Employees and managers alike could do better.
Employees could be more engaged and see the big picture in the workplace. Managers, at times, could do a better job of communicating and show more appreciation to personnel for their hard work.
Everything we needed to know about workplace dynamics, we learned when we were in kindergarten. I remember when I was little, loving to play on my walkie-talkie. Two-way communication at all ends of the house was fun and fascinating. The beeping and static noise was enough to drive my Mom crazy and at times the feedback on the walkie-talkie was entertaining and helpful.
And then there is “the Marshmallow test.” A child sits at the kitchen table, in a patient stare down with the treat for 20 minutes, gets the test of self-discipline, persistence, dedication, and grit. Setting a goal to outlast the 20 minutes would earn another marshmallow. To succeed as a child could furnish all kinds of good fortune as an adult: academic success, healthy relationships, career advancements, and an ability to persist in long-term goals. Let’s not forget the times Mom recognized our success, even if we had scored the soccer ball in the wrong net.
We won’t get into the benefits of eating vegetables, but if you are manager, doing these things listed above will lead you to employee engagement. What is employee engagement? An employee’s emotional commitment to the organization and its goals. When this happens, research shows 6% net profit margins. It also means more quality service, more productivity, higher customer satisfaction, and increased sales, according to New York Times Bestselling Author Kevin Kruse. Kruse wrote the book Employee Engagement 2.0: How to Motivate Your Team for High Performance. He feels appreciation, growth, trust, and two-way communication are a few ways to do this.
According to LinkedIn Talent Solutions, employee retention was the top priority in 2016 with a renewed emphasis on nurturing relationships with employees. Employee engagement takes precedence, if this is the goal.
The question remains, do employees leave bad managers or bad companies? An employee will leave a bad manager, missing the qualities above, early and often.
What they won’t do is leave a good leader.
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