Resources to make us more human in and out of the office

Fortunately, the concept of work as a place where you perform monotonous tasks while waiting for the clock to strike 5 p.m. has fallen out of fashion. Work makes up almost one-third of many of our daily lives, so it only makes sense to use the time as an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.

Let’s think about everyday work situations. For instance, chatting to co-workers about anything from the best applicant tracking system (ATS) to what to make for dinner. We also have conversations with managers regarding areas that could use improvement. Either type of interaction will impact us both personally and professionally.

It’s impossible to fully compartmentalize what happens at work, so each interaction is sure to affect us as people, however minor. That’s why it’s so important to find a good work environment with a solid training plan and an interesting career path. It gives us space to grow and guide our careers in a way that is most fulfilling and suitable.

Although it is up to us to keep actively learning throughout our lives, if our company is trying to stay competitive, it should always support its employees with all the resources needed to keep developing.

After more than four years working in recruitment, I have seen time after time that what the most talented people are looking for in a company. In a few words, it’s the chance to develop, grow, stay engaged, have positive interactions, and get promoted throughout one’s career in the company. That’s why the resources companies provide to support in-house growth and humanize work are fundamental.

These resources are both tangible and intangible. Tangible resources are clear training activities or other learning activities, while intangible refers to proposals that come from the workers to create a positive working environment that helps make daily life more pleasant. The tangible resources help employees avoid feeling like they’re trapped with unchanging jobs and knowledge. The intangible ones foster a positive working environment and give employees an encouraging experience at work.

Indeed, studies have shown that both types of resources help companies grow and retain talent in the long to medium term. Working in a highly stressful and unpleasant environment not only leads to increased turnover and poorer health outcomes, but one Gallup report found positive work cultures boost productivity by 17% and profitability by 21%. Another study by LinkedIn found 93% of employees would stay longer in a company that invests in their career growth.

Considering the two types of resources for personal/professional growth, think about what Sngular offers to foster growth and learning. To name a few, there is the training budget, grants for certifications in technology or methodologies, and even the Tech Talks, which are opportunities to keep learning and reinforcing skills while also helping us grow our professional networks and foster knowledge transfer within the community. These opportunities do require a certain amount of effort on our part. In the long term, however, they will benefit our performance and open up more doors to different roles in the future.

But studying or directly learning about a subject isn’t everything. We can’t forget about the intangible resources – those that the People team and Managers pour their enthusiasm into so that daily life at the company is more enriching. This includes feedback and our annual reviews. Fluid and effective communication is key to creating a good work environment, as it gives us the chance to leverage our strengths and figure out ways to improve.

Having the option to change project or city, with the help of the Managers, also helps us learn and grow from new situations. At the same time, all the work that the People team does to expand benefits and organize activities is done to create a collaborative environment and maximize the value of teamwork.

No matter what we call the resources that are offered, they all have to be equally important and complementary. Any business that wants to hold onto its talent can never leave them aside. They must actively ensure that these resources are real, effective, and high quality. Luckily, it’s a win-win situation.

If a company wants to be competitive and up-to-date, these resources must be prioritized. Since technology is always changing, all businesses must be ready and willing to help their employees learn and adapt to it. When businesses give people the option to progress, see the world from different points of view and help them avoid falling into a rut, they will attract and even foster curious people who always want to keep learning, improving and developing new skills to put into practice both at work and at home.

That’s why we are so focused on promoting and improving these types of resources. It’s up to you how you want to use them to keep growing!