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It’s Never Too Late to Get to Know & Understand your Employees

October 13, 2017Lori Rohrbach

Change is something we face and deal with every day in our workplaces. It’s the new constant, but really, it’s not so new at all. In the face of all this change it’s never been more important to get down to the business of knowing and understanding your internal stakeholders and building their trust in you.

These folks are the front-end workers, the back-office staff, the first line supervisors, managers, directors, leaders and everyone in between. These people have very clear opinions, behaviors, sentiments and ideas. And together with their skills, capabilities, experiences and talents—they are what make up our employee cultures.

Understanding these stakeholders, what motivates them, why they come to work at our companies, the behaviors they display, why they will/will not trust you, how they react to change, and the values they embody will mean victory or defeat to the company trying to motivate them in the face of change. So, what is a company to do?

Ask them what they think, listen and be present. You can do this formally with surveys, polls or focus groups. Or informally by talking face to face with employees.  I recently met a new facility general manager (GM) who held 23 Town Hall meetings in three weeks with various teams that met at different times to accommodate employees on every shift.  This GM understood the key elements of “ask, listen and be present.”  He listened and learned first-hand who his employees were, what they thought about their workplace, and the company and got a real gauge of their willingness to change and transform. He also gave employees the opportunity to size him up, make their own call as to whether they could trust him and the transformation he was asking them to partake in.

Follow up and take action. Nothing drives home how important people are to your organization or motivates them to change more than the follow up and actions you take. But be warned: you must communicate the actions you’ve taken far and wide. Let folks all over the organization know that the organization can change, too.

Recognize that all stakeholder groups are not the same. Adapt your messaging to each internal stakeholder group, tailor messages to their role in the company, to what they need to understand and the actions they need to take. With regards to messaging: one size does NOT fit all.

Be clear about what behaviors you are expecting and then ask them to join you on the journey. The message here is “We are not in this alone. If we succeed, we succeed as ONE TEAM.”

Tell them what’s in it for them. Professional development opportunities, company growth and success (everyone wants to be part of a winning organization), better products/services for customers who are counting on us, rewards (monetary, recognition, etc.).

Understanding and getting to know your employees, and gaining their trust is arguably one of the hardest things to do as a leader, but in times of change it is the single most important thing you can do for them and for your company.

Author: Danielle MacDonald

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Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

 

Whether telecommuting is old hat or something you’ve been forced into as part of the COVID-19 shutdown, here are a few tips to make the experience run smoothly for both employers and employees.

 

Managing expectations

Successful work-from-home strategies always begin with clearly communicated expectations. Make sure your employees have any necessary equipment, tools and resources.  Will they need to track their time? Participate in regularly scheduled meetings? Be available at certain times of day? For employees, know what you’re accountable for and clearly communicate any challenges you’re having.

 

Constant communication

Keep the lines of communication open and be accessible. Check in with employees regularly through apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts and Skype, or even an old-fashioned email or phone call. Be genuinely interested in how they’re doing but don’t overdo it. Foster a feeling of trust by not micromanaging.

 

Nine to five…ish

While having a daily schedule is ideal, it may not always be practical right now. Make sure your people know when you need them to be available and try to offer flexibility at other times. They may be juggling school schedules as well as work schedules and working at “off-shift” times may be necessary. Be mindful of employees in different time zones as well.

 

For employees, try to work when you’re at your best, and not when you’re exhausted by kindergarten playtime and fourth grade math. Make sure people know if you will be unavailable at certain times.

 

Taking a break

Getting up and moving clears the head and helps with creativity and problem-solving. Whether it’s a walk around the block or a break for lunch, make time to get away from your desk throughout the day.

 

Signing off

Working from home does not mean being available 24/7. Set an actual end to the workday if possible. Don’t send and respond to messages at all hours. Sign out of messaging apps and close work programs. Understand and respect these boundaries.

 

Location, location, location

When setting up a home office, think about where you will have the fewest distractions – for yourself and for those who may be seeing you and your background on a video conferencing platform. Try to avoid busy spots that may include semi-clad people walking behind you, barking dogs and kids vying for your attention.

 

Conferencing and calls

Be clear about whether you expect people to turn on their cameras during meetings. If so, be clear about how they should be dressed. During calls, mute your phone when you’re not talking to avoid background noise. Headphones can also help with call quality. When speaking, pause frequently so others can participate in the conversation.

 

Social engagement

It’s ok for managers and employees to have some down time together, which may help ward off feelings of isolation. Keep up your normal level of interaction, perhaps with a virtual coffee break or happy hour. Managers should set the tone for how casual to be. Let employees choose what they would like to share, and never pry into areas that were off-limits before.

 

 

Author: Erin Alderfer

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