The document discusses aspects of an ideal workplace. It notes that competitive pay alone is not enough, and that small businesses often do not research appropriate market rates. It also emphasizes offering professional development opportunities to allow employees to grow their skills and advance their careers. Regular communication through employee surveys and feedback is important so that management understands employee perspectives and can make adjustments. Managers should provide support to employees as they take on challenges.

1. WHAT WOULD THE
IDEAL WORKPLACE
LOOK LIKE?
Student:Nicolaiciuc Simina
Group:8214

2.  The job market is booming, with unemployment at
its lowest level in 49 years. With job seekers faced
with more workplace options than they’ve likely
experienced in their lifetimes, how can you draw in
the right candidates to your business?
 Glassdoor just released their 2019 Top 50 Top
Places to Work for small and medium-sized
businesses, and the list demonstrates that an ideal
workplace is more than just competitive pay and
good benefits.

3.  Competitive Pay
 While this may seem like the most fundamental
aspect of any job, it’s amazingly common for small
businesses to offer compensation based on what they
think a role is worth, not the actual going rate. Do your
research before posting the position: if the going rate
in your area $10.00 an hour, you won’t stand out as
much to potential candidates if you offer $8.50, even if
it happens to be above minimum wage.

4. Offer Professional Development
 No one takes an entry-level job hoping that they’re
going to do doing the same base-level gruntwork
for the rest of their career. Offering employees
paths to upward mobility shows that you care for
their professional development and their success.
Employees appreciate knowing that their bosses
are committed to them succeeding and growing,
and businesses benefit from the education and
skills these employees bring to the business. Take
the time to research professional development
courses you could offer your employees to teach
them more advanced skills they can use to push
themselves and the business further.

5.  Communication and Input
 The most qualified people to provide input on your
company are the employees themselves! Employee
engagement surveys, especially when done
anonymously and securely, are a great way to gain
valuable feedback on aspects of your company you
may not see as the owner or manager. However,
gathering feedback is only useful if you adjust and
react accordingly.

6. Offer Feedback
 Similarly, make sure that you are transparent and
open with your employees. Often employees feel
they are not getting enough feedback or that the
feedback they are receiving is not helpful to them.
Set clear expectations and let your staff know they
can come to you with questions if they’re unclear on
those expectations. A common practice is to conduct
year-end performance reviews. However, a lot goes
on in the year that both you and your employee may
forget by the end of the year. Consider setting up
weekly 1:1 meeting or structure reviews so they are
quarterly, giving you and your employee more time to
connect and receive feedback.

7. Managerial Support
 Employers often expect loyalty from their
employees, but don’t always provide their staff with
the support they need to succeed in the workplace.
While you can’t promise your team that they’ll never
face difficulty at work, employees should feel that
they have their manager’s support when dealing with
stressful situations. Having someone to turn to when
they’re frustrated or stressed is crucial for
employees, and giving them support during those
times creates loyalty.