Beginning in 2015, LeanIn.org and McKinsey have conducted annual comprehensive studies of women in the corporate workplace. The most recent report was just released and focused on the impact of the pandemic, issues of diversity and inclusion, and the overall state of work.
This column focuses specifically on their findings related to burnout, which has been continuing as a consequence of the pandemic.
I’ve been part of several conversations recently where trust issues have surfaced. Some have been positive, reflecting leaders who understand and embrace the benefits of a high trust culture. And others have swung to the other side of the spectrum where lack of trust is creating cracks in the organization.
Why is trust so important?
Continuing our theme of employee engagement, consider the correlation between engagement and appreciation. People want to be appreciated and acknowledged for a job well done. It isn’t a big leap to understand that when people are praised for their efforts, they are motivated to do more.
Leaders who feel that recognition merits only occasional effort miss the opportunity to enhance the employee experience. Make sure that you express appreciation in a sincere and well-meaning manner. Employees know immediately when someone is “scamming” them.
Why is employee engagement so important? Obviously, there are myriad answers, but at the core, the more engaged your employees are the better they will do their jobs. Better job performance results in fewer mistakes, which ultimately leads to more satisfied clients.
You know what absenteeism is, but are you familiar with presenteeism? This happens when employees show up at work and simply go through the motions of their jobs. They do the minimum amount of work without calling attention to their declining effectiveness and productivity.
The Gallup Organization conducted a survey recently that concluded that 48% of people who are active employees are looking for new jobs. In fact, 3.6 million employees quit their jobs in May. Tried to hire recently? I’m sure you’ve experienced that this is more difficult than it has been in recent memory.
Gallup is coining this emerging trend as “The Great Resignation”, but suggests that the underlying theme is “The Great Discontent”.
I received an exceptional email from a founding partner of a national window covering company. He thanked me for my interest in their company and reinforced their commitment to the “health, happiness and safety of our team and our customers.”
So far, so good.
He then said, “You’re in great hands with your Design Consultant, but please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly if you have any questions or if there is anything I can do to make your experience with us more enjoyable.”
Everyone is getting busier, which is great for business but perhaps more challenging in execution. This continues to be more complicated if you are working remotely or in a hybrid situation.
During the most intense periods of the pandemic, employees adapted and got the work done clumsily but effectively. What’s different now is the pace and higher levels of expectations. Business is returning to previous activity levels and leaders need to help their teams adjust to expectations.
The adage “the client is always right” does not carry the heft that it used to…but it still bears the same kind of angst when deciding how to handle delicate or difficult situations involving our employees.
I’ve had clients who are militantly defensive of their clients, even if it’s to the detriment of a solid performing employee. And there are others who passionately support their people to the irritation of a disgruntled client.
Have you ever noticed when someone seems clueless about how he is perceived by others? This inevitably results in breakdowns in communication, especially from a person who isn’t aware of the problem.
Keep in mind that people want to communicate effectively. After all, they’re not sitting at their desks thinking about how they can be a bad listener in the morning meeting!
People seem to be chomping at the bit to “return to normal”, even though things are still far from normal. Economic good news, wider spread access to vaccines, and more variety in activities than we’ve had in a year have all contributed to this yearning.
Zeroing in on some of the economic news: last week the Labor Department reported that job openings surged to a two-year high and the March jobs report indicated that 916,000 new jobs were added in March.