secret hidden ace in diagnosing a toxic company culture. Gather honest feedback, spot patterns, and measure progress, all while fostering trust and collaboration. Ask us today about how we can work together to help you create a happier, healthier workplace for everyone.

How Employee Storytelling Helps Build Empathy at Work

2023-04-13T10:11:17-04:00

Follow in the footsteps of World Wide Technology and build a storytelling program that helps show workers you care about them beyond their value as an employee.

Are you more than a number on a spreadsheet?

A key element of the employee experience is knowing that management cares about you as a person. Employees want to feel that their job matters, but they also want to be respected as individuals with lives outside the workplace.

They want to tell their stories — and they will if you give them the platform.

The power of empathy

There’s plenty of evidence that empathy is a potent tool for creating better workplaces and stronger companies.

Empathy can improve your personal well-being, reduce burnout at work — even predict higher wages and professional success. Plus, it’s a management skill that the AI bots can’t replace any time soon.

Empathy plays a crucial role in our creation of the PEOPLE 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 That Care® List every year, and is often a key component for companies that make the Fortune 100 Best 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 to Work For® List.

But is empathy something that can be learned? Or is it an innate ability that leaders either have or do not have? Luckily, researchers say empathy is a skill that can be honed over time.

One of the top ways to build your empathy muscle? Talk to people.

“There are some skills that you need when it comes to empathy,” said Bob Ferrell, executive vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion at World Wide Technology. He joined Ann Marr, executive vice president, global human resources, at our For All™ Summit, where he shared tips for practicing empathy:

Be present.
Quiet your mind and your voice.
Limit distractions.
Acknowledge the other person’s feelings.

“When folks come to see me, they say, ‘Bob, you got a minute?’” said Ferrell. “I say, ‘I’ve got an hour for you.’ What that means is I’m going to stop all the phone calls, all the texting, people knocking on the door, and just focus on that individual.”

That kind of focus is hard to scale across an organization, however. That’s why World Wide Technology has developed a storytelling program to help employees connect.

[Hear from more inspiring leaders at our next For All™ Summit May 7-9, 2024 in New Orleans]

Employee storytelling

Storytelling has become something of a business buzzword, but stories retain immense power for your organization.

“It’s a support system,” says Marr. “It’s encouragement and it’s inspiration.”

The human brain loves stories. A good story can help organize information, aid memory, and even influence behavior change. When you turn your employees into storytellers, you can tap into the power of story to build connection, break down barriers and build a stronger sense of belonging across the organization.

“It’s really, in essence, getting to know your teammates beyond their name tag,” Ferrell said.

“If you know the person beyond their name tag, you know when that person’s having a bad day or a good day, and you know how to address or talk to that individual so it doesn’t impact their day negatively.”

World Wide Technology built its storytelling program on the success of a listening program which started after the murder of George Floyd. Employees joined a 90-minute session connecting a senior leader at the company to about 25 employees.

“In some cases, they really poured out their hearts around their experiences,” said Marr. The stories coming out of the listening sessions were so powerful that the team decided to build a storytelling program to help share these stories with the whole company.

As part of the storytelling program, employees can submit videos, essays, poems, artwork, or other media. The diversity, equity, and inclusion team at world Wide Technology works with employees to guide them through the development process. Final stories are shared on an internal SharePoint page.

So far, the page has over 4,500 views.

The storytelling program is just one of the ways World Wide Technology has gone above and beyond to create an inclusive workplace. The company made an impressive jump from No. 71 to No. 19 on the 2023 Fortune 100 Best 카지노 커뮤니티 추천 to Work For® List.

At the tech firm, 93% of employees said they felt welcome when joining the company and 91% said they were proud of where they work. Eighty-seven percent of employees said the company was a great place to work, compared to just 57% at a typical U.S. company.

Building your program

Here’s World Wide Technology’s advice for building your own employee storytelling program:

1. Find the feedback channels you already have. Ferrell recommends asking: How are you collecting information from your employees? Does that content help foster a sense of belonging

2. Get creative about opportunities for storytelling. “You’ve got to look beyond the business,” Marr shared. “You have to really connect back to the teams, to the individuals, and really learn more about the people you’re working with.”

3. Establish leadership buy-in. Does your leadership team understand the value of storytelling for your culture? “If not, you’re gonna be pushing it uphill very hard,” Ferrell said.

“This has been such an important and such an incredible initiative that we’ve done at World Wide,” Marr said. “I viewed some of the stories, and I was amazed … there’s things I didn’t know about people.”

Share your story

Is your organization worthy of recognition? Get started with 카지노커뮤니티™ and start letting the world know about your special workplace.

What Are the 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace?

2023-02-13T20:04:51-05:00

Employee recognition is not a one-size-fits-all. The five languages of appreciation in the workplace help managers inspire great performance and retain top talent.

The first step to forging a valuable working relationship between employees and creating a culture of recognition is learning each other’s primary language of appreciation. If you can express genuine appreciation for a co-worker’s specific contribution or how their actions reflect company values, you’ll increase loyalty, improve employee experience and cut down staff turnover.

This topic is explored at length by author Gary Chapman in “The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace.” Chapman is widely known for his seminal work, “The Five Love Languages,” which examines how different personality types give and receive love. His follow-up book, co-written with psychologist Paul White, discusses how managers can effectively show appreciation and encouragement for their employees.

How to express appreciation in the workplace

Authentic appreciation is individual. One employee may welcome an invitation to a football game, whereas another might favor a simple — but specific — word or note of thanks. Which of the five languages of appreciation you choose to express should depend on what people prefer.

