Today’s Morning Buzz is by Jessica Hoffman. Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn.
Rupture the Stereotype: How to Build a Workplace Culture for the Future
If you have ever read any of my previous articles, you know that I am passionate about keeping quality talent in local government. I think it’s imperative that continue to attract and retain talent in our field. I think it’s the responsibility of City Managers, Directors and teams across the country to continue to evolve their workplaces so we can deliver the best service possible to those we serve. We need to change the stereotype that government is for people who are fine “doing it the way it’s always been done.” So here’s a step-by-step process on how you can help build a workplace culture for the future!
Talk to Your Employees: Before you start making any decisions about new strategies or policies, talk to your employees about what they think. In my organization, we call this our “Stay Survey.” The essence of this survey is to ask people what they would like to see to “stay” in our organization. This has guided our implementation of new benefits and policies for years.
Set Goals: Once you have decided what you need to do in your organization, set realistic goals about timeline and strategies. Once you start this process, it’s easy to become overwhelmed but give yourself some grace and set goals that are achievable.
Establish Your Team: As I mentioned, this can be an overwhelming process, so make sure you have a diverse group of people to help review and give feedback on culture and policy changes. This group also can help take on projects and research.
Be Transparent: Make sure you are sharing the goals of this group with all employees, council/board members and even the public. Remember the goal of this whole process is to recruit and retain the highest quality talent so we can deliver high-quality services to the communities we serve.
Celebrate Wins: Don’t forget to celebrate wins along the way! This process doesn’t happen overnight. So make sure you take the time to celebrate wins which can include: applying for awards, giving out awards, saying thank you and bragging about all of the awesome things you have accomplished! Evaluate your results, evolve and keep it going!
If you need some quick ideas for some culture enhancement and employee engagement here’s a short list I encourage you to consider for your own organization! Help us RUPTURE the stereotype and bring the best talent to our field.
- Lunch and Learns (Bring your own lunch)
- Prize Wheel
- Parking Spot for Employee of the Month
- Modify Dress Code
- Interns
- Food Trucks Onsite
- City Hall Selfie Day
- Pumpkin Decorating Contest
- Ugly Sweater Day
- Bring a Child to Work Day
- Employee Picnic
- Networking Offsite