5 Ways Leaders Can Use Empathy to Increase Employee Job Satisfaction

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5 Ways Leaders Can Use Empathy to Increase Employee Job Satisfaction

December 22nd, 2021 Kathleen Quinn Votaw Leave a comment

As many workplaces struggle to retain and hire employees during the “Great Resignation,” leaders don’t have time to feel sorry for themselves. But it may be time for more of them to feel empathy toward their workers.

Ernst & Young’s 2021 Empathy in Business Survey showed around 50% of employees quit a previous job because their boss wasn’t empathetic to their struggles at work or in their personal lives. On the other hand, nearly 90% of workers who were queried believe empathetic leadership creates loyalty, and 85% say that it increases productivity.

Empathetic leadership is a must in today’s COVID-affected workplace, as employees struggle with burnout, working from home and other issues, according to research by Catalyst, a nonprofit that works to advance women in leadership positions. But until more business owners, executives and managers put a priority on listening to their employees and showing them they care, workers will look for companies that are more tuned in to their concerns, says Kathleen Quinn Votaw, the author of DARE to CARE IN THE WORKPLACE: A Guide to the New Way We Work.

“Most people do not know how to truly understand someone else’s point of view without letting their own thoughts, opinions, and emotions get in the way,” Quinn Votaw says. “Leaders often sit in their own place of judgment rather than using empathy as the bridge to understanding and connection.”

Quinn Votaw says that while empathy has gained importance in the work culture in recent years, many managers aren’t prepared for that role.

“Leading with empathy means understanding and accepting that people are not always operating at their very best,” she says. “Issues from home affect work lives. Working within and around that reality is the best way to create a place where people want to come to work.”

Quinn Votaw offers these tips on how leaders can lead with empathy and enhance the employee experience:

Be authentic. “Like actors in a Shakespearian play, we play roles versus showing up authentically,” Quinn Votaw says. “We have been taught to hide our true selves and display a false sense of bravado. To lead with empathy, get beyond the facade we all walk around with. Go the extra step – with your willingness to dig deep in terms of caring and asking questions that convey your interest in them as people.”

Communicate with a personal touch. A leader who consistently communicates with a personal touch for a variety of reasons – praise for the employee, concern and support for them – builds morale and increases retention, Quinn Votaw says. “The more personal they are, the more appreciated they are by the employees.”

Make space for connection. Quinn Votaw says leaders need to respect how their employees need personal connections with each other, and also says leaders should personally connect with employees once or twice a week outside of regular meetings. “Make time for more social and genuine connections in virtual meetings,” she says. “Have fun with virtual coffee chats, happy hours, trivia contests, or scavenger hunts.”

Provide remote workers with the tech support they need. ”There’s a growing economic inequality crisis with remote workers not having money for or access to technology,” Quinn Votaw says. “No one wants to lose out on high-quality talent because they lack funds for high-speed internet or a computer. Create a program to provide office equipment for your employees so they can have a functional setup in their personal space.”

Respect the boundaries of work and home life. Working in a remote environment has thrown off a lot of employees. “It was easy to have barriers and work/life balance when we commuted,” Quinn Votaw says. “Leaders can help employees create a home space where they can turn work on and off, which boosts productivity, enhances connection and creates a healthier work/life balance.”

“Empathy is not about you, the leader,” she says. “It’s about taking time to listen, putting yourself in someone else’s place, and providing what they need in that moment.”

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Kathleen Quinn Votaw (www.talentrust.com) is the CEO of TalenTrust, a strategic recruiting and human capital consulting firm. She is the author of DARE to CARE IN THE WORKPLACE: A Guide to the New Way We Work. Regarded as a key disruptor in her industry, Quinn Votaw has helped thousands of companies across multiple industries develop purpose-based, inclusive communities that inspire employees to come to work. Her company has been recognized in the Inc. 5000.

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How to Reboot Your Business and Make Changes Work in the New Year.

