Artikel van Caitlin Hendee in Denver Business Journal, juni 2016
5 things managers should do to empower employees
Millennials now make up the majority of Colorado’s population, and their approach as an employee is different than generations before.The idea of sitting in a cubicle from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. just doesn’t cut it for most millennials. Neither does the idea of working just to get a paycheck or climbing the corporate ladder.
“They want to see and feel a purpose in their work rather than only coming to their jobs for a paycheck,” said Jim Harter, chief scientist of workplace and wellbeing at Gallup, the Washington, D.C.-based global research and consulting firm. “They want to develop and envision their future rather than simply remaining satisfied at their jobs thanks to ‘perks.’ For many, their work is blended into their lives and is more than just a job.”
And catering to those desires has been the talk of management and upper-level executive circles for quite some time. But while certain processes, such as doing away with the annual performance review and replacing it with new systems, should be done away with, Harter said the core values and traits of effective managers remain timeless. Empowering employees, and subsequently the company, to succeed is something savvy manager can do by going back to the basics.
“It is interesting that many of the core requirements for great managing are unchanged from five years ago — defining clear and organizationally aligned outcomes, individualized strengths-based development, accountability, career growth opportunities, for example,” Harter said. A good manager acts as a “coach” rather than a “boss,” and selects people for roles they have the natural capacity to excel at.
“In setting expectations, they define the right outcomes first, and don’t expect everyone to reach the same outcomes in the same way,” he added. “In motivating, they focus on individual strengths and manage around the weaknesses.”
Managers account for about 70 percent of team engagement, and highly engaged teams have 21 percent higher profits compared to those without engaged teams, according to research conducted by Gallup.Engaged employees are also healthier and have better overall quality of life. Great managers improve lives while they improve performance,” Harter said. Harter, who contributed to Gallup’s new book ” First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently,” offers 5 ways managers can keep employees engaged and move the company to success:
1) Select for talent.
2) Define the right outcomes — those that align with organizational objectives and are achievable.
3) Focus on strengths.
4) Find the right fit.
5) Coach rather than boss.
Voor een toelichting op deze 5 punten: klik hier.
