I agree that folks who are happy in their work are more likely to be high performers. But beyond just showing employee appreciation by holding events, accepting staff suggestions and being flexible with time off, the importance of conveying information to employees cannot be underestimated. By this I mean keeping employees at all levels abreast of the state of the company — what’s working, what’s not, how far you are from reaching, or exceeding, sales goals, and the like. It’s also very important to do information-sharing with employees on a more personal level. Managers need to make their expectations clear through job descriptions, annual reviews and regular assignments. And during annual reviews, if at no other time, employee and employer should work together to create a plan through which the employer sets expectations which, if reached, will result in financial or other rewards for the employee.
For most, the days of large raises, expensive corporate retreats, employer-paid gym memberships and the like are over. I disagree with the popular saying, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” Plenty of employers still are feeding their employees once in a while to build company morale. But, from what I hear, that’s about all they’re doing in the employee perk category except, perhaps, for those at the pinnacles of large organizations. That’s for good reason, of course. The crazy growth we were seeing in this industry several years ago now has slowed to a crawl for many, resulting in fewer employees doing more. Of course, that is precisely why companies now more than ever need to think about how to create positive work environments for their people.
To read more about how PAETEC does that, and get some reading suggestions on how to make your employees happier and more productive, please read our cover story this month: "PAETEC CEO: Happy People Create a Healthy Business".
Until next time,
Paula Bernier
Editor in Chief
