What makes a workplace great? Happy employees share secrets

Anna Marum

Sept. 29--The most successful employers know that good pay and traditional benefits aren't enough to make a workplace great. They know the other qualities are far less tangible and always evolving.

But for people who love their jobs, regardless of industry or company size, there are common themes: autonomy, transparency, flexibility. A collaborative culture. A sense of purpose. Room to grow.

And that's true whether they work at a tire center, a real estate agency, a medical clinic or a coffee house, according to the results of the 2017 Top Workplaces survey.

The results show that regional workers place a premium on flexibility and support. That's always been the case, said Charlotte Fritz, an associate professor of industrial and organizational psychology at Portland State University. What's changed is the way in which they're delivered.

Support can come in the form of consistent training and good benefits, she said. But a lot of that goodwill, or lack thereof, can be traced back to the boss, she said.

"Lots of people leave their jobs or switch teams because they don't get along with their supervisor," she said. Employees don't respond well to micromanagement; they need to be able to do their work in a way that fits their own needs and skill set, she said.

The survey results back that up. Respondents repeatedly praised bosses who allowed them to do their jobs. "I have autonomy. My director encourages decision making and doesn't need to be involved in every little thing," one Oregon Clinic employee wrote. "All of the supporting departments do their job so well, it allows me to do mine very well too."

Workers also value flexibility, Fritz said, and technology has made it easier for people to work remotely and off-hours. But employers also have to set clear expectations to guard against fostering a culture in which staffers are reluctant to unplug. There are "costs of always being on and always being accessible," she said.

"We've got plenty of data now that you need to move away from work early in the night because it can affect your life," she said. "Even if it's good or exciting, it's mental activation, and it can mess with your sleep."

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL

The most successful workplaces tend to personalize perks. "It's never just about Kegerators," said Lindsay Wolff Logsdon, a partner with Portland's Liquid Agency consulting firm and former human resources manager. She was referencing Silicon Valley's embrace of beer on tap and such perks as free gourmet food, nap pods and on-site yoga classes.

"If you're making a fancy space because you like to show off, you could have just given that money to employees and they would have been more motivated. ... Uber had a beautiful, slick fancy office. What if they had put a tenth of that money into training their managers?" she said of the ride-sharing company's reputation for a toxic workplace culture.

A company's benefits should complement its values, Wolff Logsdon said.

For instance, Portland-based Living Room Realty gives its employees unlimited paid time-off and vacation bonuses. Vernier Software & Technology, a Beaverton company that provides classrooms with lab equipment, regularly holds picnics and barbecues for employees and allows them to take four hours of paid volunteer time per month.

Employers will ultimately see a return on investment for each benefit they offer their workers, Wolff Logsdon said.

The adage that one great employee is worth three good ones? Research backs that up. Michael Mankins, a partner with consulting firm Bain & Co. who co-wrote a book on productivity, found that one "inspired" employee -- one who brings more energy to the job -- can produce as much as 2.25 workers who are merely "satisfied."

"Our research suggests that the best companies are more than 40% more productive than the rest," Mankins wrote in the Harvard Business Review. "And this difference in productivity results in significantly higher profits -- operating margins 30%-50% higher than industry peers -- and faster growth."

QUALITY OF LIFE

Both Wolff Logsdon and Fritz agree that the Portland metro area has a reputation for valuing a healthy work-life balance.

The pace is slower here than, say, the San Francisco Bay Area, Wolff Logsdon said. People in the Pacific Northwest expect to leave work by 6 to spend time with friends and family or pursue outdoor activities. In the Bay Area, workers tend to work longer hours and spend ungodly amounts of time in traffic.

"You get the best products when people can be their best," she said. "There's an appreciation for leading a balanced, high-quality life in Portland. We're an hour from the mountains, an hour from the ocean. Whatever your pleasure, it's accessible here."

Fritz agreed: The region is attractive to workers for its high-quality life at a moderate cost, its laid-back pace and its focus on sustainability.

"I think a lot of people move here for job opportunities," she said, "and also for a certain kind of life they want to live."

-- Anna Marum

Kaynak:

Oregonian, The (Portland, OR). 09/29/2017.