Looks aren't important

Looks aren’t important – yeah, right.

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No, I’m not pushing HR boundaries again.

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I’m talking about my ‘home’ – Yorkshire.

I live in Warwickshire but 'home' will always be Yorkshire.  It’s where I was born and grew up. As beautiful as Warwickshire is, there is no place like home.  And Yorkshire is stunning.

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FOND MEMORIES

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Often, when you feel comfortable, your surroundings become attractive.  You talk positively about the place you’re in.

Even more so, we look back with fondness at the times we felt most comfortable.

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We all remember our favourite teacher, right?  Or, indeed, our favourite boss?

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THE BASIL HOLIDAY

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My wife and I recently had a week away - a UK ‘staycation’ which is known as the Basil Holiday.  

Basil is our pet dog and, since his arrival a few years ago, we have an annual holiday with him. We hired a cottage in a place called Barmston for a week.  It was walking distance to the beach and, as you may imagine, Basil loved it.

We went to Fraisthorpe Beach, which was the first beach we ever took Basil to (during lockdown). It is just the best beach for dogs, and he had the best time (despite the unusual April winds). It was a beautiful place to be. There’s a reason it’s referred to as God’s own country.

We had dinner in the local pub which is obviously dog-friendly and had proper fish and chips as well (curry sauce over mushy peas every time).

HOW FLEXIBLE ARE YOU?

While away, we worked in the mornings and then spent the afternoon out and about. Being self employed gave my wife and I that flexibility.

I had my phone with me and my clients knew they could get hold of me in an emergency.

But there weren’t any. It's very easy to believe that, when you run your own business, you have to be available all the time.

Shock horror: you don’t.

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All of this was possible because I have the right clients and I have the right team around me - the combination of which I highly value.

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WHAT HAVE YOU CREATED?

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Going home to Yorkshire (from my home in Warwickshire) showed how I have got things right in my business.  

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How about you?

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Is your workplace somewhere that your employees are proud of?  Is it a home from home?  Do your ex-employees remember you with fondness?  

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Having the right environment is crucial to a happy team.  And, as all the surveys and statistics show, happy employees are more productive.

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During my time in Yorkshire, I was incredibly productive.  It was a stunning environment for work, and the reward was the flexibility to spend the afternoons running around in the sand after our dog.

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Have you created the right environment and, indeed, the right workplace culture?

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IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS

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People remember the little things: the clean bathroom, the tasty food in the canteen, a spacious desk - as well as the big things: being treated well, being a part of the team, or having an open dialogue with the management.

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Workplace culture is so important to get right - and one of the hardest things to get right.  

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I help my retained clients with all aspects of HR, ultimately ensuring that everyone in the company is happy and comfortable.

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It’s never a ‘them and us’ attitude.  I work with clients to create a positive workplace culture - and that starts with the management and senior leadership teams.  

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A happy team will stick around.  And, if they don’t, you want them to have fond memories.

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I love Warwickshire, but I’ll never forget Yorkshire.

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GET IN TOUCH

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If you need HR support in your business, then please do not hesitate to get in touch to see how me and my team can help you.

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