You may have heard the old adage '˜Pride goeth before a fall" but when it comes to taking pride in one's work efforts that adage just does not fit. In fact, for good morale and overall workplace productivity, it is important to foster pride. Employees MUST feel proud of the work they are doing and the ways that they are contributing to the greater good.
While individuals may work for a paycheck, it takes more than that to attract and maintain quality employees. In fact, when asked about what keeps them on the job, many individuals will cite the need to feel good about the work they are producing. It is possible to encourage and foster pride, but it means the company culture must value quality AND efficiency.
Whether the company produces a product or a service, encouraging employees to pay attention to more than the bottom line is the first step. A focus on making money and being cost-efficient is fine, but consider borrowing from your nonprofit neighbors and put some of the company focus on how your product or service actually improves the lives of customers or clients.
If employees know what the product or service will be used for, and how their daily efforts affect the overall quality, they will be more likely to feel GOOD about the work they are doing and put more effort into excellent quality. It may sound trite to encourage workers to do their best, but this is the key element in having pride over one's work.
Too much focus on budgets, numbers and trendy "management" strategies can actually take away from promoting pride in a job well done. Balance out the numbers with real stories about the benefits of the company's product or service and encourage employees to connect to how their focused efforts on quality actually improve the lives of customers and clients. Encourage and promote a sense of pride and it WILL influence the company's bottom line in a positive way.
