How to keep your staff engaged, productivity up and boost morale during the economic downturn

Michelle Fischer of Creative Leadership recently sent this over to me and I thought (from some of the stories I've been hearing lately!) it might be worth sharing some tips of how to keep your staff engaged.

According to a recent Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development report, engaged employees that are comfortable with all aspects of their work, contribute more to the bottom line of the business. They are more loyal to their employer.  They are happier at work.  They are willing to give that extra effort when it’s needed. Perhaps most importantly, engaged employees have a positive impact on new and existing customers.

Taking the credit crunch aside, do you know how engaged your people are? What’s driving them and motivating them to do better for you?  When you walk around your office, how many people look you in the eyes and smile?  When did you last ask your team for ideas?

So how do you find out?  Well, one simple way is to simply ask them.  Using a very simple tool that focuses on exactly how engaged your people are, tailored specifically to your language and your business issues, you’ll communicate the core message to your people.  “Your views are important and we want to listen.” 

In this more difficult economic climate, where your people are under greater pressure and increasingly concerned about the future of their jobs, communication is key.  Reciprocal communication that is.  Ask for and listen to their ideas, give them feedback, take timely action and involve them in the decision-making processes that help them shape their own and your future.

Some ideas for how to keep your staff engaged:
· Create a culture of respect where outstanding work is valued
· Make constructive feedback and mentoring available
· Ensure there’s plenty of opportunity for advancement and professional development
· Ensure that reward is fair and appropriate - introduce recognition and incentive systems
· Make sure you or your managers/leadership team is on hand to listen
· Make it clear what you expect from your people
· Tell your people how you’re doing
· Give your people what they need to be able to do their jobs
· Embrace an environment of what you can do, not what you can’t.  Of what you have done and not what you haven’t.

Clever businesses of all sizes can work on all of these factors to develop and nurture their peoples’ engagement.

Comments

[Eamon]

Good ideas.
Economic downturn provides opportunity for creating new ideas for business in general, for tweaking / upturning the goals / values of the company, and for shaping and building up a positive, proactive work environment, so that when things do improve, the business, company and employees will be ready to make the most of the new opportunities. I think ..