Category Archives: Morale

Employee Morale, Engagement, Leadership, Morale, Organizational Culture, Team Building

What Do Employees Really Want?

 

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“Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person – not just an employee – are more productive, more satisfied, more fulfilled. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers, which leads to profitability.” —Anne M. Mulcahy

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

Why You Should Care

Why should you care about what your employees really want? As Anne M. Mulcahy stated, employees are more productive, satisfied, and fulfilled   when they know you care. Studies show that 70% of employees do not feel engaged in their work. Research has shown that employees are more likely to leave their positions because of their boss than any other reason. Yet, employers tend to think that a much higher percentage of employees leave for more money than any other factor. Less than 25% of leaders have a strategy for engagement. Only 40% of employees feel they even know the goals and strategy of their organization. Engaged employees are 87% less likely to leave their positions. Organizations with happy, engaged employees have two-and-a-half times the revenue and two times the net income of organizations with unhappy, disengaged employees.

The happiness and engagement of your employees affect your success and your bottom line. This should be reason enough for you to care. So, what do employees really want? I.C.E. is a good place to start.

Inclusion

Brian Eno suggested, “You either believe that people respond to authority, or that they respond to kindness and inclusion. I’m obviously in the latter camp. I think people respond better to reward than punishment.” Your employees want to be involved in something bigger than themselves. They want to know their company mission; they want to be able to tell the world what their company is up to; to be proud of where they work. Include employees in progress and strategy meetings. Encourage them to share the great things that are happening in the organization. Let them tell the story and be ambassadors for your brand.

Concern

Chris Hemsworth explained, “People who put themselves on the line and sacrifice their own safety for the greater good and for others, and anyone in any profession whose concern is the welfare for other people instead of the individual are inspiring and important.” It doesn’t matter your position or industry, you can always put your people before yourself. Let them know that you care. Your employees want a leader who provides them with concern for the greater good, empowerment, honesty, accountability, respect, and authenticity. Show them that you have concern for their growth and capability; recognize what they’re capable of and empower them to reach their full potential. Care for them as a person, not just an employee.

Engagement

Gary Hamel believed, “The real damper on employee engagement is the soggy, cold blanket of centralized authority. In most companies, power cascades downwards from the CEO. Not only are employees disenfranchised from most policy decisions, they lack even the power to rebel against egocentric and tyrannical supervisors.” Employees want opportunities, responsibilities, and tasks that are directly related to achieving the goals and mission of the organization they work for. When employees are engaged they are more satisfied and create more value for the company. They want to be challenged and empowered to design their own tasks. When you engage your employees they will be more committed to accomplishing something valuable not only for the company, but for themselves, and their community.

Make it Happen

Ian Smith said, “I think happiness is a combination of pleasure, engagement, and meaningfulness.” Include your employees by sharing where the organization is, where it is going, and allow them to help design how to get there. Demonstrate genuine interest and concern for your employees as individuals. Show them that you care about them on a personal level, not just as an employee. Make sure they can see that you are looking out for their best interests before your own. Engage them in meaningful work that they find interesting and rewarding. Giving employees what they really want using I.C.E. is a simple step that will provide lasting reward.

 

 

 

 

© 2015 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

Elizabeth Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the CEO of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Elizabeth holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Elizabeth by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

 

Culture, Employee Morale, Engagement, Habits, Leadership, Morale

Developing a Healthy Culture in 2015

Agreement

“Businesses often forget about the culture, and ultimately, they suffer for it because you can’t deliver good service from unhappy employees.” —Tony Hsieh
By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

Why Culture?

As we approach the start of a new year, it’s the perfect opportunity to set a goal for developing a healthy culture in your organization in 2015. Now, of course, merely setting a goal is not nearly enough, but laying out a plan is a great starting point. While many leaders view culture as the latest buzzword in organizational leadership, the truth is, your culture may have a bigger impact on the performance of your organization than any other single factor. Culture drives success; your culture impacts your level of engagement, growth, and innovation. Your culture determines the on-the-ground actions, behaviors, and decisions of your employees. A healthy culture does not happen by accident, it is intentionally developed. So, what can you do to start developing a healthy culture in 2015?

