Want engaged employees? Do this.
It’s not rocket science, so why aren’t more people doing it?
I recently saw a post on LinkedIn that caught my eye.
It was a selfie of a former colleague and her two young children, smiling.
In her post, she wrote how she had recognized that she needed more work/life balance, and to be home more for a period of time to focus on her family.
Like many working parents in this situation, she felt nervous about broaching the conversation with her manager.
She probably considered how a conversation like that could play out.
Her manager could have told her that she needed to “improve her time management skills”, or “learn how to delegate.”
He could have told her she “just needed to hire help” to take care of her children and family responsibilities.
He could have told her that she needed to solve the problem if she wanted to keep her job.
Ask around and you can find women who have been honest in situations like this and had their concerns dismissed, their professionalism attacked, and their jobs suddenly axed in the next round of layoffs.
But that’s not what happened this time.
Instead, after she explained the situation, her manager responded, “What do you need, and how can we support you?”
Can you imagine how that made her feel?
She had been brave, honest, and clear about what she needed – and her manager responded exactly how you would hope.
Not with judgment or criticism, but with support.
With care.
She is now back at work part-time, and publicly praising both the manager and company who supported her.
It might not have been easy for her manager, but because he listened and cared, he now has an employee who will probably more engaged and productive — and happier — at work.
And now her organization is getting the kind of PR that every company wants.
The Lesson for Leaders
When employees are willing to be honest and vulnerable about their situation and needs, they want to be heard.
They want to be understood.
And they want people (their leaders and organizations) to care.
Companies can talk about how they care about their employees, but it’s the stories from employees that speak much louder.
Treating employees with care and respect isn’t just the decent thing to do — research and data also shows it’s also the commercial thing to do.
It may not fit nicely on the balance sheet, but showing genuine care for your employees pays dividends.
It can improve your employees’ performance, engagement, and happiness – not to mention your company’s recruitment, retention, and reputation.
Maya Angelou may not have said it, but people really do remember how you made them feel.
And if you can make your employees feel listened to, valued, and cared for, you’ll reap the rewards.
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Beth Collier loves writing, pop culture, and people who are kind.
She also loves helping companies, leaders, and teams improve their communication (and creativity and leadership) through consulting, coaching, and workshops.
Her clients benefit from Beth’s global corporate experience, Midwestern practicality and enthusiasm, and an endless supply of pop culture references.
To find out how Beth can help you become a more confident, creative, and compelling leader – or improve communication in your company – visit www.beth-collier.com or drop her a line at beth@beth-collier.com