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Most leaders spend time focusing on themselves external challenges Their companies face. And, from rapid advances in technology to financial uncertainty, geopolitical instability and competition, there is plenty. But what if the biggest threat to your company’s future is already inside the building?
Companies need an engaged workforce to remain competitive in a complex and ever-changing environment. But the countless hours I spent Coaching and consulting with executives, and my own experience as the founder and chief executive of a fast-growing company has made it clear that companies in all industries are operating with low morale and, as a result, Low employee engagement.
The latest poll shows that only 30% are employees Engaged. That low engagement is contributing to high turnover. Last year the voluntary quit rate was 25% more That’s more than it was before the pandemic, and 40% of workers are considering leaving their jobs this year. And turnover is contagious – one study showed that 92% of people said they would be less likely to stay in their job. After a close colleague quit. That kind of cascade can quickly hollow out your company.
How can you, as a leader, improve morale, inspire your employees and increase engagement in your organization? Here are four tips.
Related: 6 Entrepreneurs Share Secrets to Boost Office Morale
1. Measure twice
First, you can’t fix something you don’t know is broken. The way we work now has made it harder than ever to know when something is. It was easy to understand when engagement and morale were low when we were all in the office. It hung over the office like a fog. But when you only see your colleagues and employees on the computer screen, it can be hard to tell when something is wrong. That’s why every company should measure Morale and engagement at regular intervals.
In my company, we have regular quick gatherings survey With a stronger measure that we deploy less often. Sending these surveys and synthesizing the data they return requires an investment of time and effort, two resources that are always in short supply. But the investment provides great value by enabling us to understand the overall health of the organization, to see what we are doing well and what we can do better.
2. Co-create your values
In the midst of stress and uncertainty, employees benefit from clear understanding Vision and values of the institution. They also benefit from a vision and values that align with their own — Study Show that employees whose personal values align with those of their organization are more likely to be engaged and less likely to leave — which is why creating vision and values collaboratively has tremendous value.
Imagine starting with a blank canvas, then being thoughtful and intentional about the future you want to create. By listening to your people’s needs and paying close attention to context, you can identify a set of values that energize your team. You may try things that fail, but the messiness of deliberate experimentation is mitigated by clear and open communication, your willingness to learn, and your ability to adapt.
Related: Leading with transparency in times of uncertainty
3. Connect with people
As leaders, we ask our employees to spend most of their waking hours at work. In turn, we have to make sure we show them that their time at work is important. A Gartner study shows that 82% Employees say it is important for their organization to see them as a person, not just an employee. However, only 45% of employees believe that their organization actually sees them this way. It’s probably just because 27% Organizations “guide supervisors to communicate with their teams why their work is important.”
Addressing this disconnect starts with you and your executive team. There is something powerful about a leader Check in with his team. The most successful leaders I’ve coached check in with each of their teams on a human level, offer gratitude for their work, ask them about the challenges they’re facing at work and at home, and ask them how they can help. .
4. Double down on community
Loneliness in the workplace has long been a problem. But, since the start of the pandemic, the problem has become more apparent. And that’s a big problem. Loneliness Reduces our ability to perform tasks, limits creativity and reduces reasoning and decision-making abilities. Socially isolated team members are less likely to collaborate with others, and Research shows That his colleagues perceive him as approachable and committed to the organization.
It’s hard for your team to feel like they’re in this together when most of them are never in the same room. more than 30% US workers have changed jobs because the pandemic necessitated mass movement remote and hybrid work. In some of our enterprise clients, there are entire teams of individuals who have never met each other in person.
While I recognize the cost of bringing people together, it is impossible to overstate the value of person-to-person interaction. Study Shows that interpersonal interactions stimulate the release of oxytocin and build trust and psychological safety between individuals. Google’s A two-year study of his teams shows that psychological safety is the single most important factor affecting performance. Individuals on teams with high Psychological safety were more engaged and less likely to leave the company.
Related: Why Everything You Know About Employee Engagement Is Wrong
More than a feeling
Improving engagement at your company won’t be easy — 36% of the US workforce has been the most engaged at work in the past 20 years. However, your efforts will pay off. Engaged employees are not only less likely to have turnover, but they also deliver higher sales, more satisfied customers, higher productivity and higher profits than their less engaged peers.
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