Have you ever felt that you weren’t good enough? Even as adults, there are times when people still have doubts whispering in their ears. Whatever the reason—low self-esteem, bullying, depression, anything at all—this can affect how people see themselves if left unaddressed. This can even extend to a person’s skills and work habits. Worse, this may also lead them to isolate themselves from people who truly care about them.
This can also happen in the workplace, to your most skilled employees. The key to avoiding this is to enrich a sense of pride in them, which can result in higher confidence in themselves, leading to better performance.
Employee Pride: An Important Factor in Productivity
Being proud of your work and keeping at it is what brought you to where you are today as a leader. You and your team have been through ups and downs, and it is your empathy and compassion that can lead them to produce better outcomes.
Why Making Workers Proud Should Be Important to You
People want to belong where they are understood and appreciated. They want the security that they won’t be replaced anytime soon. Showing them that they’re needed can affect how your business grows positively.
Here are some benefits of having your employees be proud of their work:
It makes them more excited to work.
You’ve surely met those employees who always volunteer to manage tasks or to organize events. They do these things because they are simply happy to be where they are. This type of employee sees his or her purpose within the company. They probably would be glad to help out and do some overtime work if they were asked to.
Thank these employees for their efforts with simple words of kindness. Check up on them occasionally for any feedback. This will show them that you value their contributions to the company; in turn, they’ll show their appreciation for you.
It encourages them to be more engaging.
People who are proud of their work enjoy themselves in the company of their colleagues. You may find them hanging out at another department or area, having lunch with a number of people, or even confidently asking for help from their managers.
It makes them want to work with you longer.
A worker who sees his future in the workplace is more likely to stay. People like this may have already envisioned how they can upskill within your ranks. They are already looking forward to their next big project because they are confident of what they will bring to the table.
The Pride That Fuels
Be the example they can look up to, by first identifying the layers of workplace pride they can experience.¹ See if they are exhibiting all or any of the three, then help them work on the other areas they may be having doubts in.
1. A Job They Can Call Their Own
Developing pride in one’s work makes a person more productive. Employees have learned to trust themselves that they can accomplish their tasks brilliantly. They know they’re part of what pushes the company toward success.
The compatibility of their skill set to their job description and the appreciation given by the management and their colleagues for their efforts all contribute to this kind of mindset.
2. A Team They Can Trust
Working with a team you can chat with and ask help from makes any workload lighter. Employees appreciate their work more when they collaborate with people who exert the same amount of effort as they do. They know they’re not carrying someone else’s weight; neither are they a burden to the other employees.
If you see that one of your staff members isn’t interacting that much, reach out to them. They might be keeping something inside that needs to be let out. Ask them how you can make them feel more at ease in the workplace.
3. A Company That Understands Their Values
When choosing a company, up to 80 percent of workers seek employment at businesses whose values and interests align with theirs.² This also influences their desire to stay working under management, if they see that they are genuinely advocating for the betterment of society.
An employee who wants better opportunities for women may more likely stay at a company founded by a woman. Being aligned with the company’s mission can also give them the sense that they have a higher chance to be promoted to a position of leadership.
Read More on “Company Values: “Ask These 3 Questions To Understand A Company’s Culture”
Cultivating a Culture of Confidence: A Guide to Empowering Your People
Fuel your employee’s desire to pursue their dream career while working with you through these insights on what can make them proud:
Make employees feel valued through training and certifications.
Helping them strive for continual progress can increase their satisfaction.³ Express how glad you are to have them by giving them the chance to upgrade their skills. This can be through refresher courses for the whole team or education assistance for a few who need them. You may also have others take exams and certifications, in case they want to reskill or expand their job descriptions.
Give Them a Comfortable Working Environment.
Making them at ease in the office isn’t only about how they get along with their team and if they really want their current position. Give them additional comfort by providing their needs such as software and work tools that can help them accomplish tasks more smoothly. Knowing that their work can be made easier by providing better processes can reassure them that you care.
Involve them in your long-term plans for the business.
Trust that they will stay with you. Help them understand your plans for the growth of your team. Discuss with them if you want to open new departments or hire new people to cover certain roles. Explain to them where you see them fitting in with this future structure and what you would need from them.
If you are looking for team leaders, converse with your candidates about what they can do to be more suitable for that role. Also, be agreeable if they express that they would rather fulfill other duties.
Encourage gestures of leadership and co-mentorship.
People who know their worth will always appreciate the opportunity to take charge and step up. Start by letting them oversee certain projects, such as proposals on new products and services your company can offer. Express how much you trust them by giving them more freedom to exercise their expertise and allowing them the space to be heard.
Co-mentorship can be a great exercise for workmates. This boosts their confidence in what they can do, while also helping others see the way they think and solve issues. This challenges your team to be more creative and improves how they connect through genuine feedback.
Create a Work Culture That People Will Want to Be a Part Of.
Elevate your team by showing them how much you trust and appreciate them. This can lead to more people genuinely working for the good of the company you worked so hard to build. See for yourself the results of your kindness and empathy and be proud of each of your members!
FIND CANDIDATES YOU CAN TAKE PRIDE IN WITH RASO360!
Raso360 will help you find the best candidates in technology, creatives, and finance through our services in Staff Leasing, Staff Augmentation, and Recruitment Process Outsourcing. We will help you manage your new employees, so you can focus more on growing your business.
Have a chat with us!
References
1 Claire Hastwell. “The High Value of Building Pride in the Workplace”. https://www.greatplacetowork.com/resources/blog/the-value-of-building-pride-in-the-workplace#:~:text=What%20is%20workplace%20pride%3F,with%20the%20community%20at%20large . Published last July 14, 2022. Accessed last March 16, 2023.
2 George Anders. “Is Gen Z the boldest generation? Its job-hunt priorities are off the charts”. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/gen-z-boldest-generation-its-job-hunt-priorities-off-charts-anders/?trackingId=pwWrCQQ1SiG9Yds3hH8gUg%3D%3D . Published last February 10, 2022. Accessed last March 16, 2023.
3 Indeed Editorial Team. “How To Take Pride in Your Work in 7 Steps”. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/take-pride-in-your-work . Updated last June 25, 2022. Accessed last March 17, 2023.
