Employees who complain about their bosses but stay at the same job? Change the tune or the company!

This week's story focuses on getting people on board, how do we motivate people to get things moving. One way to make sure people will be by your side when you need to change something is to always have them by your side. Have an open and people focused culture, use people engagement strategy and care.

There isn't just one main character in this week's story, we are talking about a collective one, entrepreneurial companies with their specific top down culture, controlling, power in one hand only type of approach. I have many stories regarding these specific unsung heroes that grow their companies as they see fit, micromanage, get their hands dirty and smother any initiatives coming from the people, but then they are flabbergasted when the same people have no initiative or take no responsibilities when they have to change things.

Dear leaders, owners or founders, if you get your people used to only doing what they are told for many many years, you shouldn't expect the same people to take initiative when the going gets tough. They just weren't raised that way. So you either implement an employee engagement strategy, from the beginning of your organization, as in the story below otherwise you need to go through a culture transformation before trying to change the way of working inside your organization.

All you movers and shakers complaining about people not reacting the way you want in the present, think about what you demanded from them in the past!!!

"The customers are not the priority. Employees are a priority. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers.” – Richard Branson

Organizations that decided to involve employees, to make them part of the business and not just an unimportant element, overcame the difficult times more easily, were better prepared when the crisis passed and their employees felt important and worked better .

On the other hand, employees who complain about their jobs and bosses but stay at that job have low efficiency and lack motivation. Over time, their frustration increases and their poor performance will also affect the company's performance. The solution for happy employees and performing companies contains simple elements, communication without hidden agendas, modern management and leadership, plus an employee engagement strategy. Results are only achieved if all parties involved cooperate.

The concept of employee engagement was introduced by Gallup in one of their surveys in the 80s. The approach has evolved along with the needs of companies and employees. The relationship between the employee and the company becomes a priority given the strong direct link between employee satisfaction and their level of performance. It is now a process, not just a year-end evaluation, a strategic component of the company. It is currently one of the most important factors in retention and we are seeing an increased number of companies starting to build employee engagement strategies. The most important element is to look at each employee individually and clearly identify what each of them wants. It's about a personalized approach and motivating these employees.

Connection. Employees want a strong and authentic connection with their leaders. If this connection is broken, no material benefit you will provide can repair it. Show people you care and they will respond in kind.

Collaboration. Teamwork, results achieved and support from teammates increase the level of performance. People feel that they are part of something bigger than themselves. Team members will also learn from each other and become better prepared.

Credibility. Employees expect the organization to have a good reputation. They want ethical principles and they want promises kept. Thus they are proud of the company they work for and become its ambassadors.

Contribution. People want to feel important. They want to know the impact of their work on the company's bottom line. Make information available, transparent, and let them feel like they're an important part of the gear.

Congratulations. Every achievement should be recognized. Employees report that when they make mistakes, they get constructive feedback quickly. It also provides positive feedback, if employees feel appreciated and the results will be seen immediately.

The strategy has an impact on some important indicators. Engaged employees are more efficient, with a 43% increase in productivity. They are more loyal and the risk of them leaving the organization decreases by 87%. They are more dedicated to meeting company goals, with 20% better results. A company that prioritizes employee motivation performs 200% better compared to one that does not build an employee engagement strategy. And the differences will increase when the new generation of employees will become the majority in companies.

"If you fulfill the desires of your employees, they will implement your vision" - Amit Kalantri.

Steve Jobs was one of the leaders who inspired, although he was not easy to work with as a manager. A very good engagement and motivation approach he used when he brought in John Sculley from Pepsi as Apple's CEO. The message was - "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugar water or do you want a chance to change the world?" Find out what motivates people, provide that, and they will be there to achieve what you want together.