December 20th, 2021 Rick Simmons and Amy Simmons Leave a comment

When business leaders set annual goals, reaching them requires a collective commitment by their team. But when significant changes are thrust into the equation as a necessary component for the business’ survival and growth, the challenge can be more difficult as some team members may resist or struggle with new processes, roles, or expectations.

Many change initiatives fail because of a lack of proper tools, techniques and a sound roadmap for forward progress, not simply because commitment is low, says Rick Simmons, who with his wife, Amy Simmons, is the ForbesBooks co-author of Unleashed: Harnessing the Power of Liminal Space.

“Leaders – especially now in a turbulent time, when change is basically mandatory – have a great opportunity to improve their business by creating roadmaps for success,” Rick Simmons says. “Those include necessary changes and shifts that are designed to benefit all involved. Real leaders offer rationale and compelling invitations to change. Others simply try to convince people to change.”

The Simmonses are co-founders of the telos institute (www.thetelosinstitute.com), which helps business leaders embrace change as a strategic advantage. The word liminal, part of the Simmonses’ book title, comes from the Latin word limen, or threshold. “It is a point of transition,” Rick Simmons says, “a space where what has happened in the past no longer applies and what will come hasn’t yet arrived. We define liminal space as a period of discontinuity that creates an openness to change.”

The COVID-19 era, Amy Simmons says, has epitomized the oft-used word “disruption” in the business world, and how leaders respond in spearheading change is critical.

“The key to reaching new heights is how we manage periods of disruption, and how leaders manage their people throughout that process,” she says. “Change is essential but never easy. Adopting a successful roadmap implies that one simply needs to see a plan and a rationale that illustrates why change is needed and what it’s in service of. This allows people to do the very things they would choose to do themselves given the proper information and context.”

Rick and Amy Simmons offer these tips for leaders to help their workforce navigate and embrace change in the new year:

Surround yourself with a strong leadership team. Steady leaders who are anchored in different parts of the organization can form a strong foundation for deciding on the correct changes, allowing necessary changes to be thoroughly discussed, studied, and coordinated. “Leaders who have been with the company a long time have perspective on where the company has been and how it can stay true to who it is,” Amy Simmons says. “At the same time, others who haven’t been with the company that long offer a fresh perspective. Thinking about change from different angles among the leaders is vital in sifting out the things that cause stagnation or backward movement and building consensus on changes that will create growth.”

Engage in consistent communication, encourage open dialogue. Rick Simmons says getting across to all the departments the importance and benefits of changes depends on clear communication that has a respectful and positive tone – and welcomes feedback. “A commitment to change as a company means maintaining a commitment to each other,” he says. “Leaders communicating in a purposeful but fair way will effectively cultivate an openness to change among workers during a transitional period – while also remaining open themselves to consider ideas brought by the workforce.”

Stay rooted: Encourage “letting go” without losing core values. Successful growth and expansion requires rootedness, Amy Simmons says. That means sticking to the company core values, to which the leadership and employees at all levels can continue to hold fast, even when it seems everything else is up in the air. “In order to go forward, you have to get people to let go of old, ineffective ways,” she says. “You have to be willing to change your entire business and strategy, but what should never change are your core values. It can be a struggle to help people parse out that it’s OK to change the way they think through and do things, but you can reassure them that making those adjustments doesn’t change who you are as a company. Sticking to your core values while connecting the changes to them creates a safe space as the transition takes place.”

“It’s never been more clear: No matter how good you were in recent years or even last year, you can’t rest on your laurels,” Rick Simmons says. “Change means opportunity, and the new year is a great chance for you as a leader, your business and the people that make it work, to be better than ever.”

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Rick Simmons and Amy Simmons, the ForbesBooks authors of Unleashed: Harnessing the Power of Liminal Space, are co-founders of the telos institute (www.thetelosinstitute.com), which helps leaders in business and industry hone their leadership skills, optimize their business strategy and embrace change as a strategic advantage. Rick Simmons is the chief executive officer at telos. Prior to founding telos, he spent 10 years in various senior strategy and sales leadership positions within the financial services industry. Amy Simmons is the chief experience officer at telos. Prior to the company’s founding, she spent 14 years in various coaching, training, career management, and recruiting roles.

