Want to keep employees engaged?

There are many ways to make employees feel motivated so that they give their best performance at work and a new study lays out some of the secrets to making this happen. Research conducted by the Harvard Business Review found that employees acknowledged that they weren’t reaching their full potential. Of the 14,500 people surveyed in 2017 “85% of them said they were not working at 100% of their potential. In fact, only 15% of workers said they were. Moreover, 16% said they were using less than 50% of their potential.” So, what’s happening with workers and what are the real things hindering them doing their best work? Unsurprisingly, it comes down to clear priorities from management, freedom to be creative and ultimately feeling like their workplace is a safe space to be themselves. 

Another survey of nurses during the pandemic found that having a clear sense of purpose by management helped them better connect with their purpose as healers. This scope of alignment between employer and employee is clearly a vital difference between workers feeling unmoored and unmotivated and energized to give their work their all. 

Want to help employees reach their potential? Model clear expectations, creative problem solving, better decisions and aligned purpose in your meetings. 

Research showed that what employees need to reach their full potential aligns perfectly with Model Meetings:

• They are clear about what they are expected to do.
• They are willing to ask questions and feel safe doing so.
• They are not overwhelmed with rules about how the work has to be done or with unproductive meetings.
• Their organization supports creative problem solving (e.g., implementing employee suggestions for improvements) and provides rewards and recognition for jobs well done.
• Supervisors notice and acknowledge employee feelings, understand how their decisions will impact employees, and help them manage their emotions.
• They see purpose and meaning in their work and are committed to their organization.

At Science House, we’ve seen this trend over many years of working with clients, but the trick comes down to making sure everyone is on the same page and clear about what their aligned goals are. It is a leader’s job to foster the right kind of work environment, and that’s not going to be accomplished by painting words on a wall. If you want help achieving this, contact me. For more information about Model Meetings, please follow our new page. It’s not just about meetings-free Fridays or other coping mechanisms. It’s about fixing the problem at the root.