2023-04-24
Dela:
Latest updated: 22 June 2023
Many companies and organizations are currently experiencing significant budget pressures. At the same time, competition for qualified talent is fiercer than ever. Losing valuable employees to competitors can be a costly affair, both financially and in other ways.
Especially due to the experiences of remote work that emerged during the pandemic, a record number of employees are now seeking better alternatives. Globally, this trend, known as "the Great Resignation," has been ongoing since the beginning of the pandemic and has led many individuals to reevaluate their work life and career options.
As a manager, you can address these challenges by focusing on four areas that can enhance employee satisfaction, engagement, and development without requiring substantial financial investments.
One of the most significant changes in the workplace in recent years is that employees have realized there are enormous opportunities for flexible work, provided that employers allow it. This can involve remote work, hybrid work, or flexible working hours, even for those working in the office.
Employers who do not offer flexibility will find it challenging to compete for qualified talent. There is also much to gain from it. Employees fare better and become more productive when they no longer feel stressed about daycare pick-ups or exhausted from daily commutes. Work that requires focus and concentration is generally easier to manage from home than in the office, where constant distractions are possible.
Ultimately, investing in flexibility and work/life balance can lead to increased productivity and better outcomes. However, it places high demands on you as a manager since remote work, hybrid work, and flexibility also present significant challenges, especially regarding communication. But it is worthwhile if your organization offers a high degree of flexibility and freedom with responsibility, as it increases the likelihood that competent employees will want to stay.
This can be seen as an extension of the first point since flexibility is an excellent way to ensure employee well-being and counteract stress. However, there are other ways to support well-being. As a manager, you have a crucial role in setting the norms within your organizational culture. Therefore, it is essential to demonstrate that there must be time for work and time for rest, and that employees are not expected to work until they burn out in your organization. Frequently and extensively communicate with your employees about the importance of finding balance in their lives. Lead by example and take responsibility to ensure no employee is burdened with an unreasonable workload or time pressure.
Also, encourage employees to engage in physical activity and take care of their nutrition, but make sure it is on a voluntary basis. Encourage exercise and movement during work hours, as it is likely to increase productivity in the long run since a full day of sitting hardly makes people more productive than allowing them to move around for a while during the day.
Some more ambitious investments in health and well-being may require additional funds, but these costs should be weighed against the expense of sick leave. Regardless, as a manager, you can always take responsibility for employee health and well-being by collaboratively creating and maintaining a healthy and health-oriented organizational culture with other managers and employees.
Not all employee development initiatives require significant financial investments. In today's digital world, there are tremendous opportunities to access knowledge and tools that were previously exclusive just a few years ago. Additionally, organizations already possess substantial resources in the form of internal expertise, which can be utilized to enable internal employee and competency development.
The internet offers everything from free video lectures to inexpensive courses, tools, aids, and platforms. Many resources today are web-based, making them both more cost-effective and efficient. For example, Zebrains coaching and platform are entirely digitized. However, there are also many other tools and sources of knowledge to choose from, depending on your specific needs.
Make sure to leverage internal expertise by allowing managers and employees to develop, educate, and guide each other. By thoroughly considering and consulting with your employees, you will discover hidden development opportunities within your organization. If utilized correctly, these opportunities can help employees grow, reach their full potential, and consequently, increase their desire to stay within the organization.
To thrive in their jobs, employees need to feel engaged and motivated. As a manager, you play an incredibly important role in this regard. Your ability to communicate and involve employees in the organization is crucial for their engagement and motivation.
Employees need regular and specific feedback to feel engaged in their work. They need to know that their efforts are seen, appreciated, and recognized, not only in one-on-one interactions but sometimes also in front of other employees.
They also need to be listened to, feel involved, and have a sense of participation in the entire organization, especially when it comes to changes. As a manager, it is your task to ensure that employees actively participate in the creation and maintenance of your company culture. When an employee knows more and is more competent than you as a manager—which is likely the case in specific areas—you should transparently acknowledge that fact. Without ego, seek advice from the employee and let them influence the decision-making process. Allow employees to provide their own suggestions for improvements within the organization, and ensure that these suggestions are taken seriously.
Engagement increases when employees feel competent, needed, appreciated, and involved. Other important aspects include granting employees a high level of autonomy while also making them feel like an integral part of a team. It is also important for work to be perceived as meaningful, and for employees to understand their contribution to the company's vision and mission.
All of this places high demands on you as a manager, and it is unrealistic to expect that you will succeed in everything. However, fundamentally, it is about listening to your employees, seeing them as individuals, and trying to understand what it takes for them to thrive and eventually reach their full potential.
Effective leadership paves the way for engagement and employee development, increasing the likelihood that employees will thrive and want to stay within the organization.
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