HR

3 Things HR Leaders Can Do to Make Their Company a Great Place to Work

This post was co-authored by Lynette Pathy.

As the business world continues to evolve, employees, managers and decision makers constantly look to ways they can grow to become more effective in the workplace. One of the people at the forefront of this movement is Fred Kofman, Philosopher of Leadership and Organizational Development at LinkedIn and author of Conscious Business: How to Build Value through Values.

Fred’s approach to business looks to match profit with purpose. It shows companies that rather than focusing exclusively on a profit generation model, they should approach business with a more holistic attitude. Not only can businesses achieve their goals and grow the bottom line, they can also evolve through trust, values and integrity that will benefit their business and contribute to the greater good.

We were lucky enough to spend some time with Fred during his recent trip to Asia Pacific and gained some valuable insight into his thoughts on how HR Leaders can practice conscious business leadership. Here are the top three takeaways from our chat.

 1. Create an environment people want to work in

In today’s workplaces, employees look for meaning and purpose, not simply perks and a paycheck. Foster an environment that inspires openness and learning within your organization, and employees should feel comfortable to share their thoughts and know that they are valued.

Take Google for example. They are consistently voted the top place to work in the world thanks to their investment in their staff. The company promotes a culture of empowerment that creates a positive atmosphere and pride in work.

According to Google’s CEO Larry Page, “It’s important that the company be a family, that people feel that they’re part of the company and that the company is like a family to them. When you treat people that way, you get better productivity.”

 2. Create a company culture that is rooted in purpose and local culture

According to Fred, “deep down, all humans want the same thing. We all want to have meaning in our lives.” So when it comes to business, it’s important to create a company culture where employees feel that they are working towards a common purpose.

A strong company culture should also be rooted in local culture. Particularly within a region as diverse as Asia Pacific, it is essential that leaders look for ways to build on the value a local culture can bring to a company and its employees. Defining this overall picture will help leaders understand how they can balance cultural drives with business purpose to truly motivate employees.

3. Build loyalty by not asking for it

Thoughtful leaders understand that employees are the lifeblood of their organization. If people don’t feel valued, they will be disengaged and disconnected, likely leading to costly rates of high staff turnover.

While it’s easy to assume generous packages and benefits or modern working environments are the keys to people’s loyalty, Fred explains it all comes down to the value employees feel in the workplace.

“Loyalty should never be a barrier to exit; it should be a permanent conversation about value… You’ll have to create conditions where you never take each other for granted.”

In today’s business, building relationships is key to creating loyalty. Communicate with your teams – a simple email, check-in or chat shows employees they are heard and appreciated. When employees feel like leaders care, it’s natural for them to enhance their performance and feel a connection to their workplace.

LinkedIn launches Conscious Business Leadership Awards

With the above premise in mind, we launched the Conscious Business Leadership Awards for HR leaders in the Asia Pacific region who embody these ideals. We had an overwhelming response and of all the nominations, we narrowed down to the Top 28 who are the finalists for the awards.

Check the video below of Fred congratulating our finalists to learn what makes them a champion of Conscious Business.

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