Set the example

Rupert Murdoch told us, “In motivating people, you’ve got to engage their minds and their hearts. I motivate people, I hope, by example – and perhaps by excitement, by having productive ideas to make others feel involved.” As the leader, you are the one responsible for creating the culture in your organization. Focus on the positive behaviors you want to see in your organization and then set the example for others to follow. Show people that you value the employees at every level of the organization. Help them see that their actions and decisions have value. Communicate respectfully and authentically. Then, celebrate small achievements.

 Help them grow

Benjamin Franklin believed, “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” If you want to have a healthy culture you must invest in the development of your employees. This shows them that they are valued. Help them to build positive self-identities. Offer them the opportunity to design their own work. Make learning something to be celebrated. Show them the trust it takes to allow them to learn from mistakes without fear. Encourage them to participate in the decision-making in your organization.

Share your values

Your culture is based on group norms of behavior; shared values are what keep those norms in place. Roy E. Disney said, “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” Share your values with your employees. Help them see how these values play into the long-term focus of the organization. Then, help them understand the importance of the role they play in that focus. Once you share your values you can start to develop shared, healthy organizational habits.

Healthy Culture/Happy Employees

James Sinegal explained, “When employees are happy, they are your very best ambassadors.” Develop a healthy culture that will keep your employees happy. Set the example, help them grow, and share your values. Connect meaning and value to them as individuals and to the tasks they perform for your organization. Remember, your culture will influence the actions, behaviors, and decisions of every employee. Make intentionally developing a healthy culture in 2015 a priority and see what success you can achieve.

 

 

 

© 2014 Elizabeth Stincelli

 

Elizabeth Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the CEO of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Elizabeth holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Elizabeth by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

 

Communication, Employee Morale, Leadership, Morale, Organizational Culture

The Killing of Employee Morale

The Killing of Employee Morale

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” — Henry Ford

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

 

The Importance of Employee Morale

We all know that happy employees are productive employees. Content employees are less likely to waste time their own time as well as that of their co-workers. They are more engaged in their work and feel they have a vested interest in achieving company goals.

        Are We Killing Employee Morale?

Morale can prove to be fragile. One poorly handled situation or unpopular decision by management can send morale spiraling out of control. Here are a few factors that can kill employee morale.

                       Lack of Communication

When we don’t have all the information, we fill in the blanks with our imagination. And, our imagination can come up with some pretty terrifying scenarios. Lack of communication often leads to assumption and fear. Communicate with your employees. Share the current position of the organization and the vision for the future. Discuss strategic plans and the rationale behind the plans. And, most importantly, communicate the vital role that each one plays in the success of the organization.

                       Lack of direction

Employees want to be part of a successful team. But success is hard to achieve when you are not sure what direction you are supposed to be going or what success looks like. As leaders, it is our responsibility to make sure employees have the direction and tools necessary to achieve success. Make sure employees have a clear understanding of the objectives that the organization is working towards. Paint an encouraging picture of what success looks like. It is your responsibility to serve as a facilitator. Help establish goals, set parameters, provide them with the information, resources, and the direction they need, then, get out of their way and let them find the best way to do their jobs.

                       Lack of a voice

Gone are the days of employees who are content to work, day in and day out, like mindless robots. Employees want to be heard. They want a say in how their organizations are run and the freedom to design their work, their way. Employees know what’s happening on the front lines. They know what works and have great ideas. As leaders, we must engage them in conversations where we ask questions and really listen to their answers. We must also involve them in developing solutions to organizational problems.

                        Lack of trust and respect

Relationships that are built on trust and respect are the mechanisms we use to influence others. If you lack the trust and respect of your employees, they will follow you by force, not by choice. Earn trust and respect by showing that you are committed to your vision and that your words and actions are congruent. Your character will show in the values you live by, make sure you choose them carefully. Always keep your word, be fair, and consistent. Show your employees that you genuinely care about each one as an individual. Lead by example. And, prove yourself competent but not arrogant.

                       Lack of acknowledgement

Employees want to know that they are valued and their efforts matter. By simply acknowledging that we appreciate an employee’s contributions, we create loyalty and encourage continued hard-work. Tell your employees thank you. Say “good job, the team couldn’t have done it without you.” Make an employee’s day by simply giving them the credit they deserve.

        Take-Away

When morale is good, employees are more motivated, engaged, creative, and efficient. As leaders, we must develop healthy operating environments where we avoid morale killing behaviors. The skills and character traits that allow us to avoid these behaviors also strengthen our abilities as leaders.