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Terrific Honorifics: Notable Names Recognized for Excellence

December 17th, 2021 GT Staff Leave a comment

The Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey inducted into its International Maritime Hall of Fame:

Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO, Celebrity Cruises Inc.;

James R. Mara, president emeritus, Metropolitan Marine Maintenance Contractors’ Association;

James I. Newsome III, president and CEO, South Carolina Ports Authority;

Nikolas P. Tsakos, president and CEO, Tsakos Energy Navigation Corp.;

and Lois K. Zabrocky, president, CEO and director, International Seaways Inc.

The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) 2021 Humanitarian Logistics Awards winners for Outstanding Contribution to Disaster Relief are:

CEVA Logistics, Palmer Logistics, Core-Mark International, J.B. Hunt Transport Services and the American Trucking Associations.

Tucker Company Worldwide and Truckstop.com received ALAN’s Director’s Partnership Award, and Dr. José Holguín-Veras of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Dr. Hossein Zarei of Coventry University were bestowed Research and Academic Contributions awards. And students and staff from the W.P. Carrey School of Business at Arizona State University, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and the University of Wisconsin-Madison received ALAN’s Student Engagement Award.

The Port of Long Beach collected the most awards from the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) for 13 outstanding communications campaigns that were adapted or designed to meet the unique challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The haul included nine AAPA Awards of Excellence, the equivalent of first-place trophies. Also winning multiple AAPA awards was the Port of Vancouver USA for its 2020 digital holiday card, virtual port tour video program and Overall Communications Excellence.

C.H. Robinson 2021 Carrier of the Year winners include:

Berber Trucking, Tranquility, California;

Blunt Enterprise LLC, Mansfield, Missouri;

Daily Express, Inc., Carlisle, Pennsylvania;

Dayton Freight Lines, Inc., Dayton, Ohio;

Dieselgrid, Savannah, Georgia;

Freeport Logistics, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona;

Gabriela Transport Services, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada;

J&R Schugel Trucking, Inc., New Ulm, Minnesota;

Millwood Trucking Inc., Nashville, Arkansas;

Nathan’s Trucking, New Berlin, Wisconsin;

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc., Thomasville, North Carolina;

Rented Mule Express LLC, Chatsworth, Georgia;

Road Hogg Transport LLC, Hilliard, Ohio;

Seneca Foods Eastern Fleet, Geneva, New York;

Seneca Foods Western Fleet, Payette, Idaho;

Skyway Express, Inc., Chicago, Illinois;

and Timmons Transit, Inc., Jonesboro, Arkansas.

For six years, Kenworth Truck Co., FASTPORT Trucking Track Mentoring Program and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes Program have teamed up to recognize America’s top rookie military veteran drivers.

The top finalists for the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence 2021 honor to be announced on Dec. 17 are:

Jimmy Reddell/U.S. Army, Army Reserves/Stevens Transport;

James Rose/U.S. Marines/PRIME Inc.;

and Christopher Slindee/U.S. Army/Knight Transportation.

The United Seamen’s Service 52nd annual Admiral of the Ocean Sea Award will be presented in New York this Dec. 3 to:

Kathy Metcalf, president and CEO of the Chamber of Shipping of America;

William Woodhour, president and CEO of Maersk Line, Ltd.;

and David Heindel, secretary-treasurer of the Seafarers International Union of North America, AFL-CIO and chairman of the International Transport Workers’ Federation’s Seafarers’ Section, representing 1.2 million seafarers worldwide.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) named Impello Global Insurance Services LLC the 2021 New Broker of the Year. Headquartered in Seattle, Impello Global is a relatively new specialty trade-credit and political risk-insurance brokerage firm that provides EXIM’s short- and medium-term export credit insurance, as well as assistance with EXIM’s long-term financing, for the West and Mountain regions of the country. In receiving the same award, Meridian Financial of Los Angeles became the second firm to get the honor for the fourth time.

