From words to action: How to embed autonomy and trust in your EVP

Hello and welcome back to my newsletter! I write about the future of work, flexible working, startups, and DEI. If you’ve been forwarded this newsletter, join 30,000 people and subscribe here !

This week, I'm talking about why autonomy and trust are the foundation of a thriving work culture. Many companies talk about these values, but do they truly understand their importance? It’s one thing to claim an autonomous work culture, but how do you actually put it into practice and use it to attract the right talent?

At Flexa, we've put a lot of thought into building genuine autonomy and trust within our team. We've learned that it involves more than just flexible hours or remote work options. It’s about empowering employees to make decisions, open communication, and creating an environment where everyone feels trusted and valued. Along the way, we've seen firsthand how this approach attracts like-minded talent and boosts overall job satisfaction.

Let’s look at what it really means to build autonomy and trust in the workplace and how it can help you attract aligned talent.

In this newsletter I will look at:

?? Graph of the week: Nine out of ten companies on Flexa have an autonomy score over 80%

??Why is autonomy important?

?? 4 Ways to Embed Autonomy and Trust into Your EVP ?10 autonomous companies leading the way

??How we’ve built an autonomous work culture at Flexa

?? This week’s must-read blogs

? Discover your company’s EVP pillars with our 2 minute quiz

Graph of the week: Nine out of ten companies on Flexa have an autonomy score over 80%

During our Flexification process, one of the ways we assess companies' work practices is through an employee survey. We ask employees questions to evaluate various aspects of their workplace, with autonomy being a key area. Employees respond to questions like "Do you feel that you have the autonomy to decide how best to be productive and successfully complete your work?".?

They rate their satisfaction on these points, and we consolidate their responses into a score out of 100. This approach allows us to verify and quantify a company's workplace culture based on real employee experiences.

Our data shows that 90% of Flexified companies score above 80% for employee autonomy. This tells us that giving workers freedom is a big deal. When companies let employees make their own choices, people tend to be happier at work and happy workers are more likely to stay with your company. Plus, it helps companies attract talented people who want to work somewhere they'll be trusted and valued. By leading with autonomy and trust you’re setting yourself up to attract and retain aligned talent.?

Why is autonomy in the workplace important??

Autonomy in the workplace is so important for creating a productive and positive work environment. When employees have the freedom to make decisions and manage their own work, it’s a win-win for everyone. Autonomy…

1.Boosts motivation: Employees are more engaged and motivated when they have control over their tasks and decisions.

2. Enhances job satisfaction: Greater autonomy can lead to higher job satisfaction and a sense of ownership.

3. Drives innovation: Freedom to explore and experiment can drive creativity and innovative solutions.

4. Improves performance: Autonomy allows employees to work in ways that best suit their strengths and preferences, often leading to better performance.

5. Encourages personal growth: It helps employees develop skills and confidence as they take on more responsibility.

4 ways to embed autonomy and trust into your EVP

To create a truly autonomous workforce it needs to be embedded into your Employee Value Proposition (EVP). Here are some ways you can do this :?

1. Create a culture of open communication

Make sure your communication channels are open and transparent by having regular updates, clear policies, and an open-door policy. This helps build trust and helps employees feel heard. Encourage feedback and make sure employees know their voices matter.

Think about: Implementing regular team meetings, Q&A sessions, and feedback tools to keep communication lines open and transparent. Consider using platforms like Slack or Teams for real-time communication and feedback.

2. Empower employees to make decisions

Delegate decision-making responsibilities to employees to create a sense of ownership over their projects. Allow them to make decisions within their scope of work, making them feel trusted and empowered.

Think about: Creating cross-functional teams where employees can lead projects and initiatives. Providing training and resources to support their decision-making processes. Implementing mentoring programs to help employees build confidence in their decision-making skills.

3. Offer flexible work arrangements

Implement flexible work arrangements such as remote work, flexible hours, and compressed workweeks. This shows trust in employees to manage their own schedules and meet their deliverables effectively.

Think about: Setting clear guidelines for remote work and flexible hours. Using tools like Slack and Teams for regular check-ins, and project management software like Asana or Trello to track productivity. Ensuring that there are systems in place to measure outcomes rather than just hours worked.

4. Recognise and reward autonomy and innovation

Acknowledge and reward employees who demonstrate autonomy and innovative thinking. Develop recognition programs that celebrate initiative and creativity, creating a culture where employees feel valued for their contributions.

Think about: Developing an employee recognition platform where employees and managers can highlight achievements. Offering rewards such as bonuses, extra time off, or public acknowledgment in company communications.?

Embedding autonomy and trust into your EVP not only enhances employee satisfaction but also attracts top talent who value these qualities in their workplace. By creating open communication, empowering decision-making, offering flexible work arrangements, and recognising innovation, you create a work environment that thrives on trust and autonomy.

10 autonomous companies leading the way

Here are the top scoring companies for autonomy & trust on Flexa. Every single one scored over 90% on trust and autonomy with their employees.?

ProfitAbility

People & Transformational HR Ltd

Cool Farm Alliance

Amplifi (Europe)

GrantTree

Collins Property Recruitment

Flash Pack

Trust Keith ? The DPO-aaS for Scale-Ups

Flume Sales Training

WorkFlex

Strengthscope?

Oliva

CTS

Attractions.io

Impression

Paddle

??How we’ve built an autonomous work culture at Flexa

At Flexa, autonomy and trust aren't just buzzwords - they're the backbone of our culture. We're a lean team of 19, growing quickly, so we need to trust our people to deliver results in their own way. We’ve learnt a lot along the way since launching in 2019. Here are some things that I’ve seen work well for us.?

1. We focus on outcome, not hours

We're not fussed about when or where our employees work. We understand that everyone has different lifestyles which mean they need to work in a way that suits them. For us It's about results, not clock-watching.

2. We have a Slack channel where everything and anything gets discussed

Our Slack is a gold mine of ideas, updates, and the occasional meme. It's our digital hangout spot, keeping us connected even when we're scattered across different locations. It's less about formal communication and more about staying in the loop.?

3. We let people take ownership

We believe in trusting our team to use their skills and creativity. Have an idea? Go ahead and pursue it. Notice a problem? Feel free to address it. Our approach is all about giving our team the autonomy to take charge and make meaningful contributions.

4. We have a test and learn culture

We're not afraid to try new things. Sometimes they work brilliantly, other times... not so much. But that's how we grow. We're constantly experimenting, adjusting, and evolving. It keeps us on our toes and ahead of the curve.

5. We're open about when we mess up!

Here's the thing: we're not perfect. We make mistakes, learn from them, and move forward. It's not about being flawless; it's about being honest and improving. By doing this we’ve created a culture where our employees have the autonomy to try new things without the fear of making mistakes.?

?? This week’s must-read blogs

• Living your values: strategies for embedding core principles in your EVP
• How to incorporate your benefits package into your EVP
• Measuring and continually improving your EVP

? Discover your EVP pillars with our 2 minute quiz

Have you ever stopped to think about what makes up your EVP and the different areas that define you as a company? Whether you have given it a little thought or none at all, our EVP quiz can help. This quiz is designed to help you identify your most valuable EVP pillars so you can shout about them to retain top talent. Once you complete the quiz, you will be shown your EVP tags as per the below example. These tags will highlight your company mission and values, work culture, and working environment.

When you become a Flexified company , these tags can feature on your profile to help you retain top talent. Candidates can also use these EVP pillars to search for companies, making it easier to attract aligned talent. You can take the EVP quiz here .