Your role as a manager is to make sure that the employees you supervise are working to their full potential. But an often overlooked aspect of keeping employee productivity high is providing employees with a sense of fulfillment in their jobs. Fulfilled employees are engaged and productive employees.
You may have unwittingly found yourself in a never ending cycle of training new employees because your previous workers have chosen to move on. However, you can turn that trend around and spend less time on training and more time on your core duties. By applying the suggestions below, you may find that your employees will not only show an increased sense of fulfillment, but become engaged and loyal performers.
Challenge them
We all want to better ourselves. It is how we are wired. An employee that is challenged with obtainable goals will strive to meet them. That is the key. Set goals that are just above the comfort level. They won’t be impossible for all but a few but at the same time will require effort to reach. Set employee goals that are specific and measurable. In addition, tie reaching these goals to a reward system.
Another way to challenge your employees is to increase their engagement at work. Encourage them to come up with better ways to accomplish their tasks. Have them pinpoint a problem at work and come up with a workable solution.
Recognize their efforts
If you don’t give your employees the recognition they deserve, somebody else will. Or at least they will leave a job in the hopes of finding it. Many employees leave a job because they don’t feel appreciated. Recognizing their efforts will go a long way towards keeping them fulfilled.
This can be done in a number of ways. Cash rewards are nice, but other means provide a more lasting impact. Periodically get everyone together to recognize employees with corporate awards. Or you may celebrate a team effort by having a group lunch or organizing an outing together. Whatever you do, take advantage of the occasion to make it a team building opportunity.
Provide metrics of success
We all need to know where we stand. If an employee is coming up to you wondering if he is accomplishing his job to your expectations then you have dropped the ball as a manager. Provide an uncomplicated system for measuring success that incorporates as many of an employee’s responsibilities as possible. This way, they can monitor how well they are accomplishing their responsibilities and track their progress.
Set the example
Show your employees by your example the sort of behavior you would like from them. Come to work with a positive attitude and treat your employees with respect and courtesy. Follow through with your responsibilities. If it is time for employee evaluations, don’t keep putting them off, but make time to sit with and evaluate each employee. Offer support and encouragement to your team. Listen to employee’s ideas and let them know their input is valued.
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Dennis Phoenix is a human resource specialist and writer. He writes on topics including business relationships, productivity, employee satisfaction, and crystal awards. He spends his weekends mountain biking and photographing nature.
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