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6 Authentic Qualities Leaders Possess Even When They’re Not The Boss

December 14th, 2021 Carrie Root, Ph.D. Leave a comment

Some people lead because it’s in their job description.

But anyone can step up and take a leadership role in a business or organization, even when they have no authority to back up what they are trying to achieve, says Carrie Root, author of The Other Soft Skill: How to Solve Workplace Challenges with Generational Intelligence.

In multi-generational workplaces where employees can include Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials and Gen Z, you don’t have to be the oldest worker or the one with the most seniority in the company to show your leadership skills. But Root says you do need to be engaging, inspiring and credible – without being bossy.

“The challenge is to get people to follow your lead or your ideas because they want to, not because they are told to,” says Root, who is also founder and CEO of Alpha UMi (www.5gpowerskills.com), an educational consulting firm that creates professional development curricula.

She says those who are most successful at leading without authority usually possess certain characteristics and skills that make others willing to listen to what they have to say.

“Few will be proficient in all these skills,” she says, “but most successful leaders in the lead-without-authority realm will possess most of them.”

A few of those characteristics and skills include:

Be seen as trustworthy. Root says that trust is a foundational block of leadership. “It is especially important to someone who wants their ideas achieved,” she says. “The group needs to believe that the leader will be there to see it through.”

Have a positive attitude and a growth mindset. Whatever emotional energy a leader displays – positive or negative – is transmitted to the group. “People who exude positivity are much more fun to work with than those who portray a gloom and doom philosophy,” Root says.

Be succinct. In today’s world of Instagram and Twitter, you are playing to short attention spans, Root says. “It’s always good to share the ‘why’ but it’s got to be short,” she says. “Likewise, condense your vision into concepts that are easily understandable and quick to grasp. Plan to work the details out in committee.”

Be a good communicator and organizer. Strive to maintain energy and organization through emails and other information-sharing means when you are not meeting. “Make sure the organizational assignments are clear,” she says. “No one likes to find out that the work they did was also done by someone else.”

Show your appreciation. Everyone likes to have their contributions recognized. “This can be as simple as giving credit as opposed to taking credit,” Root says. “But a ‘thank you’ goes a long way towards fostering a sense of appreciation with those who are working with you.”

Check your ego at the door. Root says she has seen situations where egos drove extremely productive individuals to the sidelines, significantly costing the organization. “Recognize that there is more than your way to achieve goals,” she says. “Be open and encouraging to others’ ideas. Allow the group the opportunity to determine their path forward. This will give them ownership of the path.”

“A person who can lead without authority often radiates passion about the task they have taken on,” Root says. “They are good listeners who understand that there is more than just their way to do something. They are encouragers of individual ideas and talents while keeping the group headed towards their goal. Leading without authority happens when groups are energized through the recognition that the drive to achieve comes from the group.

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Carrie Root, author of The Other Soft Skill: How to Solve Workplace Challenges with Generational Intelligence, is the founder and CEO of Alpha UMi (www.5gpowerskills.com), an education consulting firm that develops professional-development curricula. Her company has provided workshops at conferences for major corporations and associations. Prior to founding Alpha UMi, Root had a successful engineering career working for large and small businesses, followed by more than two decades consulting as a high-level troubleshooter for the U.S. Navy.

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Is Your Boss A Grinch? How To Show Holiday Gratitude – And Retain Employees.

November 25th, 2021 Michele Bailey Leave a comment

The holiday season is a reflective time, and as company leaders look back on the past year of challenges and accomplishments, it’s important that they show gratitude to their employees – and not make it a rare occurrence.

