According a research published by Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones in “Creating the Best Workplace on Earth”, most people would love to work in a place where they could be themselves. Where they didn’t have to spend a single moment of their time and energy making sure they put only their best self forward?

For three years Goffee and Jones went around the world, asking hundreds of executives to describe the attributes of their ideal workplace. Topping the list was an environment where people could be themselves and where the company invested in developing them (and everyone they worked with) to be the very best they could be.

Together they describe an organization that operates at its fullest potential by allowing people to do their best work.

They call this “the organization of your dreams.” In a nutshell, it’s a company where individual differences are nurtured; information is not suppressed or spun; the company adds value to employees, rather than merely extracting it from them; the organization stands for something meaningful; the work itself is intrinsically rewarding; and there are no stupid rules.

How close is your organization to this ideal? Find out by doing this « Dream Company » diagnostic. It will take only a few minutes

Dream Company Diagnostic by Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones

Do you know that there are only two reasons to come to work: fun and money. And you have to have both. One of them will not be enough. But what exactly is meant by ‘fun’ and ‘money’?

Fun
At work, ‘fun’ is much more than just having a giggle, he said. Fun means working in a business where you believe in the vision and the ethos. That’s where ‘fun’ begins. To do a challenging job well, every day, you have to be doing something that has meaning to you. Fun on the job means working with people you like and respect. Fun at work includes collaboration, mutual support and a strong bond of shared goals. Fun means winning more than losing, continuous learning, constantly growing as a business person, and doing something you know impacts people in a positive way. That’s fun. And it includes traditional fun too. A workplace where we can have a laugh, where we can socialise easily, enjoy each other’s company and celebrate group and individual success. A job that enhances your self esteem and sense of worth. That is fun.

Money
I mean working in a business that is financially successful, for a start, told us Greg Savage. If we have a great product or service and deliver it well, we will thrive. And that is where you want to work. Profit is not a dirty word. Profit is like oxygen. We don’t wake up every day with ‘profit’ as our only goal, but like oxygen, we sure notice when it’s not there! Making money means we can invest in people, learning, marketing and technology. And that is fun! And ‘money’ means getting a fair reward for the effort applied and the result achieved. So a heavy element of reward for result is a good thing. And that means if you are good at your job, you get well rewarded. And financial success is important in only one way. More choices in life. And that leads us back to fun!

His recommandation: Work with the ‘twin sisters of the holy grail’ – Fun and Money.
Read the full article written by Greg Savage « Fund and Money: The two reasons to come to work »

When your employees are happy, fired up, and bringing the best of themselves to the job every day you’ll have a happy workplace, happy customers, and a healthy bottom line. Read the 6 things – recommended by Peter Economy* – you can do as a leader to create a happier and more productive workplace.

1. R-E-S-P-E-C-T…Th
This could very well be most important tool you’ve got for creating a happy workforce. Respecting your people–and their decisions–will clearly demonstrate to them that you consider them to be valuable and important. The result: improved loyalty, greater effectiveness, and higher-quality work.

2. …Combined With Trust
If you’ve hired talented, hard-working people, build on that achievement by creating strong bridges of trust. How? By giving them the opportunity to do the jobs they are supposed to do. When there is a high level of trust within an organization, built on a firm foundation of accountability and responsibility, your people will give their very best in return.

3. Be Captain and Coach
Start by outlining a vision for your company that inspires people to join with you to achieve it. Once that vision has been communicated, help employees understand how they fit into it, and what they need to do to help make it happen.

4. Feedback: The Breakfast of Champions
Providing regular feedback on work quality is a great way to keep employees happy, motivated, and on track. Instead of overlooking simple mistakes and sweeping them under the rug, point them out as soon as they occur so that employees can learn from them.

5. Flex Whenever You Can
Whenever possible, try to be flexible and roll with your employees’ schedules. Sure, some things at work need to be done at specific times-a weekly staff meeting, for example, or the manning of a help desk.

6. Show Your Appreciation
Do something on a regular basis to show your people that you personally appreciate the work they do. Make it fun, make it relaxing-;and make it real. Before you know it, your people will start looking forward to coming to work instead of wishing they could be anywhere else.

* Peter Economy is the bestselling author of Managing For Dummies, The Management Bible, Leading Through Uncertainty.