Michele Needham, Executive Director of Human Resources
What is the first thing that organizations think of when they want to build trust? Do they think of celebrating all their employees? If not, they might be missing out on what Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work, discusses in his book, "A Great Place to Work for All." Bush tells the reader that one of the top ways to build employee trust is by celebrating the small milestones as much as the big wins. This idea of celebrating may not be what first comes to mind, but it is what we all must do to experience and continually cultivate a great place to work.
Celebrating is what many of us find ourselves doing right now through the holiday season. We celebrate traditions, family, and even the new year, but just imagine for a moment…doesn't the idea of being celebrated by your employer, your supervisor, and your team sound exhilarating? The mood shifts, the air lightens, workplace tension falls, and there is a sigh of relief, and yes, even fun! And who doesn't want to have fun at work?
According to research conducted by Great Place to Work, now, more than ever, employees want to enjoy the people with whom they work, take pride in their work, and accomplish meaningful work with a purpose. This means organizations must provide clarity and purpose in its vision and mission, demonstrate care and compassion toward employees so they feel connected and supported, and create a sense of inclusion and belonging in order to cultivate a culture where this can occur.
Waubonsee takes engaging our employees and building a culture of trust so seriously that we have incorporated this concept into our strategic plan pillars. The third pillar is Employee and Organizational Excellence. Creating employee and organization excellence requires identifying where the organization is going (vision and mission), communicating and clarifying how employees can help the organization get there (purpose and meaning), and providing the support and resources they need to do their best work, all while celebrating “wins” (big and small) and allowing employees to bring their authentic selves to work, each and every day (inclusion and belonging). Waubonsee does this, in part, by embracing workplace wellness and employee well-being. Waubonsee offers flexible work arrangements that support and foster work-life balance, generous paid time off benefits, resources for strong mental and physical health, employee affinity groups, recognition events, and opportunities for each employee to strengthen knowledge through meaningful professional development and intentional training. All of these tools are focused on investing in our employees and creating celebratory moments a to inspire employee success at work and in their personal lives.
Recognizing employees also contributes to well-being. Waubonsee regularly celebrates employees and their achievements through several employee award programs and recognitions across the entire organization. Celebrating retirement and length of service occurs every spring with the Retirement and Service Award Banquet. Recognizing outstanding faculty, adjunct faculty and support staff occurs annually with much fanfare for the honorees. And our annual Employee Picnic and All-College Holiday Open House have been long-standing, popular traditions at Waubonsee. These are just a few examples of how we have fun together, often with delicious food, entertainment, raffles and other prizes.
On the heels of the pandemic, the college’s Employee Engagement Team has been dedicated to finding new ways to engage, celebrate, and develop our employees while adapting to the realities of the new hybrid workplace. Last October, we conducted our most recent employee engagement survey led by GP Strategies, the college’s engagement consultant. More than 91% of all respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they like their work, 80% of all respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they can bring [their] whole self to work regardless of [their] differences, and 75% of all respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they are satisfied with working at the college.
It is important to note that much of the college’s success is owed directly to our employees for sharing their ideas for making Waubonsee a great place to work. For example, the college recently expanded educational reimbursement and stipend benefits to encourage employees to continue their professional growth and development. In addition, departments now have resources to recognize team members and celebrate wins, big and small.
As we move into our 57th year as an institution, we continue to strive for transformation in our programs and services. Waubonsee is committed to celebrating our extraordinary employees, which drives connections to the college's culture of collaboration, communication, service, equity, professional growth, student and employee success ~ and FUN!
