7 qualities of an employer of choice.

For businesses, the race to secure and retain top talent starts by becoming an employer of choice. An employer of choice is a company that offers its employees an environment and work culture that promotes job satisfaction, professional growth, and an overall positive experience. Being an employer of choice comes with a number of qualities that can help attract and keep high-performing employees. In this article, we'll explore seven essential qualities of a good employer, ones that all should strive for in order to be successful and stand out from competitors.

This article shouldn't only be helpful to employers but also to people looking for employment to help them recognize important traits that their future employer should have. 

What are the qualities of a good employer?

Employers of choice share many common qualities that make them stand out from the rest. They’re focused on creating an environment where their employees can succeed, develop professionally, and be recognized for their efforts.

At Transcom, we believe employers should strive to cultivate a culture of trust, recognition, and inclusivity where employees feel valued as individuals with unique skill sets. A place where your abilities and hard work are really all that matters, and are the key to a brilliant career. Let's take a look at specific qualities of great employers and why we feel we are one.

Always keep team dynamics in mind.

One of our values at Transcom is We come as we are. This speaks to the fact that we know that diversity is the catalyst for innovation and the foundation of a truly forward-thinking team. The simple fact is that if everyone was the same and thought the same we would get nowhere. We would be stuck in a quagmire, unable to move forward. This type of stagnation is terrible for a business.

The second reason why diversity and inclusivity are so important is that we also grow as people. Being exposed to different cultures, ideas, and ways of thinking is extremely beneficial and vitally important for true personal growth. In the end, an employer needs to think not just about the abilities but also about the personalities of their team. Having a diverse team with a good dynamic is the key to great business.

Truly listen to your employees.

Every employer likes to say that they listen to their employees. That they have surveys. That they personally talk to them. But truly listening to employees is more than just paperwork and surveys. It's about creating an environment where employees feel respected, heard, and understood. And it’s not simply a nice-to-have; cultivating a culture of listening can have a huge impact on employee engagement and retention.

The most successful employers are the ones who actively listen to their employees, take their feedback seriously, and make changes accordingly. Sometimes your employees will not tell you what they want or need outright. This is where your social and listening skills come into play.

A good employer understands that employees want to feel heard and appreciated. They foster an environment where feedback is welcome, conversations are constructive, and being open to new ideas leads to growth.

Take an interest in them as people.

When employees feel connected to their employer, they tend to be more engaged and productive at work. That’s why employers should take an active role in getting to know their team on a personal level, beyond job titles and skillsets. An employer of choice is one that can create a genuine bond with its employees by having effective communication, setting achievable goals, and providing an environment that respects all employees equally.

That bond also makes it easier for your employees to approach you when they need you because that barrier is smaller in their minds. Another thing that comes from it is honesty. If you build friendships and true trust with people around you, your team dynamic improves and the possibility of hurt feelings with feedback dramatically decreases.

Realize that work isn’t top priority.

Another one of Transcom’s values is We’re here to support. This means supporting our clients, supporting their customers but first and foremost supporting the people around us. This can, of course, mean offering help with work but it can also mean help out of work.

While your business might mean the world to you as a business owner and employer to your employees it may play second fiddle to family, health, or something completely different. It’s important here to keep in mind that your priorities are not their priorities and that they cannot be expected to operate at 100% amidst personal issues. You need to support them with their priorities so that you can even expect them to support you with yours. 

Actively offer chances for progress.

When it comes to growth, development, and progress we like to say we know a thing or two about them. One of our values - We’re lifelong learners. - speaks directly to the fact that your employer needs to offer as many opportunities for growth as possible. Because of that, we have platforms like T:University and T:performance which focus on learning, development, and growth.

Giving you opportunities for growth isn’t enough for an employer. They need to be able to learn and develop themselves. We’re lifelong learners is applicable to each and every level and position in Transcom because our goal is to level ourselves up every day. 

Have your employees’ back.

An employer should be able to have employees leaning on them when needed. There’s nothing worse than an employer that‘s quick to throw you into the fire when things get dicey. At Transcom we live by the value We’re team players. This is our most simple value but one that’s extremely important.

We expect our employees to have each other’s back, to support and help, to sometimes just be there for each other. This isn’t limited to them. We firmly believe that it is our duty as an employer to stand behind our employees and work together with them as a team. 

Communicate openly.

The last bit of advice is probably the most important and also the hardest one to put into practice. A quality of a good employer is that they’re open and transparent in their communication both with clients and employees. With Transcom this is most apparent with our value We keep our promises. This value isn’t just about keeping our promises to clients or to employees - it’s also about being able to clearly communicate what we can do, what we may be able to do, and what we can’t do - yet.

This type of openness and honesty is the building block of our business. Transparency of what we can offer to our clients as well as our existing or potential employees is something that we’re extremely proud of and something that we always aim to improve further.