Matthew Sanders, CEO of the Brookfield Rose group (including leading temporary labour procurer, de Poel), comments on the importance of engaging your staff:
According to new research, fewer than half of British employees feel they are valued at work. If that was not a depressing enough statistic, it appears that that figure of 49% is down from 56% just 12 months ago.
Manchester-based company, ORC International, also found that only 37% of workers feel encouraged to be innovative, down from 47% the year before.
And Investors in People previously found that 26% of the workforce is ‘actively disengaged’ – meaning they are willing to support activity that would cause an organisation loss directly.
No wonder productivity in some sectors is, shall we say, not quite as high as it could be. The output of UK workers is said to be 19% lower than their G7 counterparts.
What a tremendous waste of talent, ideas and potential. Imagine how much faster our economy could be growing if more employees felt engaged and valued at work.
Of course, people not feeling 100% about their work may be down to external factors. The last few years have been particularly tough financially on the ‘hard-working families’ the politicians are courting in the run-up to the election.
But bosses up and down the country should be taking a good look at themselves and their leadership skills to hopefully drive up those worrying figures.
Managers need to look at their procedures and filter down a company ethos that makes workers feel included and valued. It’s worth taking the time to put plans in place and to get your senior leadership team onside. And remember, it’s actually part of your job to do what it takes to get the best out of your staff.
Directors need to ask how each and every employee, at every level of the business and whether permanent or temporary, is valued and whether they know that they are. Understanding what makes them tick, what their goals, concerns or fears are workwise, can only pay dividends.
Finding out what they like about working for you is equally important, as is welcoming staff suggestions for improvements. It’s not just good for staff retention, but also productivity.
This should be automatic if you run a small company but even if you preside over hundreds or even thousands of employees, and there’s no way you could get to know them all personally, your company message should be being delivered by your managers.
Maintaining good industrial relations is important too. If you keep your staff informed and engaged in the good times, you’re more likely to find they support you if you have to make tough decisions further down the road.
