One of the most common reasons people leave their jobs is because they feel undervalued in the organisation they work for. With such high unemployment rates it’s easy for some employers and management staff to let their standards slip when it comes to valuing employees, as they respond with “there’s plenty of unemployed people out there who’d love to have your job” to employee complaints.
Whilst there are a lot of unemployed people currently looking for work, the key to having a dedicated, motivated and successful workforce is to value employees and make them feel happy to work for your company. Anyone can hire and fire; it’s maintaining an effective team that’s the key!
If you secretly know you’re guilty of not valuing your employees, or know you could do more to improve motivation within your workforce then it’s time to brush up on your people skills!
Recognise Achievements
Whilst highlighting errors and advising employees on areas of work to improve on are essential elements of managing an organisation, it’s equally important to acknowledge employees’ achievements and hard work. You don’t have to go overboard on that front, a simple but personal email to thank the employee for their hard work ensures their achievement doesn’t go unnoticed. Awards within different departments can spark a bit of friendly competition between employees, encouraging them to work harder whilst rewarding their efforts.
Treat Employees as Individuals
When you manage a team it’s important to treat everyone fairly, but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat your employees as individuals. Everyone has different needs and methods of working, just because someone wants to do a certain job differently it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s wrong – they may find this way of working to be more effective for them and bring you better results.
No employee wants to feel like just another brick in the wall, show your employees that you take an interest into their lives. Remembering information that an employee has told you in conversation demonstrates that you care about your staff. Asking if a sick relative’s feeling any better or how their children performed in their GCSEs are simple, personal questions that show you’ve listened to them.
Keep Employees in the Loop
In order to have a dedicated workforce, you’ll want employees who have a genuine interest in the progression and development of the company. But how are employees supposed to get involved if you don’t keep them in the loop about new developments or even setbacks? Being honest with employees is incredibly important, leaving them to hear important information through the grapevine says that you’re either disregarding their input or trying to hide something from them – neither looks too great!
Differentiate between “Slacking” and “Struggling”
One of the hardest tasks for management teams is trying to inject some motivation into a lifeless squad. If you notice an employee’s not hitting targets or failing to pull their weight then approach with caution – struggling to complete their work could be the reason behind their lack of motivation. Continuously failing to hit targets can really drain an employee of motivation as their self-confidence levels drop.
If you spot someone in your team who seems to be struggling, approach them warmly and offer extra training or consider placing them in a different role. Shaking up employees’ roles isn’t always a bad thing, it can be a great way to find out different team member’s strengths – which is vital to running an organisation.
Managing a team effectively can be hard work, but ultimately it all boils down to communicating with your staff. If you respect and listen to them, they’re more likely to return the favour.
