The workforce as we knew it is changing at a rapid pace, with baby boomers rapidly retiring and being replaced by younger workers. Many business owners and managers fail to recognise that improving the conditions within their teams is one of the best chances they have of retaining staff, improving the teams performance and in turn the companies profit.
Engaging team members to be part of the team, creating an environment where people are appreciated for their efforts, given recognition and a work environment which is pleasant and efficient all contributes to giving people a reason to keep coming back to work for more.
People need to wake up on Monday morning and say “Fantastic, it’s Monday, I’m going to work today!” If that sounds ridiculous I want to ask you what are you doing to become an employer of choice and engage the members of your team? If people are engaged at work they work harder, produce more, have less sick days and have good old fashioned FUN!
Research by The Gallup Organisation shows that fewer than 20% of employees are engaged, 62% are not engaged and the remaining 18% are totally disengaged from their organisation. These figures reflect a worldwide trend in teams, people want to be engaged.
This research further reveals that engaged team members are more likely to be loyal to their team, be more productive, and have less stress and higher safety statistics than team members who are not engaged. Not only that customer loyalty is directly linked and rises along with the team member’s loyalty.
Team members feel engaged if their Team Leader or Manager takes the time to develop their strengths, understand the areas which will improve with development and recognise that each member of the team is a different person. Organisations small and large can take simple steps to engage their employees.
Some organisations use a profiling tool to better understand the preferences of their staff and there are many such tools available. One which is simple to use and easy to understand is the Team Management Profile. This profile will give you a better understanding of their preferences in the workplace. This information can then be used to better communicate with your staff, allocate work and even as a tool to form project teams for short term projects. By understanding your staff better you can give them work which is challenging and allows them to learn and grow.
This detailed 4,000 word report identifies people’s preferences in the type of work they prefer to do and also supplies information around the following four dimensions:
• The way people relate to others at work.
• How people gather and use information.
• How people make decisions.
• How people organise themselves and others.
Taking the time to understand your people, identifying areas for development and engaging the services of external organisations to provide team building and skills training measurably increase engagement.
The office environment at work can also have an impact on staff. One City firm has taken advantage of the structure of their premises. Their office is wrapped around an internal atrium which allows access to an internal garden area. This area has become the central gathering area for staff social functions and boasts a gas bar-b-que, a bar fridge that would rival most inner city pubs and outdoor furniture to finish off the picture.
They encourage staff to gather there and relax and share what’s happened over the last month. It’s a great place to let off steam and to build a great team atmosphere. Giving something back in the form of a different reward is important and this is one of the ways that you can show your staff that you value their contribution.
Engaging the people in your team is not a complicated formula and can be as simple as asking some basic questions. Try these for size on your team:
1. Do your people know or understand what you expect from them at work?
2. Do they have the resources they need to do their job properly?
3. Do you give praise when you notice someone doing a great job?
4. Do you have a professional development program in place for every single staff member?
5. Do you sit down and talk with your staff about their work and their progress in the team?
6. Does your staff know what your vision is for the team and for them as individuals?
7. Does your staff look forward to coming to work to do their best in the team?
If you don’t know the answer to these questions, you better get on your skates and start talking to your people. In fact communication is the life blood of engagement within the team. Communicate as frequently as you can manage with the people in your team. A healthy mix of all options covering email, written memos, team meetings and a good old fashioned chat over a cup of coffee will take employee engagement a long way in your team.
Article Contributed by Lindsay Adams, International Speaker with Training Edge International and President of Global Speakers Federation
Website : www.trainingedgeasia.com
Email : Lindsay.adams@trainingedgeasia.com
No comments:
Post a Comment