Research has shown a strong correlation between employee recognition and employee retention. Specific to the holiday season, one survey found that about 60% of employees would be more likely to stay in their job if they received meaningful holiday gifts from their employer. As the “Great Resignation” sweeps the country, employers should be mindful of making the holidays the “Great Appreciation” for their best employees and making it a habit. says Michele Bailey (www.michelebailey.com), ForbesBooks author of The Currency of Gratitude: Turning Small Gestures into Powerful Business Results.

“As leaders reflect, those who haven’t made gratitude a core value of their organization should strongly consider it going forward into next year,” Bailey says. “The current context of workers leaving in droves basically demands it. And the holidays are the perfect time for leaders to set a new tone and show they are sincere about showing appreciation on a consistent basis.

“This really benefits everyone in an organization; led by the leader, everyone is influenced to show gratitude for each other. When you make gratitude a habit and recognize the value of the contributions of your colleagues, you encourage them to strive for greater results. And your business will inevitably grow as your team members champion your brand.”

Bailey offers five ways leaders can express gratitude to employees during the holidays and make the practice a regular feature of their organization:

Prioritize mental health. The nearly two-year-long pandemic has added anxiety for millions of workers, and every holiday season many people experience increased stress and depression. Therefore, Bailey says it’s vital that company leaders keep these factors in mind and check on the mental health of their employees. “Lots of employees feel burnout this time of year, and remote workers can feel more isolated,” she says. “Make sure to check in with your people one-on-one and in small groups. Let them know that you care.”

Give praise. “By publicly praising an employee or team who has done an outstanding job, you make them feel valued,” Bailey says. “This can boost their confidence and their enthusiasm for the company. A personal handwritten note also goes a long way with an employee. The holiday season is an ideal time for the leader to champion their top people and energize them going forward into next year.”

Make gifts meaningful. Bailey says leaders should put a good amount of thought into gift-giving as a reward for employees, showing a personal touch and making it something useful and memorable. “They don’t have to be expensive,” she says. “The value is in the thought. And along with material gifts, consider experiential gifts, which allow the recipient to have an experience that ties in with their interests.”

Give paid holiday leave. “Extra time off during the holidays to be with family is a bonus in itself,” Bailey says. “As work-life balance becomes more important to employees nowadays, this is the time of year when employers should show they’re sincere in making that happen.”

Survey your teams on what they need for next year. This is a way of paying your gratitude forward, Bailey says. “The holiday season and end of the year are a great time to tune in to your teams and listen to how you can help them do their jobs better next year. Being heard and having their thoughts turned into action by management help your employees feel appreciated.”

“If your work culture is not operating with gratitude,” Bailey says, “not only will the holidays feel a bit empty, but your potential as a company will remain unfulfilled.”

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Michele Bailey (www.michelebailey.com) is the ForbesBooks author of The Currency Of Gratitude: Turning Small Gestures Into Powerful Business Results. She also is founder/CEO of The Blazing Group, a brand and culture agency born of her strategy-first approach to business and desire to enhance employee wellness in pursuit of business goals. She is also the founder of My Big Idea®, a mentoring program designed to propel individuals toward their personal and professional goals. Bailey has been recognized for contributions to women and entrepreneurship with honors such as the Bank of Montreal Expansion & Growth in Small Business Award and the Women’s Business Enterprise Leader Award in 2020. Bailey is a popular speaker and is also the author of a previous book, It’s NOT All About You, It’s About the Company You Keep.

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8 Small Policy Changes That Can Significantly Strengthen Retention

November 12th, 2021 Dylan Berger Leave a comment

Worker shortages are plaguing the warehousing and logistics industry. While many companies are looking for new ways to attract workers to remediate the situation, retention is just as, if not more, important.

Without strong retention, recruitment will do little good. Replacing a salaried employee also costs six to nine months’ salary on average, so retention is far more affordable. Thankfully, even small policy changes can strengthen employee retention. Here are eight examples.

1. Tighten the Recruitment Process

Retention starts with hiring. Employers can prevent many turnover cases by hiring workers who are more likely to stay in the first place. The first step to achieve that is to ensure that job postings are accurate and transparent.

