People Dynamics Newsletter - People Matters
Issue 68, October 2010 | Back to Newsletters Index
PD News
Welcome to the second quarter for this financial year! A newsreader on Channel 9 the other night was heard to say there are only three months left till Christmas! Christmas time and the end of the year brings Christmas Parties and the like.
Whilst I know some of you do not hold Christmas celebrations or not like you used to, if you still do I would strongly encourage you to hold refresher training sessions with staff on what is considered appropriate conduct at such engagements. Many incidents occur when staff are out of work hours and alcohol is involved. Call us for more information.
Maintaining Employee Engagement
Employee engagement is key to job satisfaction and long-term staff retention. High engagement leads to increases in the quality of work produced and can boost your retention as well. On the other hand, unengaged employees can often display negative behaviours affecting your culture and the morale and productivity of other employees.
Managers play a crucial role in keeping employees engaged. Lack of employee motivation, high staff turnover and a negative workplace culture generally indicate that improvements need to be made in how companies manage their people. Below are some of the common mistakes managers can make:
1. Lack of communication and engagement with staff
Good managers are able to recognise, develop and nurture the talents of
their employees. It is crucial to understand how to manage and motivate
your staff in order to ensure they are performing at their best - find
out their behavioural preferences and regularly make an effort to discuss
and identify the issues that are hindering them from maximising their
full potential. Staff surveys are also highly effective in bringing out
the real business issues that need to be addressed and managed.
2. Trying too hard to be a friend, not a manager
It is important to understand the difference between being a friendly
and professional manager and being a mate to your staff. A good manager
is friendly and approachable, but not in a way that might compromise their
objectivity and ability to lead their team. When giving feedback, ensure
that it is meaningful as well as positive or constructive. Crossing the
line between friendly and friend can mean you lose the respect you need
to manage your staff effectively.
3. Ignoring the elephant in the room
If a staff member is being harassed by another person in the company,
as their manager it is your responsibility to do something about it. Make
sure that the situation does not get out of hand and turns into a legal
matter. If you are unsure about how to address these types of issues,
get HR or an outsourced provider such as us to assist you.
Remember, better people management leads to increased employee engagement. Nine times out of ten people leave managers, not companies.
Legal Update
In a recent sexual harassment case, a woman complained she had been sexually harassed by co-workers on several occasions. However, management failed take her claim seriously and did not conduct a proper investigation on the matter. The company had no procedures in place for dealing with harassment complaints, and instead issued her with a series of warning letters. Eventually the victim was dismissed for poor job performance. The Federal Court ordered the employer to pay $466,000 to the victim, along with 90% of her costs. Make sure your harassment policies are up to date and a proper Grievance Procedure is in place.