According to research conducted by Gallup International last month, which surveyed over 25 million employees across 149 countries – including Pakistan – 63% of working professionals are ‘disengaged and demotivated’. Since past research studies have linked low morale with reduced productivity, one of the big challenges for managers is to ensure an involved workforce.
To help employees perform optimally, consider becoming an ‘ employee centric manager’ burki factoring in the following three steps:
1. Understand. Before devising and implementing policies, understand your subordinates’ priorities; learn about their work ethic, interests, personal and professional goals. This will allow you to offer them the incentives (such as family insurance or sponsored vacations) that they desire ( as opposed to just a raise ) and encourage them to achieve the targets and goals you have set for them. A lunch or coffee after work can do wonders in breaking the ice between managers and employees and establish a professional camaraderie between them.
2. Develop. Focusing only on your employees’ weaknesses and shortcomings is counter productive; receiving negative feedback day in and day out will lead to a loss of confidence in their ability to do their job, which will then translate into mediocre performance. Instead of highlighting their mistakes, identify your employees’ strengths and help them hone their skills through training workshops relevant to their field. Back this up by assigning tasks and projects that are aligned with their skill sets to give them a boost in self-confidence.
3. Empower. Your employees will be more motivated when empowered to complete projects without ‘over-the-shoulder’ supervision. Cut out the red tape, encourage them to take spontaneous decisions within set parameters and foster creativity and innovations, in their short- and long- term assignments. Giving people choices in the projects they can be involved is an important first step; state the results you expect clearly along with the deadlines, and let them decide how to accomplish the goals.
By Zeeshan Lakhpaty. The writer is a professional corporate trainer and an international speaker.