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6 Ways to Create a Supportive Work Environment

6 Ways to Create a Supportive Work Environment
by David K. Williams

As CEO of Fishbowl Inventories, I am often asked questions about how to run a successful technology company. From organizational culture to project management, I have learned a lot during the past fifteen years and would love to share what I have learned.

Today, I am pleased to announce the launch of the “Ask Dave” series exclusively on forbes.com. This first article is a response to an insightful question from Mari Machado, who works in healthcare:

“How do you balance creating a motivating and supportive environment for your staff while still meeting the bottom line and not overspending?”

In our continued quest for excellence, we will try nearly everything, from Ipads to exotic trips to bonuses, to motivate our employees. At Fishbowl, incentives are common, and motivation is high on our list of priorities. But, over time, I’ve realized that there is a distinct difference between motivation tactics and establishing a long-term supportive environment.

While you can motivate someone for a time, establishing a supportive organizational culture with an equally supportive management is the foundation upon which long-term employee satisfaction is based.

Here are six keys to consider that will help you create a supportive environment for your employees while improving the bottom line.

1. Remember, employees are human beings, not resources

While motivation aims at getting an employee to do something, support runs much deeper. Synonymous with “caring,” being supportive means caring about the overall employee—not just his or her performance at work.

“The 20th century viewpoint that believes people are a means to an end has run its course,” said Shawn Murphy, CEO of Switch and Shift. “We are seeing employees refusing to play by the tired rules from the previous century. They are leaving jobs to start their own work. They are leaving companies that treat them as a finite asset in hopes of finding someplace where they are valued.”

A supportive work environment recognizes an employee’s desire for work/life balance, honors promises of flexibility and reinforces the trust relationship between manager and employee. When CEOs openly respect employees as more than simple work resources, employees will not only reach a high level of performance, but they will remain with the company longer.

2. Acknowledge achievements after the fact

Rather than focusing heavily on the motivational incentives, establish a set of clearly defined goals. Then celebrate when those goals are met. Celebrations for a job well done can be more powerful than the usual carrot on the stick.

Recognizing employee achievements helps to create a positive organizational culture and also encourages employees to excel in their jobs. As Cleverism.com notes, when someone receives praise, he or she will automatically try to give the same level of performance and even improve efforts further.

3. Give employees autonomy

Part of building a supportive foundation is learning to trust that your employees will use their workday hours to accomplish their goals.

Research from Tel Aviv University published in Psychological Science reported that “even the least powerful employees will commit to finding ways to make their organization more efficient if given the autonomy to make decisions and execute the improvement measures they find most useful.”

By creating a strong sense of autonomy, employees will feel empowered rather than micromanaged.

Read full article on Forbes.