posted by Angela Huffmon on December 12th, 2009 at 2:13 PM
Straight-Talk about Management
If you want employees that work, do something about it! Managers all over this country are scratching their heads wondering how to get some slow employee to pick up the pace. For over two years I’ve been preaching to management everywhere about having a happier workplace. Having happy employees is more than just putting out a few bottles of bubbles an expecting instant happiness from your staff. If you want a more productive workforce you have to do something about it. You can’t be the kind of manager that sits back hoping your staff will start working harder. You have to do something.
If you’re asking the question, “how do I get my staff to work harder?” Make sure you are doing the following:
1. Set aggressive yet achievable deadlines.
You as the manager have to make sure that when you set deadlines for a project your staff knows it a firm date. Don’t be wishy-washy about when they have to finalize the project. Giving aggressive deadlines will send the message that there isn’t much time to procrastinate.
2. Make your employees accountable for the work you give them.
Arrange for several dates before the deadline to ask for progress reports. Have your computer to send automatic reminder emails to your team for progress report dates. This will send the message that you are serious about the deadlines you’ve set.
3. Give them work that will challenge their skills.
The work you assign your team needs to challenge their skill sets. This will keep the job from getting too routine, and boring. As soon as boredom sets in, your employees will become lethargic when it comes to completing assignments.
4. Chip-in yourself whenever possible.
When the team is working together, join in yourself. This shows that you’re not too big for your britches that you can’t do the grunt work also. Employees appreciate when their boss will do some of the more menial task right along side them. This will result in a more loyal employee relationship.
5. Add some fun to make the work more enjoyable.
Believe it or not work doesn’t have to be boring. Make a contest out of project deadlines among team members, or give them creative and fun things to do while taking breaks. This takes the monotony out of the work day and inspires creative thought and lightheartedness.
6. Stay on top of the project, but don’t micromanage.
Stay on top of a project if it is the first time the employee or team has ever done it before. Check in to see if they need additional guidance or instruction. However, don’t keep leaning over their shoulders while they work. No one likes it when their boss micromanages. Your micromanagement style sends the message that you don’t trust your staff, and that it is a good way to miss the deadline of a project. Also, your staff will resent it, so don’t do it.
If you find that your employee can’t seem to finish their work unless you are constantly hovering over them, then you hired the wrong person.
7. Use motivators and incentives.
Rewards are a perfectly good way to inspire people to meet deadlines. It adds fun and a challenge to the work. Each member of your staff will be motivated differently. For the members that need that dangling carrot to reach the finish line, this will give them the motivation they need.
It takes work to be a manager. It’s not for the faint hearted. To be an effective manager, there is additional work involved to not only get your staff to work hard, but also to keep up their productivity.
If you would like to book Angela Huffmon to speak at your next conference or business meeting, please send an email at angelah@shuffent.com.
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