Employee recognition vs. employee appreciation

Recognition and appreciation in the workplace overlap, but they are not identical. Recognition is typically tied to performance and can lead to promotions and pay raises. Appreciation is broader and not as formal as recognition; it may even serve as encouragement for a struggling employee. You can express appreciation for an employee embodying company values or for a singular act that benefited the organization.

Consider these two scenarios:

Global recognition: A high-ranking boss delivers “thank you for your service” remarks to a group of workers who’ve gathered to celebrate career milestones. They eat cake and compare matching gifts. It’s a happy occasion, but not very personalized.
Individual and authentic appreciation: A manager asks if they can have a 10-minute check-in with a direct report and provides positive feedback. She thanks them for the long hours and creative thinking on a tight budget that led to the success of a major project they just wrapped.

Formally recognizing employees for their achievements and tenure will always be welcome in the workplace. But regularly expressing enough appreciation in a casual manner is an accessible and direct way to make your staff feel valued.

Global praise and generic gifts can’t compare to sincere, precise actions that promote a more positive work environment and instill a sense of workplace pride and ownership.

Identifying another person’s language of appreciation

Recognize your co-workers and their individual efforts, character traits, and personal motivations. Tailor your appreciation language to suit each person in appropriate ways with these two steps:

Observe. Consider how your co-workers express genuine appreciation to others, whether it’s through words of praise or a thoughtfully selected gift. Often, how someone treats another person is exactly how they’d like to receive appreciation. An individual can benefit from different languages of appreciation as well, not just one.

Listen attentively. Work backwards by noting what people complain about. It could be lack of facetime with a superior or the need for extra help under a looming deadline.

Global praise and generic gifts can’t compare to sincere, precise actions that promote a more positive work environment, and instill a sense of pride and ownership.

What are the five languages of appreciation in the workplace?

1. Words of affirmation

These can be verbal or written. Whichever approach you take, be as specific as possible. A generic “good job” won’t be as compelling or effective as taking the time to compliment a certain skill set or action. Maybe an employee’s quick thinking last Tuesday saved your company thousands of dollars. Perhaps a staffer’s savvy networking helped hook a lucrative new client. Some employees prefer words of praise, but first know your audience:

Verbal affirmations can take place on a stage in front of hundreds or in a one-on-one meeting. Some employees may welcome positive remarks in front of their co-workers, while other people prefer a quick, low-key mention in passing.

Written affirmations also are an effective way of showing appreciation. But again, consider how you relay the message, and whether the recipient prefers public or private compliments. A handwritten note can deliver more impact than an everyday email. These notes don’t have to be long — just honest and personalized.

2. Quality time

This means giving a colleague your undivided attention. Encouraging people can be as straightforward as showing up for them, truly listening, and affirming their feelings. Even your body language — when open and responsive — can convey interest and support.

You can give your time in many ways, including:

Sharing a meal or drink
Going on walking breaks during the day
Holding small group sessions to hear your employees’ concerns
Hosting a volunteer day where co-workers gather for community service and giving activities
Inviting employees to a fun, off-site problem-solving activity

3. Acts of service

If you see a co-worker buckling under an immense workload, should you offer a coffee mug or your assistance? Many workers don’t want another calendar or tote bag with the company logo. They don’t crave praise, either. They simply want to see others working as hard as them or pitching in as needed.

But first, ask if they want your help. Don’t assume, because that could be misinterpreted in a negative way. Play detective to see what work needs completion. Avoid doing a task that gives you the limelight. Perhaps you could make copies, send follow-up emails, or schedule a meeting while your colleague updates the CEO.

Whatever you do, stay positive and follow through. This is key. If you offer to help, do so in a timely manner.

4. Gifts

If your co-workers appreciate tangible gifts, make sure you personalize them. Take extra effort to note their interests in your day-to-day conversations. Issue company-wide surveys to each employee to learn about their favorite foods, interests, and activities or outings.

In remote workplaces, where it can be especially challenging to get to know one another, have your staff complete a questionnaire that gives you a glimpse into their hobbies and passions, pet peeves, and favorite music/movies/shows/books. Giving generic gifts can be perceived as wasteful and thoughtless, so keep a log of ideas. Your presents don’t need to be lavish, just tailored.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

An employee loves coffee, especially from the independent shop down the block. Instead of emailing them a Starbucks gift card, make an effort to grab one from their preferred cafe.
A co-worker is running ragged between work and family duties. They’ve commented on how difficult it is to get dinner on the table. Gift a meal-kit subscription or prepared meal that just needs reheating.
An inexpensive yet thoughtful token of employee appreciation can be in the form of a favorite treat. It shows you’ve been paying attention.

5. Physical touch

In Gary Chapman’s first book on appreciation, “The Five Love Languages,” physical touch is a logical expression of love between family or friends. But this is the thorniest of the five languages of appreciation in the workplace.

Appropriate physical touch in the office depends on HR guidelines and the recipient’s own feelings. Do not touch anyone who does not want to be touched — no exceptions.

For colleagues who do feel valued by appropriate physical touch, it’s critical to respect boundaries. Handshakes, fist bumps, and high-fives are typically acceptable. Showing genuine appreciation with these brief but uplifting acts can go a long way in expressing your gratitude.

Physical touch shouldn’t be the primary way you show appreciation in the workplace, but a pat on the shoulder doesn’t have to be forbidden, either.

The five languages of appreciation in the workplace don’t just apply to managers and their direct reports. Anyone at any level can express appreciation to and for co-workers. Peer-to-peer appreciation can even carry more weight and points to a strong company culture of inclusion, support, and work relationships.