One study found that nearly half of all workers have left a job because it didn’t meet their expectations. Instead of relying on vague language and buzzwords, job descriptions should offer specific details about the position. That way, any applicants understand the roles they’re taking on, preventing disillusionment down the line.

Job seekers will also appreciate honesty. Being transparent in the recruitment process may give new hires a better starting impression of the workplace.

2. Create Upward Mobility Opportunities

One of the most crucial policy changes for better retention is to enable upward mobility. In 2019, 20% of workers who left a job did so because of career development-related reasons. In fact, career development has been the number one reason employees leave for 10 straight years.

This issue has a relatively straightforward fix, too. When a new position opens up, instead of looking for outside hires, companies should promote from within. Businesses should also look to create plenty of opportunities for advancement to give workers a career growth goal.

Career development opportunities can be more than raises and promotions, too. Courses to teach employees new skills or fund their education will help increase retention, too.

3. Accept Anonymous Feedback

Another simple yet effective policy change to make is to have a system for anonymous feedback. Workers may have suggestions for improving the workplace but may fear retribution if management can trace their comments back to them. Anonymous feedback forms let employees speak up confidently.

It’s important to respond to this feedback, too. Making changes that workers want can help ensure the workplace fosters a positive environment. Employees will also feel empowered if they see how their actions impact the workplace, and empowered workers are 33% more likely to stay for three years.

It can help to encourage workers to use these systems, too. That encouragement will promote an air of trust and transparency and empower them further.

4. Support Worker Health

Lifestyle-related benefits are easy to overlook but can be an effective policy change to retain employees. Healthy workers are likely to feel happier and more satisfied, and employers can help them be healthy. By offering perks that support healthy worker lifestyles, businesses can show their employees that they care about their well-being.

Providing nutritious food options in company cafeterias is an easy change to make. Foods high in nutrients like vitamin C can boost workers’ immune systems, helping them feel stronger and healthier. Providing exercise programs or occasional on-site massage therapy can help too.

5. Communicate With Employees Often

Along similar lines, it’s important to maintain communication with employees. Studies show that nearly half of Americans feel lonelier than usual, so feeling seen and valued in the workplace can make a significant difference. Talking with workers will help them feel valued and bring any issues they have to light.

Remember that this communication goes both ways. In addition to listening to employees, management should inform them of any upcoming opportunities and changes often. If workers don’t understand what’s going on at the company, they’ll feel underutilized and unimportant, leading to turnover. In contrast, feeling involved can convince them to stay.

6. Maintain Competitive Compensation

Most employers already understand that higher pay and more competitive benefits will help convince workers to stay. This issue goes beyond bumping up a starting salary once or offering new perks, though. Businesses should have a policy to review industry compensation rates periodically to see how theirs compares.

Workers quitting because of pay and benefits-related reasons have increased by more than 26% since 2010. This trend also coincides with the growing movement of more businesses offering new perks and adjusting pay rates. What constitutes competitive compensation is changing and changes regularly, so a one-time fix is insufficient.

Periodically reviewing industry trends can reveal whether an employer offers sufficient compensation or if they need to adjust. This prevents underpaying compared to competitors as well as unnecessarily raising rates.

7. Recognize and Reward Commendable Behavior

According to one survey, 79% of employees who quit their jobs cite a lack of appreciation as a major factor. Thankfully, employers can address that with relatively straightforward policy changes.

Workplaces should have a policy of recognizing and rewarding positive behavior in their workers. Regular awards given to the highest-performing employees or praising workers’ actions and achievements in company newsletters can help workers feel valued. These rewards, though seemingly small, can go a long way in employee retention.

Workers don’t often expect much in return for good service. Typically, recognition of a job well done is sufficient. While monetary incentives don’t hurt, taking the time to praise commendable behavior can make a significant difference.

