Myth or fact?

It has been said enough times, that people leave companies due to bad managers, so it must be true, right?

It sounds completely reasonable and would make perfect sense considering managers can impact so much of our work life balance.

Managers determine the projects you work on, who you work with and when or if you get your promotion.

They are often the person you turn to if you need help of if you are experiencing a problem.

Yet, when exiting a company or looking for a new job. Most people rarely start a new job slagging off their old boss or being negative about their past employer.

People are more likely to state the reason for their change is for development and to progress their career.

4 Simple Ways For Managers To Increase Employee Engagement Without A Budget

Is understanding the way people feel and changing mind-sets enough to increase employee engagement?

Technology, automation and digital transformation are also impacting the future of our workplaces and the skillsets of our leaders. 

But, are managers solely responsible for increasing the moral, motivation and productivity of their teams or organisation.

Now a days, managers are required to drive changes, increase productivity, motivate their teams and take care of employee wellbeing, all through uncertainty.

But, what really drives engagement and long term retention;

1. Recognition and Praise Awards and recognition often make more of an impact then financial incentives to increase engagement. We underestimate the impact of saying thank you. Expressing gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to make someone feel valued and the cost to the company is zero!

2. Regular one to ones Set a regular time and stick to it. Meeting with your direct reports regularly creates a boundary that communicates you are prioritising them. Listening to challenges even if you are unable to directly make any changes, helps people to feel supported. Again, we underestimate the power of listening and creating a supportive space to be heard and understood.

3. Communication Do you give off an energy that says ‘don’t talk to me’ or is your door always open. Both extremes are probably unhelpful. If your door is always open, you will never have enough time to meet your own deadlines and complete tasks. On the other hand, if you constantly give off the vibe ‘don’t talk to me’ this can completely close the lines of communication. Finding a balance may mean you flex your approach to meet the needs of individuals and tailor your approach to different situations.

4. Self- Awareness Liquid gold for employee engagement, probably one of the most overlooked skills of a leader. Perhaps, an essential skill for a job description and monitored through the performance appraisal. Understanding your super-ego and showing vulnerability as a leader can be both empowering and freeing. Give yourself the permission not to have all the answers and ask your team for input.

Many companies are just starting to consider self awareness, as part of their employee engagement strategy. Ever considered how to baseline your journey and measure where you start and finish.

Discuss your needs with a member our team TODAY