Benevolence has a dual purpose. In addition to the primary objective of optimizing performance through well-being, the second is to create an attractive brand image. Beware of misunderstandings.
THE BENEVOLENT SEAL AT THE HEART OF THE EMPLOYER BRAND
Employer branding” is part of the new arsenal of marketing concepts in vogue since 2008. This “brand” focuses more specifically on the company’s HR identity, and is very useful for recruitment purposes.
In addition to remuneration and promotion, employer branding can attract candidates based on more subjective aspects such as the work environment or inter-professional relations. These elements remain decisive for the new generations, who are more attentive to these issues than their predecessors.
In this seduction operation, benevolence is the weapon of choice. Listening to employees, sharing know-how, conviviality in the workplace… These arguments are likely to reassure candidates, who are often worried about falling into an anxiety-provoking structure.
BENEVOLENCE IS NOT VARNISH
Like being “innovative” or “agile”, the notion of benevolence can seem like a catch-all phrase. A must-have for modern marketing. Watch out! While the use of benevolence in corporate discourse is not in itself a bad thing, it should not be used to varnish a conflict situation.
This is the main lesson to be learned from the case of GAFA and start-ups. Many of them have hammered home the point of being ultra-benevolent, precisely to cover up the absence of concrete benevolence in their activities. The result: disastrous headlines for these players and a discourse that has gone from “benevolent” to “hypocritical”.
Moral: if the company has no deep-rooted malaise or conflicting hierarchical relationships, there’s no harm in calling yourself “benevolent”. Even if this benevolence is more the result of the company’s natural situation than of an HR project implemented by management.
Conversely, if workplace stress is a reality, using benevolence as a communication lever is more likely to ignite than extinguish the fire.
So be careful: even if the notion of benevolence may seem harmless and rather trendy at the moment, be sure to use it lucidly in relation to your situation.
BENEVOLENCE = PERFORMANCE?
All the managerial literature on benevolence is based on one reality: a happy team is a high-performance team. Certainly. You don’t need a particularly advanced study to understand the equation. But we still need to agree on the meaning of a “happy” team.
A 2012 study by the University of Warwick provides an initial answer. According to this study, team well-being increases productivity by 12%. But the authors are right to point out that this gain results more from the absence of “concern” or “worry” among employees than from a particularly euphoric or jovial atmosphere within the company. Discomfort distracts, well-being focuses.
This is a valuable insight for management. A point that has not been sufficiently taken into account in the case of start-ups, for example. Creating a benevolent atmosphere doesn’t mean creating a playful or relaxed atmosphere. It’s more a question of paying attention to their worries – be they professional or personal – to help them refocus on their work. To restore their confidence in their potential.
LISTENING, LISTENING AND ALWAYS LISTENING
Practical guides to kindness abound on the web. For this article, we’ve decided to single out one piece of advice that we feel is fundamental to any “benevolent” initiative: listen to your employees.
Once again, all this can ring hollow. Listening? It’s a bit short. Is it necessary to multiply the formal points between individuals? Should we emphasize the positive rather than the negative? Methods vary from company to company. To each his own.
The advice to listen is more an attitude to adopt. Just like benevolence. There’s no method to becoming benevolent. It’s more a question of adopting a listening and attentive attitude towards your collaborator. What’s on his mind? What’s blocking it? What are its aspirations? These are all questions that should be of interest to managers.
The question of the frame is secondary. It doesn’t matter whether these questions are asked at a formal meeting or over coffee. The important thing is that they are asked, and that the answer doesn’t fall on deaf ears.
Further information
EMPLOYER BRANDING: KEEP YOUR PROMISES!, Focusrh.com
Happiness and productivity: University of Warwick
