What your team really wants.
The beauty of working with teams is that I get a lot of intel around what people really want and NEED in order to thrive at work.
Since I’m feeling especially generous today, I am going to share the top three things that your team really wants.
And they may not be what you think.
I ran a poll earlier this year, and “insufficient pay” was actually the least voted for.
The number one wish for employees is to have an improved workplace culture and respect.
Phrases like: boost employee morale, more meaningful respect, increase organizational unity and develop trust at all levels come up time and time again during my workshops.
So how do you gauge the current temperature of your workplace culture?
Here are few question for reflection:
Do people frequently call in sick?
Have I taken the time to really get to know my coworkers?
Do I hear phrases like “miserable, terrible, soul sucking” being thrown around?
If you’re a member of the team, are these the phrases you use to describe your workplace?
When I ask people how their workplace is, the response I get is: “It. Is. So. Bad.” ALL THE TIME! Honestly, all the freaking time. So why is it so bad?
Well I don’t know, you have to ask your team why they feel that way.
Remember, this is not about opening yourself up to criticism. It is about figuring out what the team needs to reach their full potential, and giving them the opportunity to have a voice.
There are tactful ways to achieve this. Have your staff fill out anonymous surveys, bring a facilitator in to guide the team through a conversation in a safe space, create an email inbox specifically for people to submit suggestions of ways to improve the workplace.
Taking these steps are the first towards changing your workplace culture and building respect.
Also, important to remember - follow through is imperative. In my leadership workshops, the phrase “lip service” frequently comes up, in relation to false promises being made within the workplace, which is a guaranteed way to lose respect and trust.
The second wish?
Communication.
I can’t say this enough. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.
And do it meaningfully. This does not mean that every single interaction has to be a deep conversation, it means pay attention, don’t talk at people, be present, put your phone away when having a conversation, truly listen, keep people in the loop, include them in the decision making process. Opening up the communication channels is a sure fire way to increase the level of trust in your team.
In one of my recent leadership workshops, one participant shared that their organization held “what makes you stay” interviews with their staff. Everyone appreciated them checking in, and they also gained the insight that the team loved that the big boss made it a point every day to come in and say good morning. It made them feel like he truly cared.
There is more than one way to communicate in order to get things done. Are you communicating respectfully or forcefully?
For instance, my kids. Sometimes I just want them to listen, and on a day when I’m feeling a little bit less than patient, I’ll bark out orders, possibly threaten to take something away, basically scare them into compliance.
Yes, the task gets done, but no one feels very good about it after, and my relationship with the kids has been negatively impacted.
Same goes for your team. Are they doing the work because they are scared to get fired? Or because you have taken the time to foster a relationship through respectful communication?
Anytime I use the forcefully bossy tone (a-hem… yelling) with my kids, I always reflect after, what I could have done differently, and once we have all cooled down, I ask them what we could have done differently for them to complete without me turning into a fire breathing dragon.
The third thing that your team wants: recognition.
Think of a time in your life when someone gave you positive feedback for a job well done.
How good does that feel?
I may even go out on a limb here and say that positive feedback increases the possibility that more jobs will continue to be done well.
Someone told me once that one of the best leaders they had, made them want to do their best. One way to encourage people to do their best is to give credit where credit is due.
When you are actively looking for positives, instead of finding mistakes, the workplace becomes a more pleasant place to be. Creating a “win board” where people can give each other shout outs builds camaraderie among the team.
Letting someone know that they are doing a great job goes a long way when it comes to improving the workplace, because who doesn’t like a pat on the back once in a while?
So there you have it, what your team really wants.
Improved culture and respect
Better communication
Recognition.
What is one quick win that you can do today to start taking steps toward building a team that thrives?
Unsure if I can help your team thrive? Book a half hour discovery call. I offer one hour guided meetings, half day, full day or two day fun, interactive, customs sessions for your team and organization based on your specific needs.
