Are your employees inspired by your vision?

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If you want your staff to be excited about coming to work, they need know that they play a valuable role in moving the company forward.

But that’s often not the case. In a recent blog, we noted that 52% of employees plan to leave their jobs by the end of the year, according to surveys. Often, departing employees feel unappreciated, probably because they do not understand how their role supports the company’s purpose or vision.

Inspired employees are more committed to their work, and they are more likely to stick around.

Don’t leave it up to each employee to figure out how they fit into the company’s vision. You have to tell them! That’s your job as a leader.

How do you do this?

If you don’t have a vision for your organization, you need to create one. Your vision should establish where you’re going and how you are going to get there. Every position in the company should point toward that vision. (And if the position or task doesn’t support the vision, why does it exist?)

Here’s how you can inspire your team with your vision:

  1. Start conversations and meetings by stating the company’s vision.
  2. Connect each task to the vision. Explain why it matters.
  3. Gather great ideas from your team to constantly improve.

Inspired employees are more committed to their work, and they are more likely to stick around.  That’s a win for you, your staff, and your organization.

Sherri Miller, Founder and CEO
Center For Extraordinary Success

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Are your biggest assets walking out the door?

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Your people are the most valuable asset at your business.

So you should be alarmed by a new study from Inc. Magazine and Forbes stating that 52% of employees plan to leave their jobs this year.

I believe that misalignment is the reason employees are seeking new workplaces. Misalignment occurs when a company’s culture, vision, and strategies do not mesh. Employees do not feel like they are part of a larger purpose, so they disengage. When you lack a connection to your job, it’s easier to walk away.

Don’t wait until year-end reviews to share genuine appreciation for each employee.

Due in part to the pandemic, 71% more employees feel disengaged in 2021 that they did in early 2020, according Achievers’ fourth annual Employee Engagement and Retention Report.

Instead of waiting until year-end reviews to have in-depth conversations with your direct reports, engage with your employees now before they walk out the door.

Set up monthly 30-minute one-on-one meetings with your direct reports. Yes, it’s one more task for your to-do list, but it’s far better than hiring and training replacements for half of your staff.

At the monthly meeting:

  1. Communicate your compelling vision for each individual, and explain how their job fits into the big picture.
  2. Ask good questions.
  3. Make note of and act on suggestions.
  4. Give genuine appreciation for the work that they do, and emphasize the employee’s value to you and the organization.

What better way to treat your most valuable company asset than with a conversation that includes sincere appreciation?

Sherri Miller, Founder & CEO
Center For Extraordinary Success

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What Motivates You?

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During a recent coaching call, Linda sighed and revealed, “Ugh, I just feel so unmotivated at work right now!”  Gloomy skies and work-from-home isolation can sure give you the blahs. Just getting up in the morning can seem like a major accomplishment.

But we all know people on the opposite end of the spectrum, who seize each day with endless energy, focus, and drive. What do they have that Linda lacks?

The answer lies with engagement. Employees who are engaged in their work are motivated to act.

Linda is not alone in being unmotivated and disengaged. A recent Gallup Study on employee engagement reveals that:

  • 54% of employees say they are “not engaged” in their jobs
  • 17% of employees say they are “actively disengaged”
  • 29% of employees report that they are “actively engaged” in their jobs

The larger question is why. Why are employees like Linda disengaged and unmotivated?  To answer that, we must understand that engagement and motivation go hand in hand.

Employees who are engaged in their work are motivated to act.

Engagement is defined as “the energy, effort, and initiative employees bring to their jobs.” Engagement means encouraging employees to have a passion for their work. Engaged employees see their organization as more than a place to earn money.

Motivation is “the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors.” Motivation is what causes us to act. It involves the biological, emotional, social, and cognitive forces that activate behavior.

So, what can leaders do to ensure that employees like Linda remain motivated and engaged?

  1. Clearly Define Your Vision. Make sure to communicate your vision to employees, and that they understand the steps you and they will be taking.
  2. Give Employees the Tools They Need. Do not just assume that each of your employees is receiving all the tools, training, and support they need from their supervisors. Check with them personally and find out.
  3. Communicate Constantly. Perhaps the most important part of a good manager’s job is communicating effectively. Creating a culture of communication in which managers and employees share common goals and work together can make a good company great and turn around a non-performing company. Use email, newsletters, training sessions, and all-hands meetings to present your vision to your employees. Make sure to ask questions, and if they are confused, explain it differently.
  4. Get everyone engaged. Figure out a way to get all your employees engaged in planning and decision-making. This way, the project becomes their baby and something they want to make a success. Ask for input and use their ideas as much as possible so they have a vested interest in seeing the project through.  This can not only empower and motivate employees but can lead to new and more productive ways of working that might otherwise be overlooked.

Building engagement in your workplace is a deliberate but rewarding process. Contact me if you’d like a little help.

Sherri Miller, Founder & CEO
Center For Extraordinary Success

Email me            Connect on LinkedIn

 

 

Share Your WHY

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Why do some companies seem to have the best employees ever, and your new hires typically quit after less than a year?

Maybe it’s you.

Founders and leaders often assume that everyone shares their passion. You’ve told your origin story so many times that everyone automatically gets it, right?

Share your company’s vision – WHY you do what you do – with all employees, as often as possible.

Consider this: A staggering 61% of employees don’t know their organization’s vision or understand how their job fits into the company’s purpose.

This causes employees to disengage. Disengaged employees are unmotivated and can create a negative work environment, or they quit.

It’s imperative that you share your company’s vision – WHY you do what you do – with ALL employees.

Practice stating your WHY as clearly and succinctly as possible. Drop in at new employee orientations to share it, or create a short video so every employee can hear it straight from you. Explain how each employee contributes to the organization’s success.  Employees will understand what you want to accomplish and how they fit in. You’ll build connections on a deep, emotional level.

Read more of my tips for building engagement and the perfect book to help you explore your WHY. Let’s work on this together! 

Sherri Miller, Founder and CEO
Center For Extraordinary Success

Email me   Connect on LinkedIn