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Making People Thrive: 7 Ways to Create a Human-Centric Workplace

January 18, 2023

Since the pandemic, companies have been more prone to making their employees work longer hours to drive their profits and performance. But this practice has also affected employee well-being and attitude toward work.

Multiple factors, like demanding workloads, have driven workers to seek greener pastures. And with the Great Resignation still in full swing, companies must rethink how they retain and engage their people.

Building a human-centric workplace can help organizations improve their relationship with employees. 

But what does this concept mean, and how can employers create such an environment? Let’s dive deeper into human-centric workplaces and actionable steps companies can take to build them.

What is a Human-Centric Workplace?

A human-centric workplace puts its people first. Specifically, it:

  • Creates better human experiences
  • Relies on constant emphasis and learning to become resilient and safeguard innovation
  • Cares as much about employees as it does about customers 
  • Applies these principles to every aspect that it handles

More importantly, establishing this type of workplace is a continuous process. It requires a strong organizational commitment to provide a better employee experience.

The Key Qualities of a Human-Centric Workplace

A human-centric workplace shows the following attributes:

Inclusivity

A human-centric workplace is open and welcome to everyone because it’s built on the foundation of  an inclusive work culture. This environment embraces employees' opinions, ideas, and backgrounds regardless of any differences, which, in turn, encourages people to work closely and collaborate together.

Wellness Programs

After recruitment, checking on your team’s mental and physical well-being should be a top priority. People have discussed work-life balance throughout the previous decade. But the pandemic and increasing numbers of remote workers have made “work-life integration” a hot topic.

Nowadays, remote work has drawn a fine line  between work and one’s personal life. In particular, it’s making employees more susceptible to burnout, which requires immediate action.

Empathetic Leadership

An ideal leader in a human-centric workplace demonstrates positive and empathetic leadership. Compassionate leaders actively listen to and address people’s concerns and subscribe to the philosophy of failing fast but failing forward. They also express and show gratitude where it’s due.

A Comfortable Working Space

Some organizations work all day in physical offices, while others have virtual workplaces. Regardless of your setup, you’ll need to ensure that it encourages and motivates your team members to perform at their best. 

Fair Pay & Benefits

Your employees are the backbone of your business, so it’s only fair that you provide a reasonable compensation and benefits program. Ideally, it should cover more than just their daily expenses and keeps employees motivated day in and day out.

Growth Opportunities

Every employee seeks career development and stretch opportunities, which is a fundamental aspect of a people-first workplace. Employees can refine their skills and advance their careers through training, online courses, seminars, and other learning opportunities.

A Clear Sense of Purpose

Employees want to work for an organization that gives them purpose. In fact, those who find a lack of purpose in their job could look for a more meaningful role or leave their employers if they find little to no purpose.

Why Should Companies Create People-First Workplaces?

Establishing a human-centric workplace offers these advantages:

  • Helps increase employee commitment and engagement
  • Facilitates better communication between leaders and their team members
  • Empowers employees to reach their full potential

7 Strategies to Build a Human-Centric Workplace

If you plan to focus more on your employees, consider taking these steps.

Give Team Members Flexibility

People can achieve a better sense of work-life integration with a flexible work schedule. Simply put, this flexibility should allow employees to rest and concentrate on the work they need to do.

Acknowledge Achievements

Employees feel valued when their achievements are acknowledged. When acknowledging employee accomplishments, provide more than just rewards and incentives. 

Make sure to verbally recognize team members whether they’ve offered exceptional customer service, handled a challenge through collaboration, or made another notable achievement.

Prioritize Employee Wellness

Overworked or stressed-out employees don’t perform at their best which could affect their overall performance. Wellness programs are a good way to ensure the mental and physical health of your employees, which could include:

  • Consultations with mental health professionals
  • Health risk assessments and screenings
  • Exercise programs and physical activities

Encourage Innovation & Creativity

While technology connects workforces, they’re missing the human touch that inspires creativity and collaboration. That said, encourage your employees to think outside the box. 

For example,  why not hold a brainstorming activity or on-site workshop? It can help encourage everyone to think on their feet and get their creative juices flowing.

Help Everyone Achieve Professional Growth

Promoting employees and investing in their professional development is crucial to an employer’s success in the war for talent. After all, some people resign because they see little or no room to grow in their workplaces. 

Learning and development opportunities will help your employees take the next step in their careers and drive your company’s growth.

Offer Reasonable Compensation & Benefits

Fair pay puts your company values in a positive light and results in a more efficient, productive workforce. You can do this through the following:

  • Inform employees about how you determine compensation
  • Adopt a progressive pay model for fairer pay
  • Make benefits accessible to everyone

Build a Healthy Work Culture

If you aim to attract and retain employees, start with your mission and vision. They should emphasize employee development, engagement, and positive change. This can help employees stay on track and feel connected to their work.

Humanize Your Workplace with HR Tech Solutions

Employees have different needs and wants; a human-centric workplace recognizes this by making every team member feel just as important as bigger company goals. Ultimately, this environment can turn employees into active contributors to your organization’s success.

Technology lies at the heart of every modern, human-centric workplace. With a robust HR tech solution like the Sprout Ecosystem, you can uncover and address challenges to employee engagement, learning, and other stages of the employee lifecycle. 
Learn about our holistic suite of digital HR tools on our product overview page, or get more insights on people management from our blog.


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