Hear six suggestions that will help keep your employees content. Content employees are always more productive by Tim Walterbach #000272

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Keeping Employees Content

By Tim Walterbach

Hello! My name is Tim Walterbach with IBBTalks. Today I’d like to discuss six ways that we can keep our employees happy, fulfilled and by the end of the week they are like they have accomplished the clear tasks that we’ve laid out for them to fulfill. This begins with a good clear scope of work for each position. It’s the ideal of what you would like to see them accomplish and the time that it should take to fulfill that task. Now that’s the ideal and we know as the week progresses things come up that we didn’t plan, files that need to be put out and I’m not saying that we’re not to stay flexible for those different issues that come up, but we start with a good plan so that when they enter the work week they understand clearly what it’s going to take to fulfill their position. There’s nothing worse than going through the workday and at the end of the day not knowing if they really accomplished what they were to accomplish or that they were just putting out files all the time, taking over other people’s positions and work that they were not really hired for and not equipped for.

So, while we maintain flexibility, we do start off with a good clear scope of work for everybody to follow. Second, do they have the equipment and materials needed to fulfill their tasks? We are equipping other in a basic form, they’re not our servants although we’ve all been those positions and employment that we felt like nothing but a servant, but a wise boss, wise manager is more of an just equipping to help people fulfill what they were put on earth for vocationally. And this part of that is making sure that they have the materials needed to do what they need to do. Materials and equipment, whatever it is, it takes some forethought to plan. Make sure there’s enough paper for them, you know, as mundane as paper for the copier to the bigger issues of the new equipment that you’ll be needing. And letting those that are trying to fulfill the task with insufficient equipment, incomplete equipment, that there is a plan to get to a level where they’ll be able to do their job with the most effectiveness. Even if you can’t afford it right now make them a part of that, listen to them and let them express to you what they need. And most people understand to say it’s just not in the, you know, in the budget right now to get this equipment but we hear you and this is our plan.

But in the meantime, you can take care of the little things, I mean a lot to people to make sure they’re not frustrated in their daily work week to fulfill what you’ve asked them to do. Then number three, are they using the talents and experiences that they have come to your care with? You know, each employee is a goldmine of abilities and experiences and like goldmine they’ve got to be mined, they got to be. It’s a lot of work, there’s a lot of people don’t share these and it takes time to get to know them, to hear them, to be a little patient as they develop some of these hidden gifts that never have been developed before because they were just employees fulfilling the task laid out before them. But a wise manager will spend the time, will push in areas where they think they’re gifted sometimes. The other it’s just listening and finding out what their experiences are and just an overall concern that they are fulfilling why they’re on earth vocationally speaking. And then the simple thing of the praise and thanks. You know, it’s often been said that more important than a raise is acknowledgement of a job well done. It’s a lot cheaper too. You can actually keep people as long as it’s fair wage. Some people are just so hesitant to give out any praise, they’d rather give a raise than give out praise because praise acknowledges somebody else’s worth and maybe even an area that you are not strong in. And a good humble manager will understand that these people, this team that you’ve been put in charge of are there to shore up your weaknesses, to handle things that your experience hasn’t given you the abilities to do.

And then a basic care. Everybody responds to love. Love in the workplace? Yes! Everybody has this deep need, not only for acknowledgement but that you care. It’s the way you listen to the signals often they’re giving because people are very hesitant to share certain things, complaints, things that they need or you know, personal problems because the workplace is not for that. But we will be exceptional employers and we take a deep care and personally, and in who they are, what their needs are and this will set you above the rest because let’s face it we have a strong economy and there’s a lot of places they can go and the difference maybe not that raise but it might be praise and a little concern for who they are makes all the difference in the overall enjoyment of your workplace. And last one is just hearing their opinions. Not just a suggestion box that people can put anonymous complaints in, but a real culture of openness to hear opinions. Let’s talk about another gold mine, who knows best what our businesses need are those who are closest to the work. And it’s just only wise to have a structure for listening to the different opinions, needs, problems, complaints that people have that are in our employ. OK, I hope this was helpful to you! Thank you very much!