I joined Fresh Gravity in September 2021, right in the middle of the 2nd wave of the pandemic. While I had been working as a freelancer for clients in the US and India for over a year, this was my first full-time job that was remote.  

In previous interactions with clients as a freelancer, the nature of the job was purely transactional. I would either get an email or we would connect over Zoom to discuss the scope of the work and that was that. There wasn’t anything personal and honestly, I felt zero sense of connection or allegiance towards them. In a rapidly changing world fueled by competition and filled with uncertainty, it is hard to build a sense of connection and that becomes 100 times harder when you are working remotely and have never entered the office space or met your manager and colleagues in person. 

I came to Fresh Gravity with the same mindset. Having zero expectations for it to be anything more than purely transactional. But, boy, was I wrong! 

Here is why: 

Made to feel valued – Within my first week of joining, I received a welcome basket. While you may think this is a no brainer and that a lot of firms today do this and there are statistics that indicate corporate gifting is on the rise¹, for me it was a first and it made me feel special and valued 

Appreciation from seniors – At Fresh Gravity, I have always been acknowledged for the work I do. I remember my first Zoom interaction with one of the leadership team members who told me that our CEO had spoken to him about me and was happy that I had joined the team. From then till now I have had multiple instances of being lauded for my work and work ethic and I genuinely believe that it is precisely this type of environment, leadership, and mentorship that drives me to do better 

“Social 5” – Sometimes, before starting an internal meeting, we take 5 minutes to check in and chat about our weekend plans or anything new happening in life. This is what I like to call “Social 5”. On days with excessive workload, this 5-minute conversation feels so refreshing

Tribes that align with your vibe – We have Slack groups for artists, foodies, fitness enthusiasts, personal finance and more – basically name a thing of interest outside of work, and you will probably find your niche tribe within the firm. These groups have given me (and I am sure others like me) a chance to connect with each other on a holistic level

Personalization – I attended my first off-site meeting in December 2022 where I met the people, I had been interacting with for over a year. Everyone got a Beats speaker and chocolates as gifts and since I am vegan, I gave my chocolates to another colleague. But one of my colleagues from HR had specially ordered vegan chocolates for me and had he not done that, it honestly would not have mattered but because he did, it really warmed the cockles of my heart and made me feel extremely grateful. So, what I am trying to say is that it really comes down to the little things

To me, loyalty is a two-way street where, as an employee, I have a genuine concern for the well-being of my colleagues and my company, and at the same time, my company fosters a supportive and rewarding environment for me and other employees. I believe Fresh Gravity has flawlessly exemplified this principle. Like Maya Angelou rightly said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”  I am grateful that at Fresh Gravity, I have always felt heard, seen, and made to believe that I am an integral part of our work family. 

If you’re someone who values loyalty and are looking to join a company that values its employees, send us your CVs @ careers@freshgravity.com  

¹https://www.offineeds.com/corporate-gifting-statistics/ 

The post Fostering Employee Loyalty in a Hybrid Work Environment – a POV appeared first on Fresh Gravity.

Employee loyalty is one of the most important variables for business survival, sustenance, and success. A culture of loyalty fosters a sense of belonging for the employees, which translates into higher productivity and retention rates. So, the question arises: how does one build a culture of loyalty? This blog post will explore practical strategies for creating an environment where employee engagement is high, and loyalty runs deep. From cultivating creativity to rewarding excellence, it is a journey toward building a winning culture! 

What is Organizational Culture? 

Organizational culture encompasses the values, beliefs, and norms of an organization. It includes how things are done within the company and how employees interact. A strong culture can help an organization be more successful and adaptive to change, while a weak culture can hamper business growth. 

The Benefits of Loyal Employees 

There are many benefits of having loyal employees:  

• Loyal employees tend to stay with an organization longer which means fewer resources are spent on re-hiring, onboarding, and training new employees
• Employees are the company’s brand ambassadors so often how a company brand is known to the rest of the world is by how the employees project it. Employee advocacy can attract new customers, talent, and business opportunities
• Loyal employees foster a higher level of trust, transparency, and teamwork within the organization. They develop strong relationships with work colleagues leading to better teamwork, collaboration, and knowledge sharing
• Loyal employees have a vested interest in the company’s success and are motivated to help the company thrive, leading to a culture of innovation and continuous improvement

Strategies for Developing Employee Loyalty  

There are some strategies that managers can use to drive employee engagement and motivation. These include: 

(1) Creating a supportive and positive work environment. This can be done by transparency in business interactions by maintaining open communication channels, and promoting collaboration among team members

(2) Providing employees with opportunities to be creative and innovative. This can be done by giving employees challenges to work on, encouraging them to develop new ideas, and providing them with resources to help them succeed

(3) Giving employees a sense of ownership over their work. This can be done by letting employees make decisions about their work, giving them autonomy over their projects, and providing feedback regularly

(4) Recognizing and rewarding employees for their achievements. This can be done through financial incentives, public recognition, and offering development opportunities

According to a Forbes article ‘The Importance Of Recognition In The Workplace: Five Strategies To Engage And Motivate Teams’, “if companies focus on enhancing their rewards and incentives programs, job satisfaction and employee engagement can improve.”  

However, how does one decide which Rewards and Recognition program is the best for their organization? The key is ensuring the rewards and recognition program is aligned with the organization’s culture and values. 

Here are some tips for establishing an effective rewards and recognition program: 

• Identify what type of behaviors you want to encourage. Do you want to reward employees for developing new ideas, taking on extra assignments, or going above and beyond their regular duties? Please make sure the criteria for selection are clear so that everyone knows what they need to do to be eligible for recognition. 

• Choose rewards that will motivate your employees. Money is always a good motivator, but non-monetary rewards can also be effective. Consider giving out gift cards, paid time off, or tickets to sporting events or concerts. 

• Make sure the program is fair. Employees will quickly become disgruntled if they feel that the rules are unfair or that some people receive preferential treatment. Establishing clear guidelines and ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to win will help create a sense of fairness. 

• Recognize employees in a way that is meaningful to them. Some people prefer public recognition, while others want a more private acknowledgment of their achievements. Tailoring the recognition to the individual will ensure that it has maximum impact. 

In conclusion, to build employee loyalty, it is imperative to give them a sense of ownership over their work, create a supportive and positive work environment, provide them with opportunities to be creative and innovative, and finally recognize and reward them for their achievements. 

The post Building Employee Loyalty appeared first on Fresh Gravity.