Employees Care is the Only Way Forward!
If this is not on the company’s agenda, there won’t be a company to run for long.
Covid Era has taught us many things but the most important of them is to take care of your own. In the hustle-bustle of being on top of the ladder, the one thing that very often gets ignored is people within the organization but this pattern wouldn’t last long, since leaders around the world are looking in the right direction, i.e., inside their own home.
Staying ahead of the times Ian Hutchinson, author of People Glue rightly said “Your number one customers are your people. Look after employees first and then customers last” and yet people are not able to understand that the secret recipe of any successful business is its employees.
Employee Care, a new buzz or old secret formula? Anyways, that’s the only way forward
Many people think that employee care is a new buzz (post-covid) while others believe that it is among us for ages, though this debate may not have a perfect answer but the fact is Employee Care is the only future. Right now, it’s time to invest in Human Resources, Work Culture, Relationships, Personal Well-Being, addressing mental health beyond everything to make your workplace a better place to work.
Right ways to extend Employee Care
Now, the next question is, what are the best possible ways to ensure Employee Care? I am afraid there is no fixed, simple or precise answer to this question, in fact, the more we explore this, the more we find an endless scope of it. We need to understand the needs of our Team and must prioritize our efforts and actions accordingly.
How we at Xapads try our humble best to be an Employee-First organization.
Celebrate Life Everyday
We strongly agree with Oprah Winfrey when she says “The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” We don’t wait for big, or super big milestones to celebrate but grab on every single reason that comes our way. At our workplace, Diwali is celebrated with the same zest as Kanjak, we celebrate Team India’s victory in Olympics as much as we enjoy a win in cricket, shouting out loud on the 12th Anniversary of team members remains the same pride as for someone who has completed 3 years of his/her association with us. Alongside this, we celebrate Parenthood, Birthdays, Marriages, and even breakups; in a nutshell, we celebrate every day at Xapads.
“91% of our employees feel pride in being associated with us.” (source: Great Place to Work)
Embracing Everyone
One has to understand that a workplace is as much a home for Team members as for the top tier, which has to be reflected in the decision-making process wherein, each idea matters, every voice should be heard and everyone should get a fair chance to contribute. We at Xapads believe in making a team beyond hierarchy and positions, taking everyone along and including them not only in taking a decision but also in its process.
“Therefore, 91% of our co-workers find camaraderie because our leaders promote wholesome open communication and knowledge sharing activities that help us in building trust at different levels.” (source: Great Place to Work)
Transparent Salary, Incentive & Increment Structure
As harsh as it may sound, everyone works for money, has bills to pay and family to take care of. We understand this and our actions follow the same since over the years we have built a strong and very transparent salary, incentive and increment structure. Wherein, we have been following 2 increments a year for over a decade now and can proudly say that it was followed even in Covid’s era. We allow our employees to set their own goals every six months and our increment interviews are more about how we can help each other than discussing our shortcomings. This comes over and above to No Cap Incentives for Media Buying and Selling teams.
Financial Aid
We are one big family who always stands by our associated members! Alongside the mental and emotional support, we assist our co-workers on financial grounds as well via our financial aid facilities. Through this policy, we are able to solve the financial problems of some of our employees, which further builds a sense of belongingness.
Building Community and not Just a Workplace
Covid era was gruesome, unprecedented and unforgivable! Almost every one of us has seen our near and dear ones in pain and fear, sadly many of us even lost our loved ones in this fight. This was the time when we proudly stood as One Community, One Strong United Family. We supported each other in many ways, be it arranging medicines, hospital beds accommodations, filling for one at work or just being phone-a-friend, assuring that we stick together in those toughest times. These are the times when you actually build a team where everyone can trust each other and fight as one unit. We can’t undo what’s taken but I can say it out loud, we are stronger, tougher and closer post-Covid waves.
“Thus, 90% of teammates trust that we show sincere care and interest in them personally “(source: Great Place to Work)
Respect at Work and Beyond
One thing that is irreplaceable is “Respect” where no amount of paycheque and none of the other offerings can substitute for this. Respect is everyone’s right, irrespective of diversities such as religion, gender, ranks, status, tenure, political choices, or personal decisions where each one deserves to be respected for the same (without any if and buts). In fact, an employee at probation, notice period, peak of his healthy stay, everyone must be treated equally with respect. One has to understand, if we do not respect our employees and team members, the world won’t respect us back.
“Which is why 89% of our co-workers feel respected at workplace “(source: Great Place to Work)
Again, I would repeat there is no perfect formula to take care of your team members whereas we should do as much as we can. We miss some chances and win some, but investing time and efforts into Human Resources as much as one does in bills and revenues will make a winning team under any circumstances.
I am very proud of how Xapads has always been an Employee First Organization and how it has been the most important part of our success story. Ranging from big milestones to every defeat, we are one big family sticking together.