By - September 28, 2022
Categories: General
There’s a new trend on the block.
It’s called quiet quitting. Or at least that’s what everyone is calling it. Unfortunately, the definitions of it vary. At one extreme it’s defined as giving the bare minimum your job requires. At the other end, they talk about people who are only willing to work the base hours their job requires.
The problem comes down to one topic- keeping your employees engaged and committed. Engaged employees don’t quit because they haven’t been broken by a bad boss.
The truth is that employees quit bosses they don’t like, respect, or feel valued by.
Employees That Like You
Employees don’t like clock-watchers, micromanagers, or assholes. Clock-watchers make the employee feel that if they are a few seconds early or late, they will get in trouble. They feel like the smallest infraction will get them in trouble. Micromanagers make them feel like they can’t do their job correctly enough, no matter how well they perform. And nobody likes working for an asshole.
If you want employees that like you, you need to be somewhat likable. That doesn’t mean you don’t need to keep employees on time or doing their job properly. But employers that are too strict on those tend to lose valuable employees.
Employees That Respect You
Respect is earned.
When your employees respect you, they will ask your advice, attempt to impress you with their work, and do their best at their job. This does not mean that they will do a job you aren’t paying them for or work longer hours than what they agreed to when they started.
But they will work better and more efficiently than employees who are only there for a paycheck.
The best way to earn your employee’s respect is to do whatever is necessary to ensure they can do their jobs well. If that means getting them better tools (within reason) or rolling-up your sleeves to work alongside them when they are overwhelmed, you can show them what a boss of your caliber should look like.
Employees That Feel Valued
This is the easiest and hardest way to help your employees. Part of making your employees feel valued is money. If your team isn’t being paid enough based on the market for their job and the amount of work they do, they will be willing to look for someone who will.
The other part is knowing what your employees are concerned about. Some employees are encouraged by bonuses. Others need acknowledgement. Some need a combination. But that requires that you actually know your team.
Preventing Employee Problems
If you’re thinking “That’s great and all, but can I afford to make changes?,” I understand. But in an economy where good employees are harder to find than ever, allowing valuable team members to leave can be more costly than you could imagine.
If you know you need to make a change and you aren’t sure whether you can afford it, I would be happy to help you review your books and find ways to help you retain good employees.
Give me a call today.
