Business coach Dean Williams is all about the bottom
line. But revenues and profits don't grow themselves. Here are his
top three rules for engaging your staff: how to keep them motivated
and happy - and make sure they don't run off to the competition,
taking their smart, money-making ideas with them.
Employee engagement is a phrase much circulated around the
business world at present, but do we really understand its
importance? Are we aware of what to do as leaders/managers?
We all know that having the 'right' employees is critical to the
success of your business. Finding the right employees is one thing,
but keeping them happy is another.
Too often taken for granted by managers and categorised as 'good
guys', your best people need to constantly be engaged in order to
maintain standards and ideally raise the bar even higher.
We spend a considerable amount of time with those that require
hand holding - but to what cost? There is a balance to be sought
but are you getting it right? Well, let's find out...
There are effectively three 'rules for engagement', when it
comes to maintaining the high performance of individuals;
Firstly, recognise existence. Do your best
people know they exist? Sounds obvious, but when was the last time
you took the time to show that genuine personal interest in them?
Too often left to 'their own devices' because they deliver... they
still need that personal touch.
Secondly, state their purpose. When was the
last time you reiterated what it is that they do brilliantly well
and why?
An engaged employee needs to feel like they can genuinely impact
the business in terms of direction and results. Do yours feel like
they can impact the quality of your product or service? That they
can impact costs? That they can play a role in innovating new
products/services? That they can increase the profitability of the
firm? If not, why not? People need to know how their role makes a
difference to the business - what contribution they make. Find
compelling reasons why the business needs them and deliver the
message.
Lastly, internal transparency of value. This is
different to you pointing out their value (see above). Do they
really see it/feel it themselves? Sound objective setting linked to
the performance of the business helps massively. It needs to be
visually tangible to them.
Three rules, fairly self explanatory but to be ignored at
tremendous risk. Think accordingly and act now ... no matter
how good we are - we all need that reinforcement regardless of what
else is on your daily agenda.
Remember, far from being a requirement that is satisfied by
perks, employee engagement is a direct reflection of how employees
feel about their relationship with their boss. You make the
difference.
Suggested reading: The Three Signs Of A Miserable Job -
Patrick Lencioni.
Dean Williams works with business owners, directors and
senior managers helping them arrive at decisions that will
successfully impact their bottom line. Find out more about dwexecutivecoach.co.uk