What Makes a Great Place to Work

What makes your HOME CARE company a GREAT place to work?

At times we all think back and recall what shaped us as individuals as well as what made us who we are. Besides what our parents taught us, learning from your past experiences is really what makes us who we are.

When I Was Coming Up in the Work Force

Looking back, when I joined the work force, it was the era where owner/management used the iron fist, working employees without fair compensation or used threats to get results. Being fresh out of college I was so excited to get my first real job. With a business major, my first job was in the finance industry (Manager Trainee) as a salaried employee. Upper management made it very clear that you were expected to work 50 plus hours or you would not survive with the company. I saw many of my co-workers/friends threatened, picked-on, belittled, harassed, and over looked for promotions because they were “clock watchers” or “not a team player”. Companies were just taking advantage of the “Salary Position” and working the salary employees over the 40 hour workweek to avoiding paying overtime. (at that time the Salary exemption was $8,840) Being a farm boy from the mid-west, I had a very good work ethic, I had always worked until the job was done; a trait my father demanded of me. I was basically a “yes man” who played the corporate game, worked 50 plus hours per week, and whatever management wanted, I would do. As a result I was promoted within 15 months to a branch manager and doubled my salary with monthly bonuses. I was determined not to do to my employee’s the things that happened to my co-worker and me. I had to be a very demanding boss because I had to have the results that were demanded by upper management. I was always pressured by my boss with daily number reporting and weekly projections. I was the buffer and would not let my employees see or hear what was being pushed down the canals. I ran a very tight ship; I would run a flex schedule with my employees, due to the fact we had to work evenings and Saturdays, but never made it mandatory to work over 40 hours per week. After being with the company for 6 years, Corporate America salaried employees started demanded to be switched from a salaried employee to hourly employees. This forced upper management to adopt different methods to control employee costs. This also affected the attitudes of employees, feeling they had been taken advantage of for so many years. There was no loyalty anymore. Management had to change their leadership styles and start making it more accommodating for an employee to want to work for their company and retain their employees.

Today's Management Style

Today: Leaders/Mangers need to act as coaches and mentors instead of as dictators and enforcers. They need to assist, encourage, and provide constructive criticism. In the old days, managers sat at the top and exercised their power. A great leader will sit back and help push their people up-ward.

Managers and employees need to act the same way at work as they do at home. This will make it easier for communication between manager and employees, because management needs to treat employees as family. Employees aren’t perfect neither is management. This allows everyone to be who you are and this is a sign you are working for a truly great company.

In most organizations employees are on a “need to know” basis. This makes communication and trust very difficult because the employees think the management is hiding something. Have open discussions with employees, and make sure you talk about things that could affect them. Secret “door shut” meeting puts up a red flag and employees always suspect the worst. If your company believes in an open door policy, you are working at a great company. A recent poll shows that 85% of employees hate their job.

Our goal is to create an organization where employees want to come to work because they love what they do. Employees in today’s workforce need to feel valued and they need to see, and be recognized for the difference they make. You must have a cultural environment that attracts and retains your employees.

• Encourage your employees: This helps create a positive working environment.
• Promote employees: Learning from each other, this creates an “I am very important attitude”.
• Create healthy competition: Like weekly or monthly challenges or competitions.
• Cross training: This helps with total office communication and respect for other positions.
• Respect: It’s a two way street, be respectful to everyone and you shall receive respect from everyone.
• Performance appreciation: Employee of the month, bonuses, and thank you go a long way.
• Avoid company politics: Avoid all gossip and focus on work goals and objectives.
• Support diversity: Everyone must be treated the same.
• Celebrate success: Lean form the mistakes and celebrate the wins.
• Accountability: Everyone complete their tasks and can’t be afraid to ask for help.
• Problem solving: Involve everyone and hash out a solution as a team.
• New and improved ideas: Have an open door for employee ideas.
• Sincerity and discipline: Management must enforce policies and procedures unilaterally.