The traditional idea among many employers is that, to keep a team of employees properly efficient and on-task, there needs to be a strict, no-nonsense office culture, where everyone knows exactly who’s in charge and where orders and regulations will not be questioned.
As business culture has developed, however, many employers have come to see the benefits of a more relaxed office culture, whether the task being worked on is a cutting-edge identity verification service, or something far less technical.
After all, with the notoriously relaxed office culture’s of some cutting-edge tech giants like Google, there’s got to be something to the idea of loosening up a bit.
Here are some reasons why a more relaxed work culture may help you get the most out of your staff.
Creativity is higher when people feel safe in communicating off-the-wall ideas
David Allen, author of the best-selling book and productivity system, “Getting Things Done,” has noted that offices which put pressure on their employees to come up with “good ideas” usually have a severe shortage of such ideas, and often have to bring in outside consultants as a result.
The whole issue here is in failing to understand how people think, and emphasizing the wrong parts of the process.
In a creative setting, people don’t have “good ideas,” or “bad ideas,” they just have ideas. When they feel discouraged from sharing any ideas that aren’t going to be applauded as revolutionary, they clam up.
When, on the other hand, people are encouraged to share any and all ideas in meetings, and know they can benefit from a broadly non-judgemental office culture, the discussion is much more likely to move on productively, and those golden creative insights can be gathered or worked towards.
Remote working and flexible hours allow staff to work according to their energy levels
Remote working arrangements have become vastly more popular in recent times, due in no small part to the ever-growing sophistication of the internet and computer technology.
Allowing your staff the option to work remotely, or with flexible hours, may significantly boost their productivity for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, because they can work according to the natural ebb and flow of their energy levels, and capitalize on their most productive hours, rather than having to grind during set office hours.
Secondly, people are likely to work more intensely during the hours they do work, if they know they’ll be allowed to clock off early.
As long as your staff keep meeting their deadlines and targets, what’s the harm in trying it?
Staff are more likely to be loyal to the company when they feel well-treated
Holding onto trained staff is a serious concern for most businesses, and various incentives exist to try and increase staff retention.
Needless to say, the more well-treated your staff feel, the more likely they’ll be to work diligently, and to exhibit loyalty towards the company, rather than looking for greener pastures at every turn.
