|
Empowering Manager leadership through partnership
|
||
|
|
How to keep good staff, and earn their undying loyalty
Press reports in late 2004 of a staff retention survey set me thinking about my own experiences of managing staff, and being managed. You know that a natural turnover of staff is healthy, yet if staff leave too quickly it can lead to significant additional costs of money, time and effort. You can powerfully influence the commitment of your staff, both to yourself, and to your organisation. The way your staff experience your organisation is very much within your control.
Here are three key areas to consider for earning staff loyalty and a few tips to put into practice:
Acknowledgement - this includes acknowledging your staff as human beings as well as acknowledging what they do. · Acknowledging achievement is much more than just saying ‘well done’. Be very specific about what qualities this person has shown and what they contributed personally to the achievement. · Take a genuine interest, for example, when you ask about how your staff are, make sure you really listen to what they say.
Reward – remember there are many different forms of reward. Money matters, and so do many other things – for example fairness, time off, flexible working, feeling valued. · Find out what each of your staff want most from their job. You may be surprised what matters most to them.
Trust - this is probably the most important element. · Demonstrate your confidence in your staff. Make sure they know you trust them. Crucial to this is using an empowering management style. · Be consistent and keep your promises. Ensure you follow through on consequences of success, and of failure. Make sure your staff know that they can trust you.
And here is a bonus tip. Reflect on what it is like to be managed yourself – how do you like your manager to be, and what winds you up? Do more of the first and less of the second! Want to take this further? to arrange your complimentary consultation with the Empowering Manager
|
|