Company Culture: Show up for employees

Q. How can I show my employees that I care about them? 

A. The No. 1 question asked by employees in today’s workforce is “Does my employer care about me?” The answer to this question is not what you can do but rather who you can be for them. How you show up for your employees is felt well before you do anything for them. The following two examples will help build bridges between you and your employees. 

Actively listen 

Part of asking whether an employer cares stems from an internal feeling of not being listened to and received. Consider this: If you’re waiting to respond when your employee speaks, you’re not listening. Listening is the active hearing of someone else’s sharing without any of your own input on their experience. To show them that you’re listening, repeat back to them exactly what they said and then validate their experience. Example: “What I heard you say was that you’re frustrated with your manager. I can understand why you would feel that way.” This recognition safely signals to their nervous system to share more.  

EAP benefits 

In 2022, 61% of employees reported they’re burned out in their current job. The answer is not always another job. Often, burnout comes from chronic fatigue and stress in the day-to-day life. If you’re company offers an EAP, invite them to explore benefits like therapy and substance abuse counseling. Reminding employees that your company has set aside benefits that are specific to their physical, mental and emotional wellness shows them that a portion of the bottom line has been set aside to take care of them. 

Employees perform better when they feel like their employer cares about them. Simple things like creating a space for them to feel received, respected and rewarded goes a long way. How could you create a paradigm shift in your organization to show the humans you employee that you deeply care about them? 

Scott Stone is president of Moat, a lifestyle healthcare company focused on company culture and workforce retention. You can reach him at 248-842-1070 or buildyourmoat@gmail.com.