Continuous Workforce Improvement: Staying Ahead

We are excited to publish this post in collaboration with the team at Deputy, a global workforce management platform for employee scheduling, timesheets and communications.

There was a time when human resources management focused on the simple things - finding good employees who were happy to stick to their job description. Those days are over and competition in the corporate world has become tougher.

Gone are the days when mere employee satisfaction was enough. 90% of companies say their markets have become more competitive - ultimately redefining the standards by which companies should measure their employees' performance. Today, employee satisfaction is the absolute minimum. The real challenge is keeping employees engaged and motivating them to surpass themselves.

In this market environment, what role do HR managers play in maintaining performance and ensuring the survival of their company in all possible challenges and competition?

What is employee engagement?

Employee engagement is a concept that aims to understand the relationship between an employer and its employees. Beyond this definition, employee engagement is also an approach to human resource management that aims to encourage employees to take an interest in their employer and the organization in which they work.

Employees who are highly engaged are motivated to work toward the company's goals, are interested in the company's goals and values, and do not hesitate to go above and beyond.

Today, a high level of employee engagement is the only way to ensure the survival and success of a company.

Continuous workforce management - always one step ahead of the game

When employees do their work with care rather than just executing it, the results speak for themselves. Greater efficiency, better ideas, lower turnover and higher customer satisfaction are just a few of the benefits your business will experience when you invest meaningfully Invest in your employees and their well-being.

Attract better talent

The right company culture is one of the most important things to most employees, and they are even willing to leave if they don't get the flexibility and support they want in their work. A good company culture, developed through ongoing human resources management, has long been linked to higher revenue and lower turnover.

According to this article in the Harvard Business Review, better workplace culture - fostered through ongoing employee management - saves employers from high turnover rates. Healthcare spending is 50% higher in workplaces with cut-throat cultures, and costs continue to rise when these stressed-out employees are absent.

When it comes to attracting better talent, workplace culture plays a crucial role. After the Great Resignation and the pandemic, the focus of the labor market has shifted to employees. In practice, this means that employers make extra efforts to carefully manage applicants' journeys from interview to exit.

Just like in sales, HR managers have recognized the value of retention over acquisition. To attract and retain better candidates, you have to offer them something others don't have - and simple perks and financial bonuses are no longer enough. Today's workers want better work-life balance and flexibility (which leads to higher productivity), and that's why workforce management is a crucial aspect of attracting better candidates.

Avoid bad reviews

A company's online reviews make all the difference, especially if it's a small business just starting out. Think about it - how many times have you decided against purchasing from a company because of poor or mediocre online reviews? In a world where consumers are overwhelmed with offers, it's important for businesses to stand out from the crowd with the right type of online presence.

A single bad review can doom your business in the early stages, and it can't be ignored later on either. Because customer reviews play a very important role in every customer's purchasing decision - bad customer reviews could convince them not to spend money on your product, and no one lacks alternatives these days.

Improve day-to-day operations

When employees are engaged and interested in their work, day-to-day business runs more smoothly. According to an analysis of employee autonomy and engagement, experts have found that employees who are engaged are also more autonomous. This improves things like role clarity, adaptability and commitment to the workplace. All of these factors are important for your company to consistently perform well in your industry.

When it comes to managing your employees, improving day-to-day operations starts with clearly defined roles, job descriptions and processes. Once these are in place, your employees will have defined responsibilities - even KPIs if necessary - and can structure their individual work to achieve their goals and collaborate with their colleagues on larger projects.

When HR management is efficient and simple, it allows for additional flexibility for employees. Because flexible hours and/or shifts are one of the most valued benefits of employment today, they improve productivity by giving employees the opportunity to organize their day. Of course, this is not possible everywhere, but where it is possible, it brings results!

Improved business adaptability

If there is anything that has become clearer in recent years, it is the fact that change is never a bad thing, and in today's global economic climate, companies must always be prepared for it. Corporate change management has been put to the test in 2020, and it's safe to say that companies want to stay on top of things now.

However, one of the most difficult aspects of this is dealing with employee resistance to change. As a rule, employees resist change because they are not sure that their employer is looking out for their interests or because they do not dare to change the way work is done in the office.

However, this is not the case with committed employees. Employees who care about the company are more open to change when they see that it is in the best interest of the company. They also show more trust in management and support them rather than resisting the change. This increases your ability to respond quickly to change and could even give you a leg up on the competition in certain situations.

How to ensure continuous workforce management

To maintain employee engagement, you must constantly work to nurture the relationship between the company and its employees. This means that you must invest time and effort to ensure that you and the company's employees are on the same page.

Here's how to do it:

Tell them how things work here

In most companies there is a lot going on in different departments. This means that there may be a team dedicated to creating content but has no idea what process they go through before publishing or who even decides what topic to work on.

However, once employees know how their contributions fit into the bigger picture and what their work means to the company, they will give it more meaning.

Make sure you have adequate time off and free time

A good work-life balance is something that all employees need today. It not only keeps them happy, but also increases their satisfaction with their work and thus their efficiency. HR managers and team leaders can use intelligent software and custom tools to create a schedule that meets the needs of their subordinates while keeping the needs of the business in mind.

Arrange regular training courses

Show your employees that you care about their professional development and their future at the company to keep them happy. When you invest in the development of your employees, you are not only doing so for them, but also for your company, which benefits from their skills and know-how.

Give managers the right tools

Managing a team isn't easy, and it's definitely not a job that can be done without the right tools. From tools to manage tasks and track employee performance to software that helps managers recognize employees, there are countless things that can help team leaders lead better. Equip your managers with all the necessary tools to ensure efficiency and make their work easier.

Regular performance recognition

Positive reinforcement is a trick as old as time, and for good reason. When good work is recognized and appreciated in the workplace, everyone is motivated to do more and enjoys their work more. On the other hand, a lack of feedback can cause employees' performance levels to drop significantly. Make it a habit to meet with your employees regularly.

Pay attention to employee feedback

For employees to feel like they are truly contributing to the company, they need to know that their contributions and feedback are valued and listened to. Listen to your employees when they say they can do their jobs better with one tool than the other, when they express concerns about scheduling, and pay special attention to employee survey results. But don't just listen - you have to respond to this input!

Delegate responsibility properly

Delegating responsibility not only saves managers a lot of time, but also gives employees the opportunity to show what they can do - and saves managers a lot of work. Highly qualified specialists also appreciate having a free hand in their projects.

Bottom line

While ongoing human resources management may seem like a never-ending task (because it is), it is an absolutely necessary task on which even the future of your company may depend. In an economy as competitive as today's, engaged employees make all the difference when it comes to a company's survival and prosperity.

Investing in continuous workforce management isn't just about staying competitive—it's about ensuring your company's survival. With IceHrm, streamline your HR processes and keep your employees engaged for long-term success.