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Once a concept relegated to people’s personal lives, mindfulness is becoming increasingly known as essential to a positive workplace culture. Why is a mindful company culture important?

  • 89% of human resources staff in leadership positions agree that ongoing peer feedback and check-ins are key for successful outcomes. (1)
  • One in two employees only feel “somewhat valued” and one in 10 workers do not feel “valued at all.” (2)
  • 69% of employees are feeling burned out due to day-to-day stressors and fear of a recession. (3)

There is clearly a pressing need to make employees feel valued at work and to provide them with a positive environment. And yes, this includes remote employees, who feel the vibe of their company culture just as much as their in-person counterparts.

So, what does a mindful workplace culture look like? Here are five effective ways to create one.

1. REWARD EMPLOYEES WITH EXPERIENCES

You might assume that cash is the best way to reward workers for a job well done. However, this is not true. In fact:

  • Experiential rewards have 3.8 times more impact on employees than any other type of reward – including cash and gift cards. (4)
  • Organizations that invest in experience-focused rewards cultivate stronger employee-employer relationships and see significantly higher engagement. (4)

Memorable people, places, and experiences linger in people’s minds much longer than unremarkable ones. Since experiential rewards are still somewhat rare for employers to offer, they stand out. This characteristic makes experiences more memorable from the get-go. Workers will remember experiences that employers gift them for a long time and they will associate the positive memory with their employer.

In addition, experiential rewards – especially all-expense-paid trips to exotic locales – are aspirational. The rise of influencers on social media demonstrates how powerful aspirational concepts are to human psychology. Imagine exploring a storied city in another country while eating at renowned restaurants and staying in a beautifully appointed hotel. Chances are, you would feel appreciated by your company if they sent you there on their own dime as a demonstration of gratitude for your contributions.

Obviously, all-expense trips are among the best experiential rewards. However, you do not have to fly employees around the world to show appreciation. Examples of experience-based incentives that have more modest expenses include:

  • An evening in a luxury box at a local sporting event.
  • A seat at the chef’s table at a top-rated area restaurant.
  • Attendance at a pottery-making or painting class.
  • A day at a local amusement park or zoo.

Regardless of the type of experiential rewards you give, use creativity to ensure that they are memorable and will delight recipients.

2. CELEBRATE SUCCESSES, LARGE AND SMALL

At the end of the day, people want to be recognized publicly for their wins. While many employers celebrate big wins, smaller but still important small wins tend to go unrecognized.

Success does not have to mean closing a big sale, completing a major project, or being promoted by leadership. It can also mean finishing one phase of a project, receiving a specialized certification, training new hires who perform well, overcoming a major challenge, solving a problem for a colleague, or contributing efforts to help another team execute a task or project.

Excellent ways of celebrating successes include sending an email out to the entire organization detailing accomplishments, featuring them in an employee e-newsletter, and praising them during a team meeting or company town hall.

3. DEMONSTRATE GRATITUDE VERBALLY OR IN WRITING

A simple expression of gratitude goes a long way in making a positive impression on employees. Whether a manager thanks their report verbally or in writing, the worker is likely to feel “seen” and valued.

Taking it up a notch with a handwritten note in a thank you card or stationery is highly recommended. Just be careful to keep the note professional and appropriate.

4. GRANT EMPLOYEES EXTRA TIME OFF

Work-life balance is something that many employees feel they are lacking. A lack of sufficient time off is one of the culprits. Workers who do not get enough paid time off often get burnt out and may feel resentful. It also adds to their job-related stress.

You can remedy this by offering extra vacation days as an incentive. It is a great alternative to changing the entire paid time off policy to apply to every single person on your staff.

If you decide to use this idea, it is imperative not to infringe on the recipient’s extra days off for any reason. Do not postpone them and do not bother the recipient on any vacation days they have received as a reward.

5. TAKE ACTION TO HELP EMPLOYEES SUCCEED

Lending a helping hand is not only regarded as a kind gesture, but in the workplace, it also sends the message of lifting teammates up instead of tearing them down. It signifies that leadership considers unity and support important.

Encourage employees to help each other. Furthermore, establish practices that incorporate support into the daily fabric of the organization. For example, you could have a board where workers write a question they have or something they are struggling to figure out. Tell them to include their name and work email address or phone number. Colleagues who might be able to help them can then reach out to offer their knowledge or services. If your workforce is fully or partially remote, create a dedicated channel in the messaging app your team uses to stay in touch throughout the workday.

PRO TIP: Daily interactions such as connections and networking are at the core of company culture. When you can provide opportunities to use digital tools to assist with collaboration and problem-solving you can learn much about the internal dynamics of your organization. Use analytic data to help further enhance face-to-face interactions in meetings, team building, and relationship-bonding events.

POSITION EMPLOYEES FOR SUCCESS BY STAYING MINDFUL OF HOW THEY PERCEIVE THEIR VALUE

Cultivating a mindful workplace culture that is positive, encouraging, and supportive is easier than you might think. Yes, it will require a bit of concerted effort and investment, but the initiative will pay off in handsome dividends with engaged employees who are positioned to succeed. 

Non-cash incentives are a powerful experiential reward, but they require careful and thoughtful planning. For more information about planning travel incentive trips, contact Gavel International. 

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SOURCE(S):

1 https://press.workhuman.com/press-releases/globoforce-shrm-human/

2 https://www.workhuman.com/resources/human-workplace-index/hwi-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-efforts/

3 https://www.hrdive.com/news/burnout-unprecedented-heres-what-employers-can-do/639237/

4 reworked.co/the-wire/experiential-rewards-have-nearly-4x-more-impact-on-employee-experience-according-to-new-blueboard-report/

Jim Bozzelli
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