Employees, just like your clients, require regular care. It doesn’t matter what their skills are or how much they make…you can engage your employees at any level and in any industry. Here are my top three ideas to help you get the most out of your employees:
- Connect employees with company strategy - Employees absolutely need to feel connected with the company and see how their role makes a difference. What is it that drives what they do each day? Companies need to show employees how their work is vital to the overall company strategy and why. It gives them a reason to do more than just their “job,” and creates a sense of ownership among all.
- Create systems so that employees know how to be successful - Some companies hire employees with just a basic job title. They don’t have formal written job descriptions and assume that because you are a “web programmer” you will do your job the way the company expects. The company should set up systems so that employees know exactly how to complete their work efficiently and according to company expectations. Set up systems to allow people to develop to their full potential and institute regular reviews. Document roles in your operations manual so that if you do lose an employee, their successor has the information they need to be immediately productive.
- Consistent communication - Employee development meetings, company strategy meetings, team meetings, and one-on-one feedback are all important to keep your employees connected. Share ideas and changes as soon as you can with your team so that they can immediately begin working toward them. Involve your staff in brainstorming - make them a part of your decisions and they will be much more likely to be committed to the overall success of your business.
Nicole Recommends…
Influencer by Kerry Patterson. This book came to mind as I was thinking about this month’s topic. Influencer discusses ways to make positive changes by breaking down the various ways that humans make changes. Some examples are making the undesirable desirable, finding strength in numbers, designing rewards and demanding accountability. It lists fascinating examples in each section and even provides web resources such as self-assessments and worksheets allowing you to better understand your own personal influence and how to use these concepts to make desired changes in your business and life. If you are looking for new ways to lead and influence not only your employees, but other groups such as non-profit organizations, boards, church groups, networking groups, etc., definitely pick up a copy of this book. You will not be disappointed!
Tags: company strategy, employee communication, employee systems, influencer