5 Things Managers and Leaders Must Do

Communication, forward thinking, prioritization, and other skills must be learned and applied in the workplace by managers if we can expect to improve employee engagement. Employees need a manager who is willing to provide an “open” communication platform that includes feedback in a timely fashion, candid discussion on performance and appropriate behavior, a willingness to clarify expectations and use metrics to measure results, and to include the employee in the awareness and planning stages for the company’s vision.
Here are 5 Tips that we believe makes a difference in your business if put into practice: 

Resolution - Increase Employee Productivity - The Largest Risk in Your Business

In a recent Taleo Research Study, they reported that the largest risk to their company’s bottom line and brand is low employee engagement and productivity. Most companies are asking people to do more with less because companies can no longer afford to have suboptimal performance from any employee.

No one argues the fact that there is a direct correlation between engagement and productivity. The real question is, how do we sustain high levels of productivity on the job while keeping people engaged?

The first step, in an ongoing sustainability process, is to teach the employee to become goal-oriented. All of our Leadership and Management Development Courses are goal-oriented and we teach people how to get results. Performance and productivity enhancement is defined as our desired outcome.

The second step is to align the business goals to talent goals. Executive level management must provide the vision and articulate the strategy. Mid level management must provide a work environment that allows the strategy to be driven while presenting a responsibility, accountability and self-empowerment culture to support this highly engaged workforce.

Our Making of an Effective Manager helps mid-level management get executives and employees on the same boat while keeping it on the straight and narrow path to success. Middle Management is what makes things happen. If they are not trained, they will not understand the value of setting goals, and nor will they know how to get employees to realize they are part of that goal.

It is documented that 85% find linking talent management to corporate goals challenging. The reason for the high percentage is that most people are not goal-oriented and until they learn the competency that will help them get the desired results, they will struggle.

The value from engagement and alignment can pay big dividends for your company’s future. As an owner and/or HR professional, it is your job to drive the process and select the right tools to achieve the desired results.

Call Innovative Leadership now to help you define your plan of action for engagement and alignment at 609.390.2830. Or click here to learn more about The Making of an Effective Manager.

How to Use Employee Engagement to Your Business' Advantage

Between the winter and the continued economic struggles, many employers are being lulled into thinking that all is well in the workplace. Turnover is down or non-existent, revenue generation is coming back ever so slowly, and costs have been brought in line. All of this can certainly give companies and organizations the impression that everything is on the upswing and “Life is Good”.

The problem is that when we come out of this economic recession, many people will start looking for other opportunities and in most cases; the good opportunities will be made available to your good people. People are not usually changing jobs for financial differences, but relationship differences. The relationship between the manager and employee is the key to retention of good/great employees.

The main reason for leaving a company is the fact that the manager is either doing something wrong or is just not providing the feedback needed for personal development and advancement. Managers must exhibit an interest in their people; learn to understand what motivates their staff, provide a realistic career path for advancement, and to maximize the talents of their key employees. Leadership and Management Development Programs are designed to teach people the skill sets and competencies that are needed to develop high performing employees in the workplace. Read about these programs here, but let’s get back to engagement….

High performing employees are not always the highly engaged employee. Managers must make sure that all employees are engaged and the key employees must be well aware of how their value contributes to the overall success of the Business Strategy of the company or organization.

Keep in mind, low turnover does not reflect high employee engagement. It doesn’t, but it can! You still need engagement driven by management.


How To Take Action

Employee Engagement is Performance and Productivity

Managers have more impact on engagement then their companies.

In Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to be the Best…and Learn from the Worst by Robert Sutton, the author noted that about 75% of today's workforce reports that their immediate supervisor is the most stressful part of their job. It has also noted by several surveys including the initial work by Gallup that immediate supervisors have far more impact on engagement and productivity than whether their companies are rates as great or lousy places to work.