PIECE Fundamentals
Purpose
The “Why” of work.
External “why”: Employees do (and should!) care about money, they need it live. Part of a strong sense of purpose is a fair, competitive salary in exchange for the work being done.
Internal “why”: No one wants to feel their work is pointless, and more and more employees are prioritizing shared values with the companies they want to work for. Show your team where they bring value to your organization and where your organization brings value to the world.
Independence
Employees consistently rank flexibility and the ability to manage their own time as markers of a great workplace. Your team is made up of adults*, hired because they are trustworthy, dependable, and capable. While there may be individuals who benefit from additional support, micromanagement is never the answer.
Communication is key! Make expectations clear and reasonable. Understand that your team has full lives which simply may require attention even within the traditional 9-to-5.
*Your team may have teenagers working part time or over the summer; while additional supervision may be appropriate, offering younger employees safe opportunities to show they can work independently can be a great motivator!
Evolution
Many employees would prefer to stay at one organization for a long time but find obstacles in their way. These include lack of competitive salary increases and/or lack of progression in their careers. A clear path to advancement (preferably with options in and out of people leadership) is vital.
Many other employees are satisfied staying at a certain level, however very few would be happy to completely plateau when it comes to learning opportunities. Instead of breeding boredom and disengagement, prioritize evolution by rewarding skill building and additional responsibilities.
Community
A sense of community and belonging in the workplace is one of the most important fundamentals of PIECE and of wellbeing on the whole. While not every employee is going to feel as though they have “friends” at work (though, there is plenty of research to support the benefits of workplace friendships!) what is non-negotiable is that every employee must feel respected and valued at work.
A robust workplace community is one where people can go to each other for assistance, where they feel safe asking questions and offering up ideas, where individuality and differences are embraced, and where “welcoming” is the default.
Environment
The physical and psychological environment you provide for your employees is of utmost importance to their wellbeing.
Physical: Ensuring the workplace is safe, hazard free, with adequate security, air flow, and access to comforts.
Psychological: Ensuring that policies are in place to protect employees, encourage a healthy work-life balance, and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion, and most importantly, living these policies day-to-day.