© 2013 Robert Half International Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. All rights reserved. 10 Secrets Your Employees Aren’t Telling You … And How You Can Improve Morale And Retention

Ignorance is Not Bliss Employees don’t always share what’s on their minds …

Ignorance is Not Bliss … but what you don’t know can hurt you: Decreased productivity Inefficiency Costly errors/missed deadlines Deterioration in product quality/service levels Attrition of top performers Low morale

Knowledge = Power to Change and Improve  As a manager, it’s up to you to keep a pulse on the work environment –What are the top concerns of employees? –What would employees change if they could? –How satisfied are they?

Knowledge = Power to Change and Improve The payoff  Higher employee morale and motivation  Lower turnover  Your firm is viewed internally and externally as an employer of choice

Secret #1: Employees Feel Overwhelmed  Lean teams and tight budgets lead to stress  Watch for warning signs of burnout: –Higher absenteeism –Missed deadlines –Increased number of errors –Irritability –Forgetfulness –Apathy

Secret #1: Employees Feel Overwhelmed You may achieve higher productivity in the short term, but eventually it catches up to you Remember the law of diminishing returns

 To avoid losing your best people, take steps now to ease the burden –Reprioritize projects –Redistribute workloads –Place non-critical projects on hold –Hire interim help Secret #1: Employees Feel Overwhelmed

Secret #2: Employees Want to Advance  Top performers want to keep moving up  Help them develop goals and a plan for achieving them  Groom them for advancement: –Challenging assignments –Skill-building opportunities –Cross-training

Secret #3: Employees May Be Thinking of Leaving 45 percent of workers surveyed said they plan to change employers, careers or industries when the economy improves

Secret #3: Employees May Be Thinking of Leaving  Conduct “job interviews”  Sell them on your firm’s strengths  Recognize and reward their efforts  Share your vision and ask them to share theirs Re-recruit to retain

Secret #4: Employees Are Nervous  Your staff are uncertain about what the future holds  Transparency is both necessary and reassuring  Communicate openly: –Let them know how the business is performing –Solicit their ideas for improving efficiencies or developing new customers

Secret #5: Employees Feel Overlooked  Has employee recognition slipped to the back burner?  Find inexpensive ways to say, “I appreciate you.”  Tailor your rewards: –“Bravo Points” –Spot bonuses –Employee of the month

Get Out Your Decoder “I’ve been doing the work of three people for a year …” “Is everything okay with the company?” “Oh, by the way, I have an appointment, so I’ll be leaving early today …” “A friend of mine at XYZ Co. just got promoted …”

Get Out Your Decoder “Is everything okay with the company?” “I’m on the verge of burnout.” “Oh, by the way, I have an appointment, so I’ll be leaving early today …” “A friend of mine at XYZ Co. just got promoted …”

Get Out Your Decoder “I’m on the verge of burnout.” “Oh, by the way, I have an appointment, so I’ll be leaving early today …” “Is my job secure?” “A friend of mine at XYZ Co. just got promoted …”

“When are you going to promote me?” Get Out Your Decoder “I’m on the verge of burnout.” “Oh, by the way, I have an appointment, so I’ll be leaving early today …” “Is my job secure?”

“I have a job interview at another company because I plan to leave.” “When are you going to promote me?” Get Out Your Decoder “I’m on the verge of burnout.” “Is my job secure?”

Secret #6: Employees Think You’re in Their Way Motivation Progress

Secret #6: Employees Think You’re in Their Way  Don’t hold your team back –Eliminate long and unnecessary meetings –Streamline approval processes –Don’t abuse the “high priority” label –Delegate  Are you a roadblock?

Secret #7: Employees Want to Have a Say  Trust is empowering and motivating  Let employees take ownership of projects  Encourage problem solving, strategizing and creative thinking  Ask for their feedback about business challenges

Secret #8: Employees Want a Raise  Where’s the payback for all the hard work?  Be open about what your company can and can’t afford right now –Give a time frame  Offer alternatives: –Additional paid time off –Reimbursement for professional education

Secret #9: Employees Know Other Great People  Let them help you find other top performers –Tap your team for referrals –Offer referral bonuses –Bring team members along when you recruit at job fairs and other events; enthusiasm is contagious

Secret #10: Employees Like Their Colleagues Corporate culture is a big factor in employee satisfaction

Secret #10: Employees Like Their Colleagues Play up the strengths of your company’s culture

Secret #10: Employees Like Their Colleagues Foster “team cohesion”

Secret #10: Employees Like Their Colleagues Celebrate together

Pay Attention  How to uncover secrets at your firm: –Look for clues and subtle hints –Watch for warning signs –Listen closely to what they say (or don’t say)

 Whispered conversations that stop when you walk by  Chronic tardiness or early departures  Sarcastic, cynical remarks about the company  A “why should I care?” attitude Pay Attention

Make Employee Secrets Unnecessary Secrets thrive when employees feel they can’t be honest with you

Make Employee Secrets Unnecessary Create trouble- shooting teams Ask them to “grade” your performance Set up a suggestion box Hold an “If I were boss for a day…” contest Give prizes for great ideas

© 2013 Robert Half International Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. All rights reserved. 10 Secrets Your Employees Aren’t Telling You … And How You Can Improve Morale And Retention