4 Tips to prove YOU give a s**t, so THEY give a s**t!

 In my position, I often talk to employees about their employment situation, and what could make it better for them. One thing I hear most often is that they wish that the owners, or management, would “Give a s**t about them [more]...”

As a result I often deep dive to find out what that really means and how that would look, and here I share a few of the most popular answers.

1. Yes you are in a business environment, and yes you should be able to separate personal from business as much as possible, BUT nearly everyone deems their personal life more important than their work life. So tip number one is empathize and seek to understand the employee’s “why”. Why are they working so hard, what is it that keeps them going day after day, what are they passionate about outside of their jobs? Finding out these bits of information, and adapting management's perspective and actions accordingly, will make for a huge difference to the employees, and as a result to the workplace and productivity in general.
2. Two, guidance, guidance, guidance, BUT without micromanagement! While most employers seem to think their people know exactly what to do at all times, I’ve been told many times that more guidance would be greatly appreciated. Look at it this way, “managers” are expected to know exactly how to do the jobs of the people they manage, and normally, they got to their current position by perfecting their previous roles. As a result if they continually impart the information that they have to their people, they in turn will be better able to perform, leading to increased employee satisfaction, and retention. Just be careful this doesn’t lead to constant micromanagement, because few things will scare off employees faster!
3. Three, growth opportunity is key, as is proactive training to get there. Nearly no one I have spoken to is content being in the position they are in. While not everyone wants to be in a leadership role, they all want the chance to move ahead in their careers, in one way or another. Thus, one of the best things a company can do for their employees, and as a result for themselves, is to proactively offer ways for their employees to advance within the company by offering training, shadowing and mentoring.
4. Finally, products, tools, and solutions oh my! This one is a really big one because providing the right ones impact not only the employee’s work life, but can have a huge impact on their personal lives as well. Very few people want to take their jobs home with them at the end of the day, so employers need to assure that not only do employees have what they need to do their jobs as effectively and efficiently as possible, but they need to create an environment where the employees can unplug completely when they are not at work, and not have to worry about things happening that will catch them by surprise when they return to work. Fortunately, there are so many great pieces of software available, and in development, that will will make this a greater reality in the days, and weeks, months, and years to come!

Bottom line is that the employees are the lifeblood of ANY company, treat them well, respect their personal lives, PROVE you care, and so will they!