Some say the benefits are simply linked to profitability, while others go beyond this to see the human implications. If the business you work for cares about people as well as profits, employees can work towards something truly valuable.
While zero hour contracts are rising, so are social enterprises – suggesting two branches of business are moving in different directions. A new report shows a third of small businesses are not primarily driven by profit.
Losses caused by unethical work culture aren’t limited to the big corporate names you’ve read in the news. Poor behaviours cost British organisations billions every year through reputational damage, legal challenges and stifled motivation.
Carrot or stick? The benefits of positive motivation
All managers must ensure their workers are efficient and productive – including those driven by social good. People often think of motivation in terms of carrots and sticks, but professional drive is much more complex than this. The best managers know how to get the most from their workers within a positive office environment.
Studies suggest punishment doesn’t work – or rather, it increases politeness but does not reduce the punished behaviour. Without positive reinforcement, the punished employee will simply revert back to their old behaviour when senior staff are not looking. What’s more, they will feel the negative emotions associated with punishment, none of which are likely to foster a motivated mindset.
Instead, managers can benefit from adopting positive leadership styles. Communicating clear expectations and putting frameworks in place to help employees achieve these can be a far more effective strategy, since people who feel challenged and inspired by what they do for a living don’t need to be coerced. But, in order for positive leadership to be effective, every team member must stay driven towards a shared goal. Achieving such an environment is no easy task.
An increasing number of employers are outsourcing the feel-good factor by hiring speakers from providers like Speakers Corner. Corporate motivational speakers are experts in rousing the troops to perform at their very best, offering a short-cut to optimal workplace happiness. If you want to encourage a culture led by positive motivation in your workplace, why not suggest introducing motivational talks to an annual company event?
Implementing ethical HR practices
There are several distinct leadership styles, ranging from autocratic to participant-led. Participative leadership is highly beneficial, since it reduces staff turnover and helps to produce creative solutions to operational dilemmas.
As businesses grow, implementing HR structures becomes inevitable. Even the smallest of employers need to administer payroll and display essential health and safety information around the workplace. Encouraging your employer to go one step further can benefit the company in the long run.
You can encourage your employer to do this by volunteering to take a project lead. In doing so, you can showcase the behaviour of an empowered employee. If your employer wants to see more of this type of initiative, the benefits of working to build a positive culture should be clear. You’ll need to understand the overall business strategy and vision to ensure these are aligned.
If your proposal is successful, you’ll need to define your HR strategy and its aims, as well as what ethics means within your organisation. Produce an actionable, step-by-step plan for how to achieve this, thinking about the initiatives and programmes you would like to implement.
Increasingly, businesses use HR practices to showcase their values. If the company is young and visionary, implement clear structures for fast promotion and invest in training programmes. If your organisation is committed to diversity, make this clear in your policies.
A workplace diversity policy enables businesses to commit to anti-discriminatory practices, fostering equal opportunity by removing workplace barriers. This can reinforce compliance with human rights law, meaning the company is less vulnerable to legal costs.
This free equal opportunities policy template is a handy tool you can use to get started. You might also like to implement fair dismissal policies or a guide for supporting employees going through personal problems. Incorporating structures like these into your business can help to give workers a voice, encouraging the type of leadership style that can benefit your company.
Encouraging your workplace to give something back
Every business springs from a community – whether that’s a particular town, a group of like minded entrepreneurs or simply valuable team members and their families. Many large corporations had humble beginnings, so it’s only right to give something back.
Such schemes can benefit companies by enhancing their brand image and creating a valuable story for local media or even your company blog. Donating to a local school, cause or community group can transform your business from faceless corporate entity to an organisation worth supporting. In turn, this helps to increase revenue.
The benefits go far deeper than this, however. Ethical business practice is about doing good for the sake of good, so pick a cause that fits with your company values. This may involve taking a lead on environmentally friendly initiatives, allotted time for volunteering or working closely with educational institutions.
The stats suggest millennials are shunning businesses in favour of those committed to social responsibility. This means doing good could even help to attract the best talent.