How many of your employees are coming to work, just punching the clock, making sure they are quick to be recognized and accounted for, and then fade behind the scenes only to be seen again when its time to punch out. Are your staff still eager or excited to come to work, or has nonchalance, unconcern and detachment taken their place. How many see your company as just a step ladder to bigger and better things, and may already have one foot out the door?
If you are not sure check your customer service complaints, tardiness, absenteeism, employee turnovers if these are high and productivity, goal attainment and initiative levels are low. It’s time to start asking the question, “do I want to have a workplace just filled with employees or do I want to have a workplace of fulfilled employees?”
If after placing the company in front of the mirror, and the reflection which returns acknowledges that change is required to creating a work environment which builds healthy fulfilled employees, here are some gems, to start filling your treasure chest.
Empowerment
Create opportunities for your staff to thrive and rise. It is important for employees to feel as if they are not just coming to work to maintain the everyday mundane tasks that have been assigned. Every employee should be given an opportunity that challenges their skill sets, no matter how small it may be. When this happens, employees have greater buy in to the overall mission of the company. Relationships of trust are strengthened between direct reports and those they lead. Staff members can now see themselves as part of the solution process and now come feel valued, respected and appreciated.
Communication
Businesses now adays must adapt their internal communication strategy to incorporate the varying communication styles that exist due to melting pot of diversities which inhabit the workplace. Emails vs social media, Video Conferencing vs Face to face so many companies are trying to see which best fits their environment. Ultimately there does not have to be a tradeoff, what is required is out of the box thinking combining them all. Communication to achieve results requires that there be a connection, a connection that pulls individuals to listen, to feel the need to understand and bring about collaborative outcomes. Better communication will lead to quicker company knowledge acquisition, greater productivity and lower work stress levels.
Individualized Motivation
How can you motivate them if you do not know them? This does not mean that the CEO of a company is required to know all his/her staff, he/she should know their direct reports and that should be trickling down to the lowest leadership levels. Everyone has circumstances in their lives that can use welcome relief. Some companies have offered; school pickups, babysitting, tutoring, appliance repair and/or replacements etc. When employees feel that their leadership cares about their personal wellbeing and establishes rewards which directly impact their individual everyday lives the desire to achieve more is significantly heightened.
Community Outreach
The most common self-fulfillment value is that of giving service to others. Companies that have well oiled community service programs along with high employee volunteers in those programs often experience low employee turnovers. Employees no matter at what level when engaged in philanthropic projects which make them a part of something larger, something that expands outside of the walls of their workplace, something that benefits the life of another are more likely to feel fulfilled. Giving staff the experience of working together to making a meaningful contribution to the world, creates a value bond that spills over into the workplace enhancing teamwork collaborations, and encourages the recognition to be a helping hand to each other in the workplace. Employees who work together and serve together often laugh together and uplift each other.
Mentorship Programs/Personal Growth
Mentorship programs are key to the sustainability of creating a healthy and fulfilled work environment. A program that not only focuses on operational activities but is also designed to build positive relationships between both parties and is centered on the personal development of newly onboarded persons. It goes without saying that helping those new to the company understand how to navigate the political culture and nuances is important, it is also critical that they realize the significance of planning, prioritizing and the daily setting of goals. Every new staff member that walks through the door is bringing with them talents that are uniquely theirs, it is vitally important that they are guided in defining and refining their talents and then given the opportunity to unleash them. Staff members who have been shown the how to and value of creating and synergizing their personal mission statements with that of company’s are so much more likely to maintain a purpose driven mindset which enables them to stay fulfilled in the ebb and flows of continually changing work environments.
Keith M. Dean
CEO/Founder
TheBusinessofU
www.thebusinessofu.co