By Michael W. Hill, Mobius Vendor Partners Executive Consultant, Author of Measuring to Manage
One of the main reasons employees give for leaving their current place of employment is that they just do not know where their current company is headed. Consequently, they’re concerned for their future.
If your employees do not know where you are headed and where their work fits into the plan, they will be less productive and probably start the process of taking their skill set elsewhere.
What causes this uncertainty? A few possibilities could be that the communication coming from senior leadership is unclear and/or conflicting, core values have not been clearly understood by employees, or employees feel it is not clear what they need to do to be successful.
So, what should a company do? Here’s some answers: make sure your company has a clear strategy in place (and communicate this strategy often), make sure employee expectations are crystal clear (use objective goals not subjective), let employees know their career path and how they fit into the “big picture,” finally make sure your employees have the tools or resources to be successful.
Communication is key! Research shows that the average employee needs t hear a message three to five times – for a message to sink in. Lack of information almost always leads to skepticism, confusion, and lack of action.
Repetition is your friend. I often say, “If you’re getting tired of delivering your message, then good for you. That means you’re doing your job.”
In addition to repetition, you need to determine the best way your employees like to receive your communication.
As a business owner or key executive, it’s really easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations of your business. But what can be more important than sharing “where the organization is headed” and how each and every employee fits into the plans to get the organization to its goal.
So, you might be wondering: How do you know if your employees “know” where the organization is headed and how they fit into the plan? You need to ask them? Do not assume they know the organization’s direction without asking them.
You probably noticed that I point out that you need to ask your employees for their input. Maybe a survey would help? You might be making some assumptions that are just not correct! Get your employees involved! Become known as a company that shares its growth plans and helps employees discover their strengths and how they fit into the growth plans of your organization. This then is a win-win, for the employees and the company.
You may want our help.
At Mobius’ Employee Experience – EX Consulting Employee Experience – Mobius Vendor Partners (mobiusvp.com) – we have the software to survey your employees so you can make the best decisions for your company and respond to your employees’ needs. Contact us to get started.
Mike’s book: Measuring to Manage is available on Amazon.
