What Qualities Make a Company Great to Work for?

Whether you just graduated from college and are searching for a job with a company you can trust. Or if you are a CEO and are thinking big-picture thoughts about your company’s future, the elements of what makes a great company are good to consider.
Here are some key qualities that have been proven to keep employees happy, loyal, and productive.

1. The company values flexibility.

Companies that allow flexibility in days worked at the office and days worked at home have an advantage over those that do not. The shift in focus is one of looking at the output of work, versus adherence to the way things have always done—which may not have worked anyway. When headhunting for talent, star applicants have been known to choose a company that offers the ability to design a work and life style balance. According to Forbes, as a result of flexibility in the workplace, employees show higher morale. The benefit to companies is that not confining their workforce to those who can work in-office allows them to draw from a global talent pool.

2. The company places importance on family.

In a study published in the Harvard Business Review, they concluded that employees who feel loved perform better. While this may seem like common sense, many managers are not clear on how to achieve this goal. If we look at the sources of love in the everyday person’s life, we see that a primary source comes from one’s family. Businesses that understand the importance one’s family plays in their employees’ lives have a key to happier employees. For example, Alder Home Security’s Glassdoor reviews show a business with these priorities. So their high employer engagement score comes as no surprise.

3. The company does not lose sight of their customers.

Being able to satisfy client needs affects employee morale. And this is directly related to a company’s ability to not lose sight of their customers. The face of a company is their customer service team. How well-cared for do customers and clients feel after interacting with the business? Do they feel like their needs will be met? That their problem has the hope of being solved? Each business begins with a purpose–a problem that it hopes to solve. If employees are daily faced with not being able to solve client problems, this can be disheartening to employees.

Businesses with this problem should investigate whether they might be losing out on a key demographic by not incorporating new needs into their business plan. They should be willing to shape their business to see to the changing needs of the customer.

4. The company provides clear policies and less red tape.

Good companies have sensible guidelines and clear policies without falling into the trap of red tape. The balance is a tricky one to achieve. A top-heavy management system where all decisions must be approved by an over-large committee should be avoided. Anticipate requests and employee needs. This takes time. But proactive thinking and working that into the company fabric will result in clear policies and happier employees.

5. The company has clear job requirements.

A company that provides a vague job description is not a company you want to work for. Chances are their overall mission will be bogged down with highly charged buzz words that could mean unclear thinking at the top level.

When a job opportunity has a clear definition and specific expectations for what equals success in that job, everyone wins. Employees know exactly what is expected of them and management has a standard by which to measure their work. Entrepreneur provides this great list of a job description that covers all the bases. Some notables that are often forgotten include recognition for work that goes above and beyond. And do not forget to include rewards as incentives.