Story:
Five Ways To Transform Your Offices To Promote Company Culture and Employee Retention

For businesses, managers, and employees alike, a new era has dawned. In this era, interest reigns supreme, yet, the interest levels of most young individuals entering the workforce nowadays are shockingly low. However, despite a lack of interest in many fields and a skills gap to match, many companies affected by this continue to rise above the rest. The reason for this is simply that these companies have transformed their businesses into fun and meaningful environments that promote company culture and growing as a team. In turn, the millennials and their hunger for more out of the jobs they choose to take, have jumped on the bandwagon and helped these businesses flourish in the process. However, it can sometimes be difficult to follow those new year’s resolutions to improve business. Therefore, learning how to turn your office into ‘the fun one’ and improve the culture within your company will not only encourage more individuals to join your team but also improve company culture and employee retention as well.

1. Creative Decorating

Although it may seem rather obvious, redecorating is a wonderful way to boost company culture and create a positive-oriented workplace. Despite there being countless ways to take your office from shabby chic to minimalist with hints of color, one of the most effective, modern, and unique ways to do this is by simply repurposing items you already intended on throwing away or discarding.

For instance, old filing cabinets or metal lockers can easily be turned into amazing succulent and plant gardens which will not only be easy to take care of but also improve indoor air quality for your company and add a little color and creativity to the work day. Similarly, another wonderful way to transform old office equipment is by turning old whiteboards and table legs into tables. In fact, by using these cheap and recycled items, you not only will be saving money on tables but also have the ability to brainstorm in a more creative and interactive manner which can help your team collaborate in a far more effective manner.

Lastly, by turning your individual desks (which are quite common in the workplace) into desk groups, and opening up the office space as well as incorporating things such as couches and other furniture, you can make the office a far more relaxed and comfortable environment for employees. Furthermore, by turning the office into a fun place to be, you can turn a job into a career and transform that work week drudgery into an exciting place they actually want to attend daily.

2. Energy Efficient Alternatives

With the world in a rather dark place currently regarding the environment, it takes individuals turning away from what is normal or common and choosing items that are energy efficient instead to actually make a difference. In fact, the average office space can be quite the inefficient and harmful environment, not only for the world around it, but also for the individuals within it. Although growing plants in the office is a wonderful way to improve air quality, there are plenty of other ways to help reduce your carbon footprint and also show younger employees that the company cares just as much as they do about the world around them.

For instance, by briefing your staff on how solar works and then incorporating solar-powered devices in the office, you can begin to see some of the positive effects renewable energy can have on a company. Similarly, you can be a part of the cause dedicated to turning our nation into an energy efficient giant in the modern world. Furthermore, by turning your trash bins into active compost bins, you can begin to recycle food in a more efficient way that does not lead to massive fill-ups at local landfills emitting gasses such as Methane. On top of this, you can then take this compost and deliver it to local farms in order to help promote natural fertilizer that is far more safe for the environment.

3. Volunteering Programs

In the same sense, volunteering in your community is a great way to get your employees involved, improve employee retention, in turn, and help out both your community as well as your environment. Whether it be at a local farm or at a homeless shelter, the work you complete alongside your employees will build your communication skills, create a more personally connected staff, encourage change in your community, and allow for others to hear about the company culture you have created and form a public interest in working for your business.

On top of this, by volunteering to work at a local garden or farm, you can also help the environment and promote natural food likewise. In turn, your employees will not only see a healthier workforce being formed but an environmentally aware one as well. Furthermore, by volunteering at places that sell their produce, in particular, you can help promote local agriculture and possibly even brainstorm alongside your staff to determine more efficient models for harvesting for this particular location to increase profits (working outside of the office on business strategy).

4. Team-Oriented Games and Activities

Although a video game console may seem like a turn in the wrong direction leaving employees yearning to play a game rather than do their work, it is actually a fairly effective way to encourage work and energy at work. In fact, by playing games and doing company activities, it not only promotes team building and company culture but also stimulates brain activity and promotes blood flow leading to a more energized and engaged staff in the process. Furthermore, with gamification becoming a large part of modern business, by teaching your employees how to utilize VR and other gaming technology, you may be actually training them for a future in which their jobs heavily depend on this technology on a daily basis.

5. Exciting Incentives

You may already have incentives in the office such as bonuses or raises, however, there are plenty of other appreciation techniques that are not as common which can even benefit you further. In the business industry, customer and employee appreciation is a key factor regarding success. However, many companies have created appreciation models that go above and beyond and can teach us quite a bit regarding appreciation and incentives as a whole. For instance, Google often will reward its staff with countless pizza parties, new cars, retreats, and even more exciting office equipment. Similarly, T-Mobile, known for its tremendous appreciation platforms including the new T-Mobile Unlimited Data plan and T-Mobile Tuesdays, proves that appreciation should not always come in the form of cash but rather prizes such as movie tickets and free lunches.

Therefore,  by taking this into account and creating fun and unique incentives such as company outings, luncheons, or even individual gift cards and tickets, you can engage your younger demographic and ensure that your company is showing its appreciation for the hard work its employees continue to accomplish.

In the end, employee retention goes hand in hand with company culture and, by creating a culture that is fun and engaging, you can formulate a staff that matches. In turn, your company will continue to thrive and prove its true potential with a staff that cares about the success of the business just as much as their own personal success.