Employees who take their director hostage in a meeting room, furious office workers who basically tear their manager’s clothes off, the list of people who take their anger out on their bosses is seemingly endless. A classic example is the video that went viral on Facebook, showing an employee who took revenge by driving an enormous truck over his manager’s parked car.

These kind of outbursts are usually related to layoffs. But often there is a deeper cause, which has to do with a lack of appreciation. When an employees don’t feel valued for their or work, they are less engaged and start feeling frustrated. Not only is that extremely unhealthy for the employee, it’s also bad for business.  Employees who are happy at work will take on more responsibility and perform better. 

There is still a lot that can be improved on this point. According to a recent study by research centre Gallup, only 13 percent of employees feel engaged at work. That’s why an organisation like Top Employer is so important. It awards companies with outstanding HR policies. This year PageGroup (Michael PagePage Personnel and PageExecutive) was awarded. These are the 6 things that top employers do well:

1. Nurture the talents of your employees

To succeed in an extremely competitive global market, companies can only survive if they attract the most talented employees. Therefore it’s crucial to invest in training and courses to address professional and personal development. At PageGroup, we offer programs at all levels, from new joiners up all the way to managing directors.

2. Create your own leaders

What’s the difference between a boss and a leader? On social media you can find all kinds of funny posts to explain the differences: a boss tells you what to do, a leader inspires you to do it. But usually they forget to mention why these differences exist. Leaders are not born, they need to be trained. At PageGroup we use the Cubiks assessment to test the qualities and skills of our employees. With the help from personal coaching and the Franklin Covey leadership development program, we give our future and current leaders the tools to get the best out of themselves and their teams.

3. Offer good compensation and benefits

Talented employees don’t choose a company based on the salary and benefits. But if you want to retain your best employees, the compensation shouldn’t be an issue. At PageGroup we offer a variety of extras on top of the salary: a company car and phone, insurance and other incentives. 

4. Find the right balance in the workforce

Research shows companies that are more diverse adapt quicker and therefore are more successful. Diversity not only refers to employees with diverse cultural backgrounds, it’s also about a balance between men and women and the different ways of working within the company. Diversity is one of the mission statements of PageGroup. That’s why fifty percent of our managers are women.

5. Offer professional and personal development

Employees are engaged if they feel that their efforts are rewarded.  At PageGroup, we offer our personnel a clear career path.  On average people get promoted every eighteen months. Depending on their skills and interests we offer them the courses and coaching to build upon their career. Every quarter we review where our employees stand in terms of personal and professional development.

6. Make your employees feel at home

When are people the best version of themselves? Usually when they are among friends and family. The more they feel at home, the better they perform. That’s why work, where they spend at least 8 hours per day, should feel like a second home. We pride ourselves at PageGroup by providing organic fruit every day and organising a big party twice a year. 

If you would like any more information, or to discuss how we can help with your recruitment needs, get in touch with one of our specialist consultants.