Do you know what employees are longing for now, more than ever?
It’s not half a day off.
It’s not more money (though that does help. 😉)
It’s connection. They want to feel like they matter – like their work matters. They want to feel like a meaningful part of the company and their team.
But with companies asking their employees to do more with less time, resources, and manpower than ever before – where is the time for that?
Here’s the thing: Your top performers are what keep your company thriving. Losing them would be a blow – but if they feel like they’re just a number, they’re going to jump ship at the first better offer.
If you don’t feel like you have time to nurture camaraderie or build connection with your employees, you’ve got to make time. Here are a couple of ways to get started:
1) Use your team leads. Encourage your team leads to schedule regular time with each person on their team to assess what’s working, what’s missing, and what they need. It’s important to treat these meetings like a two-way conversation (instead of a review) for your employees to feel comfortable opening up.
2) Ditch the company info blasts. Change is inevitable – but when something has to change (ie downsizing, policy shifts, leadership change), don’t announce it through a company-wide meeting or email. Instead, get your supervisors to pull people together to have a two-way conversation about the change.
They should walk your employees through the thought process of why you’re having to make the change, then work to include the employees’ input into the change. After all, your employees are doing your company’s work every day – they might know something the executives don’t.
3) Be transparent. If people don’t get the whole story as to why a change is happening and what the impact will be on their day-to-day lives, they make it up. Humans don’t naturally do well with change – it tends to inspire fear. If they’re not being communicated with, they’re going to feel left out and betrayed by leadership.
4) Show them their impact. Your employees don’t get the privilege of the “big picture” view. Set aside time in your regular meetings to show and celebrate how an individual’s work is supporting other departments within the company and bringing the company closer to it’s mission. This will help boost your employee’s investment in the company – and invested employees are the ones that will stick around.
If you don’t know where to start or you’re nervous about taking your first steps in this direction, know I’m always here to help! Book a free call with me at carolegill.com/booking to learn how I can support you.
