We spoke with Luba Sydor, founder and CEO of White Plains-based consulting and recruiting firm Person2Person LLC, and Laura Persky, graduate program director at Manhattanville College School of Business, about what makes a healthy company culture. Here are their six tips for crafting a better work environment:
1. Listen to everyone. “Ask your employees what they like about working at your company, what they hate about it, and what they would do differently if it were their company,” Sydor recommends. Two-way communication can take shape as team lunches or team-building activities, she adds.
2. Celebrate success. “A pat on the back is always appreciated, especially when it comes from your boss,” Sydor says. “Give recognition where it is due. This can be done in a one-on-one or group setting.” Beyond praise, Sydor suggests rewarding employees with bonuses, awards, and profit sharing.
3. Offer convenience. Can your employees get in a workout or do dry cleaning without leaving the building? “Part of the challenge of working in suburban areas is that it’s difficult to get out to other places during business hours,” Sydor says. “So the more services you can bring to your employees, the easier you make their lives.”
4. Value break-time. “If you make it easy for [employees] to get away for a few minutes and then go back to their desks feeling more productive, you’ll get more efficiency,” Persky says.
5. Embrace transparency. “Consider sharing company goals and financials — good and bad — with your employees,” Sydor recommends. “Open lines of communication will create a culture of openness in your organization.” One tactic? “Quarterly updates with the CEO.”
6. Be flexible. “Every employee brings a unique skillset to the table — and that means their personal needs vary, as well,” Sydor says. If possible, managers can offer flexible work hours or the ability to work from home.
