Do your employees have a ho-hum attitude about the work they perform for you? If you don’t even know the answer to that question, then you need to make some time to spend it on the shop floor to see how engaged they are. Sure, they may act differently when “the boss” is on the floor, but in that case, spend some time to ask them, “How happy or engaged are you?” “What more could we do to make your workday better and you more productive?” You’d be surprised how happy your employees would be to know you were asking!
If you’re in the start up phase and have to hire new employees, what steps can you take to hire and
keep an engaged workforce? Here are a few items to think about:
- This should be a no-brainer, but you need to hire the “right” people. To do that you need to know what you expect of them and their specific roles. Don’t try to fit the “perfect” person into a role just because he or she may seem perfect on paper. Hire to fill the role you need filled.
- Make sure your people are empowered to do their jobs. Sure there will be a training period, but once they’ve progressed past that timeframe let them do their jobs. Plain and simple.
- If your employees don’t understand your business’s mission and vision, how can they be expected to carry it out?
- Talk to them. Just as you talk with your upper management, you should talk to those on the shop floor as they are integral to your business’s success.
- Offer feedback. Constructive criticism is welcomed by most people if it will help them do better at their jobs. Offer a criticism that also provides a way for them to improve.
When is the last time you talked with your workforce to see how well they’re doing and how happy they are?