Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Tip #477: 10 Tips For Connecting With Your Employees

      
Once you've hired and trained an employee, it's important to take an active role in that individual's progress. To retain quality employees, you must have a plan in place to monitor employees' concerns and reward accomplishments. Additionally, many employees find this type of engagement an incentive to do quality work. If an employee's opinion is valued by management, he or she is more likely to:

  • Arrive at work on time.
  • Avoid sloppy or inconsistent work.
  • Call out only when necessary.
  • Take pride in his or her work.
  • Work more effectively with a team.

Engage Employees In Your Workplace Using These 10 Tips

Tip #1: Value Accomplishments - Employee recognition is one of your most valuable tools. Research continually shows that social media sites like Facebook are emotionally rewarding because people enjoy recognition for what they have said or done. This isn't a strictly virtual concept. Reward and recognize hard work with perks such as employee of the month parking, free lunch or something as simple as a thank-you email or a verbal recognition.

Tip #2: Show Active Concern For Employees' Wellbeing -Recognize that employees have lives and problems outside of work. You can show that you care and ease outside issues and stressors in employees' lives to earn their loyalty. Consider the following:

  • Create a team for a charity event.
  • Hire an accountant during tax season to offer advice to employees.
  • Maintain an open door policy and encourage employees to communicate when they are experiencing difficulties outside of work.

Tip #3: Provide Proper Tools - Nothing is more frustrating than having the wrong tools or equipment to complete specific goals. Ask your employees what they need to complete their jobs more efficiently. You might be surprised at how much faulty equipment (or lack of proper resources) can disappoint an employee.

Tip #4: Create A Strong Corporate Culture - Many people see businesses as faceless and imposing entities. Creating and implementing corporate culture and values strengthens the morale of your team as well as your brand. Companies such as Starbucks promote corporate social responsibility, encouraging employees to recycle and exercise. This generates loyalty from employees and a positive public opinion of your business. Additionally, it positively impacts employees' physical and mental health as well as the environment.

Tip #5: Consider Values of Employees - What do your employees value? Some employees value perks like schedule flexibility over higher compensation. Others crave the structure of weekly progress meetings. Find out what your employees value most and make some adjustments to meet their needs.

Tip #6: Outline Job Tasks And Descriptions - Work environments become challenging for employees when their duties are not specifically outlined. When multiple employees feel responsible for the same aspects of a project, your team can experience conflict and their productivity goes down due to redundancy. To prevent this, provide each employee with specific job descriptions and tasks. Leadership breeds loyalty.

Tip #7: Maintain And Promote Effective Communication -Stress that you are accessible. When you demonstrate an ability to listen effectively, your team will be more likely to listen to each other, too.

Tip #8: Communication Requires Response- Effective communication doesn't flow one way only. A specific plan for communication such as an open door policy or a weekly forum allows you to identify and address employee concerns as they arise.

Tip #9: Professional Development - Your management team is essential to communication and productivity. Do not forget to invest in their efforts. An effective management team has the necessary business tools available, including classes, books and leadership seminars.

Tip #10: Understand That It Is A Process - Effective employee engagement isn't immediate. Your consistency is required. Schedule reminders and set aside specific meeting times to remain actively engaged with your employees.

Executive Summary: Effective employee engagement leads to reduced stress, increased productivity and greater employee retention. Additionally, connecting with your employees encourages team-based loyalty and a sense of personal vested interest in your company's product, brand and values. You can actively engage employees by providing avenues for communication, creating a strong corporate identity and by addressing their personal and professional goals.

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