Valuing Employees

When we talk to our employees, what kind of questions are we asking to help them stay just a little longer? According to Kaye and Jordan-Evans, there are certain talent and self worth questions that can be asked to improve retention. Let us look at some of those and discuss how important they may be.

Know their talent and build their self worth

What do you know about your employees? At AT&T, one thing they do right is to have what they call as focus meetings. Each manager meets with each employee at their specific locations to ask questions to learn about the employees. They get personal and introspective while they ask employees what they like to see from management and what they don’t. It is interesting how important those “not-to-do” tips help in managing. You are engaging employees, and they sense the importance of the overture. So, we look at know their talent and self worth questions:

1.      What makes you unique in this organization? (Talents. Feelings of Self Worth and Purpose)

2.      Tell me about an accomplishment of which you are particularly proud? (Talents. Feelings of Self Worth and Purpose)

3.      What are your most important work-related values? Which values are met and not met at work? (Understanding Their Hot Buttons)

4.      If you had to choose among working with people, data, things, or ideas, which mixture would make you happiest? Why? (Understanding Their Hot Buttons)

Purpose is key to exceptional performance

In regards to purpose and self worth, according to N. Craig and S. Snook in their article From Purpose to Impact, “Business experts make the case that purpose is a key to exceptional performance, while psychologist describe it as a pathway to greater well being”. The building of an employees’ self worth and purpose means building close relationships with them and breaking down the walls between management and employees. Many organizations have done just that by removing private offices in lieu of wall-less open work environments.

Creating an environment that treasures better relationships, while increasing the purpose and empowerment of employees, is the new smarts of 21st Century organizations. According to J. Armache in his article The Benefits of Employees’ Empowerment, “Demonstrate you value people by your appreciation for each person's single value. No matter how employees are performing on their present mission, your value for the employee as a human being should never falter and always be obvious”.

Money and perks are not everything

By valuing individual employees’ worth, organizations benefit from higher retention even when other perks are not equal to the competition. Believe me, money and perks are not everything. According to J. Smith in his article Organizational Culture and Work, “Opportunity is maintained and enhanced when individual differences are valued”. This issue of valuing employees has to be a deliberate organizational decision. It must be a decision that involves all levels of the organization; everyone must buy into the mission, together.

The author of the article, David Pollitt, is a well-known author in leadership and educational circles. His articles and his books can be viewed on smashwords.com. He is also known for his Christian science fiction and secular science fiction books.