Engaging staff the key to increasing workplace productivity
EMPOWER STAFF
Self Reflection – Am I meeting my business goals? Are my staff engaged?
Don’t leave what employees think about your business to chance. This should not be a potluck, hope for the best scenario.
You need your staff to be proud to work in your business. How staff engage with the business will shine through to the customer. It will impact the service, quality, consistency and loyalty.
How many times have you walked into a shop where clearly the staff are disengaged and only going through the motions of work? These are not businesses that we become loyal to or recommend to others. These are not success stories.
How do you engage staff? Make them feel like they belong. Let them know how their role will help achieve the overall business goals. No one wants to work for a failing business, we all want to be part of the success story.
What targets or benchmarks do they need to achieve to bring about success? This may be sales targets, customer feedback scores, trip advisor responses, productivity rates.
When there are successes - celebrate them, when targets aren’t being meet - work with staff to overcome barriers. Give full credit for team successes but share any problems or short comings your staff are experiencing.
The emotional environment of the workplace is typically determined by two things: what you say you expect (e.g. in values statements, job descriptions, performance appraisals, and the like), and what you tolerate.
Over time, what you tolerate will dominate what you say you expect. That is why it’s so essential to establish and enforce expectations that reify the organisation’s values.
- Values Coach America
Self Reflection – Business Goals
Be honest. This is a self-reflection exercise and no one is judging you. It’s only eight months through the year (and we’ve only just started the financial year), which means that you can still make good headway on achieving your goals.
When completing this, focus on the positive. What you have done really well. Then make some firm commitments to yourself to change the areas that you aren’t doing so well in.
Self-reflection questions:
What are you hoping to achieve in your business in 2022/2023?
Are your staff clear and focused on what part they will play in achieving your business objectives?
How would your staff describe your business?
Do they know what makes you stand out against your competitors
Do they understand your business core values?
Are your staff proud to wear the company uniform?
Commitment
Now for the hard part. Name three more positive steps I can make from now until December that will ensure that staff are living the culture and values that I want for my business:
Don’t just leave company values to chance. Commit to authentic leadership within your organisation. What do you tell staff about the business? How do you treat your staff and customers? What training and mentoring do you give your employees? What success stories do you share? What systems do you have in place to help people succeed?
Name three areas where you can:
Become more creative, productive, and enthusiastic at work.
Reflect a positive attitude and refrain from the negativity of complaining, finger-pointing. This only creates a negative culture.
Assume informal leadership roles by setting an example of positive team-building and motivation for others. If someone comes to you with a negative problem, help them come up with a solution. Encourage employees to come to you with a solution to a problem, not just a problem.
Help co-workers, friends, and family members deal with frustration and adversity in a more positive and constructive manner.
We hope that the remainder of 2022 brings great things to your business and your staff. Managers often complain that the hardest aspect to running their business is the staffing element.
We challenge this view by saying that it is the people in the business that make you unique and allow you to connect with your customers.
If you would like assistance in setting staffing goals, implementing a reward and recognition system that will get results or a team building session facilitated then give us a call.
We would love to be part of creating a winning formula for staff engagement in your business.
Thank you!
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