Here at YES! Your Human Resources Solution, we like to think of employees as little sparks of potential.  When employees are first brought on board at a company, they burn hot and bright, excited and eager to perform and to perform well.  They work hard and churn out good work because they are happy and motivated—that is, until their flames begins to flicker a little less each day, to the point where they’re about to burn out altogether.  So what happened to these once-fiery performers to make their lights burn out?  You could look at the company’s culture or pay scale, but a more likely place to look is at the people working closest with your employees: your management staff, whose tactics could very well be sapping the energy from your workers.

Does your management staff…

Not appreciate employees?  In our last YES! blog, we showed you some creative ways to show employee appreciation.  Why is employee appreciation so important?  In a 2012 Globoforce survey, more than 80 percent of employees said that recurring recognition in the workplace makes them feel more satisfied with their jobs.  The problem is, only half of employees think their managers are doing a good job offering that recognition.  Employees who do not feel they are properly compensated, praised, or respected are likely to seek those qualities from another employer.  In fact, over half of surveyed employees stood ready to jump ship for a company that would better recognize their efforts.

Go through employees like Kleenex?  Are employees treated like they can be used and thrown away, to be easily replaced by the next employee in line?  Employees don’t want to feel like expendable resources.  “Sink or swim” and “if you don’t like it, leave” attitudes devalue employees, squash morale, and cripple company loyalty.  This negativity is a recipe for mass employee exodus.  Yes, there are many candidates ready to apply for their positions, but remember: replacing employees is expensive.  The cost to recruit, hire, and train just one new employee can equal a full year’s salary.  And even if there are lots of people treading water in the applicant pool, no one wants to swim with the sharks.

Dictate orders?  It used to be that an employee who questioned the boss’ directive was labeled insubordinate, but that “I’m the boss, you do what I say” attitude is so dated.  Modern company culture tends to be more relaxed and collaborative.  Employees are given the chance to function as a team, to ask questions, and to share ideas.  “You do what I say” robs employees of independent thought and motivation, creating a workforce of zombies who live to fulfill their next directive, without question.  Employees who get to actively participate in brainstorming sessions and decision making will be more engaged in their jobs and more eager to perform.

Let employees run rampant?  Dictating too many orders is just as harmful as not dictating enough.  Employees who are allowed to slack off, whether they’re abusing their rest breaks or not meeting their goals, are inclined to continue down that spiral of demotivation.  Management staff should work with employees to set clear goals, should communicate their expectations, and should measure employee progress along the way.  Fostering accountability is a great way to keep employees motivated and productive.

If inspection of your management staff finds they are behind lackluster employee attitudes or performance, don’t despair.  A little training and awareness might be all that’s needed to turn things around.  Make sure your management staff is trained on how to offer positive feedback and encouragement, to ensure employees feel valued.  Also make sure management knows how to set goals for employees and to monitor their progress, and that management is able to offer guidance for employees who need a helping hand.  And finally, make sure management understands the value of teamwork in the organization.  Each and every staff member was chosen for a reason, and this unique set of talented individuals can work together to produce results no one person could.  So stoke those fires to make sure your top talent keeps burning bright!