What Your Employees Need From Their Work

Everywhere you turn these days people are talking about The Great Resignation, The Big Quit, or whatever you want to call it. At the end of the day, people are leaving their jobs at incredibly high rates. Companies have treated employees as dispensable resources for years, and now with more jobs than talent, the power has shifted from employer to employee. Employees are leaving cultures where they are undervalued, underpaid, and burnt out (as well as a whole host of other issues). 

So instead of focusing on all of the reasons people are leaving, let’s start talking about what your employees need out of their work and what will keep them working with you. We’re going to make this one a 2-parter, because doing it all in one blog is going to be really long and I’m a realist and know that only a small portion of you will actually read it to the end. So below you will find the first 5 of the top 10 things your employees need to feel fulfilled in their work, as well as things you can do to start addressing them in your company today. These are not in any particular order, and are all equally important to creating a culture people want to be a part of.  

Empathy

I initially had this last on the list, but I figure not many people are going to read all of this and I think this one is very important (and the one that is the least common to see on these types of lists). At the end of the day, we are all human, and remembering that will lead to more effective communication and positive outcomes. Having empathy is a leadership quality that is few and far between, so if you find yourself saying, “Don’t be so sensitive” you might want to reach out, we should talk.

Clear & Consistent Communication

Sounds simple, but somehow this one seems to escape people. In the words of George Bernard Shaw the single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. Communication is so important because it creates clarity among your team and makes them feel like they are part of the process rather than being told what to do. Make sure you have regular meetings set up with your teams (and DON’T move them). 

Good Benefits & Pay

Just because you pay your people and give them basic benefits doesn’t mean you’ve got it covered. In the market we’re in, people will pay top dollar for the right person and will adjust their policies to acquire the right talent. The cost for you to hire and retrain new talent far outweighs paying your team more competitively. I just read about a story where a seasoned professional with 20 years experience took one position over another because the first wouldn’t give her 4 weeks of vacation because it was their policy to only do 1 week upon hiring. Don’t be like this company. 

Trust

A team without trust is… well… doomed. It is a leader's job to trust their team, not the other way around. A team that trusts one another operates at a higher efficiency because they have open & honest communication and have no issue being vulnerable with one another. When you’re comfortable with your team, you’re willing to admit shortcomings & failures without fear of retaliation, which leads to increased accountability. To start building trust in your organization now, you have to lead by example. Be willing to be vulnerable with your team, admit when you are wrong, and honor your commitments. 

Autonomy in their Work

This kind of goes with trusting your team. No one wants someone hanging over their shoulder making sure they’ve done everything correctly (or the way they want it done). Micromanaging is a quick and effective way to walk your top performers right out the door. The best way to provide your team with autonomy in their work is to make sure you’ve clearly communicated (see above) your vision/goals, you’ve provided your teams with the tools to be successful, and then give them the space to screw a few things up along the way. 

None of these principles are earth shattering, but it is a giant shift from what a lot of companies are used to. When you focus on trying to control your people and teams to get the results you want, any results achieved will be artificial and they won’t be sustainable long term. The way people work has changed, and the things they want to get out of their work has changed. Stay tuned for part 2, but in the meantime if you feel like you could be doing better by your people or company, please reach out.