Five Ways to Build an Enviable Workplace

by. Lana J. Chandler

It doesn’t take a boatload of perks or high-priced consultants to make your branch a great place to work,” maintains Honey Shelton, president of InterAction Training (Humble, Texas). “Demonstrating a genuine interest in others, giving employees the responsibility and power to get their jobs done, and giving them respect all go a long way to elevating employee satisfaction.”

To boost employee satisfaction, Shelton recommends these five strategies:

1. Respect boundaries, stay real.

“Time-wasting is an ongoing abuse in the workplace. As a manager, you have the power to call the plays of the game. You’ll be the one who most often tips the first domino that sends many others falling down,” says Shelton.

When you schedule meetings, give thought to the impact your request has on others. Employees have their own plan for the day in full swing and are often thrown into a frenzy to accommodate a meeting request at the last minute.

Start and stop meetings on time. Let people know you expect them to be on time and they can count on you to be as well. If the agenda isn’t finished by the time the meeting is scheduled to end, then brainstorm with all attendees the best way to address unfinished business rather than running the meeting later than planned.

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