{"id":140170,"date":"2020-01-14T08:54:11","date_gmt":"2020-01-14T08:54:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.sap.com\/africa\/?p=140170"},"modified":"2023-09-27T19:10:41","modified_gmt":"2023-09-27T19:10:41","slug":"naps-bbqs-and-family-parties-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.sap.com\/africa\/2020\/01\/naps-bbqs-and-family-parties-in-the-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"Naps, BBQs, and Family Parties in the Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alejandro Castro Ruiz was thrilled to land his first job at a U.S. Fortune 500 company immediately after college. His upward trajectory in corporate America seemed secure. The thought of one day returning to his alma mater Tecnologico\u00a0de\u00a0Monterrey<\/a> never crossed his mind.<\/p>\n

But about 15 years later, Tec\u00a0de\u00a0Monterrey unexpectedly offered him an unbeatable opportunity: help improve education in his native country of Mexico. Now, five years into this complete career turnabout, Ruiz has so fully embraced his new mission that he is even recruiting other candidates to join him as university faculty: \u201cI know I made the right decision, and I\u2019ve been inviting other people to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ruiz\u2019s decision to return to Tec de Monterrey validated the university\u2019s strategy of attracting top talent and industry experts to teach students while keeping current employees happy.<\/p>\n

What Is Tec de Monterrey’s Secret? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Underpinning this strategy was a decision to actively listen to employees and foster their trust. For the past several years, university leaders have been nurturing a culture of trust in order to encourage talented people like Ruiz to work and stay there.<\/p>\n

Instead of words and slogans, Tec de Monterrey took action to show employees that they are trusted to focus on their goals and manage their own time. The university provides a lactation center, employee meditation area, and even nap rooms.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re telling our employees \u2018We trust you, your supervisor is not the owner of your time,\u2019\u201d says Hern\u00e1n Garc\u00eda Gonz\u00e1lez, vice president of Employee Experience at Tec de Monterrey. \u201cWe\u2019ve been able to create an inspiring, respectful, and safe work environment where people feel they can grow personally and professionally.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gonz\u00e1lez\u2019s theory is that happier employees are better rested, more energized in the classrooms, and provide a great educational experience for the university\u2019s customers \u2014 149,000 students. \u201cWe want professors to feel positive and enthusiastic about working at Tec de Monterrey so that they can pass on their love for learning to students.\u201d<\/p>\n

How Did Tec de Monterrey Get There?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Like many corporations, privately owned Tec de Monterrey monitors employee health with annual surveys, asking many of the expected questions about leadership effectiveness and job satisfaction. But the university\u2019s survey also devotes entire sections to \u201cHumanistic Outlook\u201d and \u201cValues Index.\u201d Among the questions asked:<\/p>\n