See our checklist below for some of the attributes that Employer’s of Choice are striving for.
This list is certainly not exhaustive, and it could go on, and on, and on….but study your own workplaces to see which boxes you can tick, and whether or not the boxes you have ticked can be improved upon.
- Training and Professional Development programs in place.
- Proactive approach to employee wellbeing, health and safety which includes provision of a good work/life balance, flexible working conditions, mutual respect and care.
- Proactive approach to equal employment opportunity, providing diversity and balance in the workforce.
- A performance appraisal system that is user-friendly and promotes positive personal achievement and continuous improvement.
- Employment documentation in place, including some form of position description or performance benchmarking and a written employment contract.
- A fair, manageable and measurable remuneration and benefits system. On that recognises and rewards desired behaviours, attitudes and performance.
- Transformational Leadership that engages all of the workforce in achieving the strategic aims and objectives of the business or organisation.
- Management that is informed, proactive, “walks the talk” (leads by example) and can offer secure employment.
- Workplace policies/procedures that lead the way in promoting “how things should be done in your business or organisation” (making sure that the legal aspects of your policies correctly fit both your particular industry and the Industrial Relations arena you are subject to).
- A process of “rolling out the policies/procedures” in an open and collaborative way with your workforce so that there is a full understanding of what the documents are saying and how they work in practice. Remembering that new starters to the business or organisation will need to know about your policies and procedures in their induction phase.
- Availability of policies and procedures to all staff, including management to refer to daily.
- Open and transparent communication across the board.
- Avenues for all employees and senior management to offer feedback, ideas, comments and communicate in an appropriate and acceptable manner.
In the end, what you are aiming for as an Employer of Choice, is to have both existing staff and potential new recruits who all want to work for you and all want to work towards achieving your mission and/or vision.
As mentioned at the top of this e-bulletin, the list can go on and on, so if you are wanting to dig a little deeper to find the gold in your workforce, then contact our office to find out more.
Workwise has a workplace Best Practice Model which is aimed at helping employers work towards being an Employer of Choice.