Organizations Need to Keep Managers and Leaders Engaged
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
With all the headlines about economic uncertainty, the one thing that organizations cannot afford to lose is great management and leadership. Companies need good managers and leaders to retain employees, guide their business, and keep customers happy. And let’s not forget good managers’ role in profitability!
Often when we’re talking about the organization, we’re talking about employees. It’s important to take a moment to remember that managers and leaders are employees too. They do their best work when they are engaged. That means treating managers with respect. Giving leaders the training and tools they need to be successful. And supporting their work.
If you’re looking for ways to keep your managers and leaders informed, engaged, and doing their best work, here are a few articles that might help.
We All Need a Little Nudge Now and Then
Alexandra Levit in a recent Wall Street Journal article talks about middle managers being stressed and burned out. We need our managers and we should find ways to help them. I know many organizations are offering training and development programs. That’s great. We need to continue doing that. But let me suggest that it’s not enough. Connecting a program of nudges to existing activities could be that extra effort that makes the connection stick. It takes the conversation out of the classroom or meeting or email and moves it to the workday.
Employee Burnout Is an Organizational Issue
Speaking about manager burnout, current business volatility can translate into burnout because organizations are under pressure to deliver, and employees aren’t getting their needs met. Now is the time to proactively address issues that could lead to employee burnout.
Employee Monitoring Shows a Lack of Trust
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to know that employees are doing the work to the company’s quality standard. And there’s nothing wrong with holding people accountable. But monitoring isn’t the solution. We need to treat people like adults, with respect, while holding them accountable for the work.
How to Properly Plan a Reduction in Force
Planning any type of workforce reduction is stressful. There are so many details. Organizations should get the right people involved, consider all the options, and communicate to everyone. It’s not the employees’ fault that the organization is doing a layoff or reduction in force. The organization needs to remember that and plan their actions accordingly.
Quiet Quitting is Nothing New: What It Is and What You Can Do About It
Employees should be allowed to have lives. Let me say that again. Employees should be allowed to have a life. I don’t believe that quiet quitting is about asking an employee to work a couple of extra hours. Or maybe come in on a day off. Or take some work home to help meet a big deadline. I believe employees know when it’s crunch time and are prepared to contribute. I think quiet quitting is about employees not being respected. And employers can absolutely fix that.
Organizations want their managers and leaders to do their best work. That translates into improved engagement, increased productivity, and employee retention. Regardless of what’s happening with the economy BUT especially when things are uncertain. It’s how the organization meets its financial goals.
Image capture by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Miami, FL
33