No matter how well planned, financed and executed your business there will always be a curve ball that hits you just at the wrong time.
Managing your human resources can be one of those areas that can be a bit like herding cats.
Yes you have fully formed contracts of employment; the holiday calendar is carefully monitored and controlled and your training plans are set and being regularly reviewed – but still you have people issues.
How you treat individual staff is not an exact science. We are all motivated by different things, so a one approach fits all policy is unlikely to be the best solution and it’s NOT all about the money.
A recent survey of satisfaction at work showed that the top two areas of dissatisfaction from staff were:
- Not feeling appreciated at work.
- Not having enough clarity about what their employer needed from them and why.
The survey quoted that when staff become disengaged with their work their productivity drops off by up to 23%, and if not addressed they will ultimately leave.
Yes, setting out clear and specific goals and discussing them regularly is part of the answer, but what separates the mediocre leader from the great leader is empathy for the staff member involved.
It is important to adjust your style to the situation at hand.
Great fictional leaders are often a useful learning platform for hints and tips. Leroy Jethro Gibbs is a fictional character from the US drama series, NCIS. He commands a team of naval crime scene investigators. He is patient but firm with his team but has little time for bureaucracy. He treats all of his team differently but they are all fully engaged with him.
Abby Sciuto is a forensic scientist in Leroy’s lab, when he needs the extra mile from her, a hug and a large cup of caffeinated soda hits the spot. Tony DeNozzo on the other hand is a bit of a Maverick field agent – and a quick clip over the back of the head keeps him in check. Leroy himself is an excellent negotiator so whether he is talking to a mentally unstable suicide risk, or a White House official – he always adapts his style to get the results he wants.
I am not advocating hugs or slaps over the head as the way forward for your business HR strategy but what I am saying is that when you are faced with an employee issue that needs addressing. Stop and think “what would Leroy do?” How would he adapt his style? How should you adapt your style?