It is difficult to thrive in a place where you’re unhappy and demoralized, such as in a workplace environment that does not value your contributions to the organization. In this situation, it can make you feel like all the hard work you’re doing goes unnoticed, which makes it more practical for you to leave.
This is what happens when the employers do not take care of their employees—they create an unhealthy workplace culture that treats people as nothing more than numbers to generate a profit. What they fail to realize is that their employees are their greatest assets, and without them, the business won’t become successful.
That is the reason it is important to put the people first because happy employees make for loyal and productive workers. This “people-first approach” is the kind of mindset propagated by SMRT Chairman Seah Moon Ming, head of Singapore’s leading multi-modal transportation service.
He is a leader who leads by example. When he first came into the picture, he bowed in apology to all the people being affected by the flaws of their public transportation system. He even left his CEO position to make SMRT his priority. Seah Moon Ming started taking care of his people, and that made all the difference.
Investing in the people that make your business thrive is a must. You can’t expect them to give their 110% just because you’re paying them to do so; you must value their individual contributions and treat them as human beings. And the best way to do that is through mentorship because it benefits everyone.
Employees
Loyalty and trust have to be earned; they are not given just because your employees signed a contract to work for your company. If they feel like they aren’t being valued in the workplace or there’s no room for them to grow, you can’t expect them to stay and give their all for the business’ success.
By creating a mentorship program for your employees, you can create an avenue for you to understand your employees’ needs and aspirations. This can be a great way to make stronger working relationships built on mutually beneficial collaborations, which can be good for business.
Implementing a mentorship program can also make it easier for you to establish a workplace culture that values learning and personal development. Through this process, your employees will see that you’re interested in helping them become better and more productive workers for the sake of the company and that of themselves.
Managers
Your employees are not the only people who will benefit from having a mentorship program in the workplace. This is because your managers can take more active roles in the mentorship program when they participate themselves, which can then help them become better leaders in the organization.
For instance, your managers can work with the mentors you brought in for the program so that over time, they can become mentors themselves. Working as a mentor can make it easier to bridge the gap between employee and manager, ultimately benefiting their working relationships.
Employees have to be able to communicate with their managers and speak their minds without fear. So many employees feel like they have no autonomy in the workplace because all they do is follow orders, but that’s something that you can change once you start the mentorship program.
Business
Employees who feel valued in the workplace tend to be happier and more productive, which can improve their performance. They understand that they still have opportunities to grow and develop their professional skills in the workplace, which means they will not think of leaving.
And an increase in workplace productivity is a testament to the efficacy of the changes being implemented by the employers. It creates a stronger company culture founded on the employees’ desire to drive the business forward and reach greater heights together; as one organization.
By putting the growth and welfare of your people first, it will be much easier to aim for success in the business. A highly profitable and successful business would mean nothing if the people inside it are being exploited, undervalued, and are itching to break out of the shackles that bound them.
But if you take the time to care for your people, listen to their concerns, and value their opinions, you’ll be able to create stronger relationships with your employees. Then, you can use those newly formed bonds to break down the barriers hindering your success and further improve your bottom line in the business.
