Having a work environment that is positive, healthy, and energetic is arguably the most important thing in the eyes of an employee. Today, the biggest question is how to initiate change in the workplace and how is that change maintained to survive the long haul. Here at Frisco Woodline, we take pride in everything that we do, but we are most proud of the environment that we have forged for our team. Keep reading to learn more about what we do to ensure that our employees are always happy, healthy, and motivated.
Establishing CORE Values at your company is very important. This helps create an understanding for all employees, including leadership, of what the company stands for and what it values. For example, Frisco Woodline’s CORE Values are:
We Are:
Making this known to everyone makes it possible for leadership to ensure the company stays true to its original underlying beliefs and values, any new employee starts at the same basic expectations and understanding of the company, and for existing employees to be able to consistently uphold these values through their daily actions. This is the first step to creating a harmonious environment for everyone working at your company. The key is that these are true values that leadership believes in and are not just buzzwords. Additionally, we have intentionally kept them pretty simple so that it’s not difficult to maintain.
The next step to creating a positive work environment is to instill trust between the leadership and the team. If there is no trust in the workplace then efficiency, productivity, and morale disappears. Micromanaging is the number one killer of an employee’s morale in the workplace. Employees need to know that their boss has faith in them to do their job correctly. Employees also need to feel comfortable going to their supervisor if there is a problem, knowing that they will get assistance in finding a solution without punishment. This nurtures the idea of accountability for the employee and creates an open environment that encourages teamwork in finding solutions. Additionally, it provides the psychological safety that is so critical in the workplace today.
Having an open door policy is just another tool to create trust and openness between leadership and their employees. If an employee knows that they can go to their supervisor with anything, mutual trust will build between the two.
Setting goals is the best way to establish a mutual understanding of expectations between the employer and employee. Here at Frisco Woodline, every year, we have each employee create a vision board where they identify what professional and personal goals they have for the upcoming year. Everyone then shares their board with the rest of the team so that there is an opportunity for various team members to support and help each other achieve their goals. There is also a company board that is made containing the company-wide goals set for that year which is also shared with the team. This makes the task of goal setting an enjoyable experience for the entire team and also increases the chances of achieving the goals set by each employee and the company as a whole.
Having a family atmosphere came easy to leadership here at Frisco Woodline due to the fact that this company has been a family-owned business since the beginning! Creating an environment where each employee feels as though they are a part of something bigger is one of the best ways to encourage great work ethic and general morale. Having a family atmosphere encourages teamwork by increasing others’ willingness to help each other when it’s needed and support each other both professionally and personally.
Work-Life Balance seems to be the biggest buzzword regarding a positive and healthy work environment. A leadership team that understands the importance of flexibility is crucial to helping employees have a good work-life balance. Life happens; we all know this. Some parents have to come in late because their child missed the bus; doctor’s appointments get scheduled during the weekday because that is all that’s available; someone has to work from home because their car broke down, etc. Leadership who takes these unexpected changes in employee schedules and sees it as an opportunity to be supportive and helpful instead of becoming yet another obstacle is a team that will in turn, retain their talent and create an even more loyal employee in the end.
It’s easy to focus on all of the problems that need to be fixed or prevented but ensuring that the wins don’t go unnoticed is just as important when it comes to retaining employees. Celebrating wins, whether it’s a pat on the back, recognition from leadership, or a company-wide outing allows employees to feel seen and appreciated. People stay where their efforts aren’t overlooked and where they feel respected. Making sure that the accomplishments of the team are celebrated tells each employee that the company’s overall success is due to their efforts. This helps give employees a sense of belonging and shows them the direct relationship between their efforts and the company’s performance.
Here at Frisco Woodline, our employees make us who we are. This is why we work tirelessly to ensure that they enjoy coming to work every day. We have found that happy employees lead to an overall increase in efficiency, productivity, morale, and positive customer experiences as well. Our company, and many others, are leading examples in the idea that a little extra effort by leadership can make a huge difference to those who work for them and ultimately create lasting employee loyalty and dedication.
Frisco Woodline is an MBE, award-winning, family-run lumber and construction materials supplier for commercial builders on the East Coast.
2 Crain Highway
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