8. Encourage Employees to Take Advantage of Perks

Another seemingly small but significant change for employee retention is letting workers know it’s okay to use their benefits. Poor experiences with other employers may leave workers feeling like they shouldn’t use their time off or other perks. Encouraging them to do so can assuage those concerns, making them feel more welcome.

When workers take advantage of their benefits, they’ll likely feel more relaxed and fulfilled. When management doesn’t just allow but encourages it, they’ll feel appreciated, too. If employees feel like their employers care for their work-life balance, they’ll be less likely to leave.

Small Changes Can Have a Big Impact

Workplace changes don’t need to be disruptive to have a substantial impact on employee retention. It’s often an amalgamation of multiple “little” things that convince workers to leave a job. In the same way, making several little changes can convince workers to stay with their current employer.

These eight changes represent some of the most effective yet straightforward improvements to strengthen retention. By implementing these fixes, businesses can reduce turnover and related costs and foster a more motivated, positive workforce.

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Why Are Good Employees Leaving Your Company? 5 Tips To Keep Them.

October 31st, 2021 Michele Bailey Leave a comment

The job quitting isn’t stopping: a record 4.3 million workers left their jobs in August – a milestone that followed the April landmark of 4 million Americans exiting their companies.

Some people are leaving their jobs because the COVID-19 pandemic caused them to reconsider how much their companies value them. In that context, whether it’s a matter of pay, work demands, work-from-home flexibility, or overall culture, it’s important that businesses seeking stability and growth know how they can retain their best employees, says Michele Bailey (www.michelebailey.com), ForbesBooks author of The Currency of Gratitude: Turning Small Gestures into Powerful Business Results.

“With over 10 million employment vacancies, some people are leaving because they are confident they can find a better job, a better fit in line with the new perspective the pandemic has given them,” Bailey says. “So at this point, a good number of jilted employers should be asking themselves, ‘Why are talented people leaving my company? What can I do to change that, regain stability and grow?’

“The answer is often looking back in the mirror at them, and in how they treat people more as laborers than rare gems who are special – people who can make the workplace special. It’s fixable, but it’s all about putting your employees first.”

Bailey says in terms of retaining top employees, companies and their leaders should think about these points:

Know the cost of replacing good employees. One report shows that it costs 33% of a worker’s annual salary to hire a replacement if that worker leaves. “Clearly, retention and development of existing employees make the most sense if they are the right fit,” Bailey says.

Encourage professional development. Bailey says forward-thinking, growth-oriented companies hire talented people with the capability of taking on bigger responsibilities. “Professional development provides the opportunity for steps up in their career path,” Bailey says. “Employees who do not see a clear path are at risk of leaving.”

Build culture by acknowledging the whole person. “Work-life balance” has gotten a lot of attention during the pandemic, but Bailey says good leadership ensures that balance is in place by going the extra mile to know employees and to listen to their concerns, whether personal or professional. “The reality is that all of us bring our personal selves to work and our work selves home with us,” she says. “When something is going well or poorly in either space, it tends to seep into our attitudes and behavior in the other. When you address the overall wellness of your people as part of your business mandate, you have people well-aligned and rowing in the same direction.”

Create an army of brand ambassadors by empowering your employees. Employees who feel their voices are heard at work are nearly five times (4.6) more likely to feel empowered to perform their best at work. Employees who use their strengths every day are six times more likely to be engaged at work, 8 percent more productive, and 15 percent less likely to leave their jobs. “Many businesses tout themselves as collaborative workplaces with great cultures; however, worker frustration suggests that the reality is otherwise,” Bailey says. “A good culture is a place where they’re freed to flourish, energized, and proud to represent the brand to clients.”

Reward and recognize. “Showing gratitude to your workforce is imperative to having a successful business,” Bailey says. “Eventually people want you to show them the money – and you must if you truly value them – but frequent shows of gratitude in any form should be consistent and timely.”

“We can hold onto our talent and keep our people engaged,” Bailey says, “by creating an environment where employees become emotionally connected through gratitude to company leadership, to each other, and to the company’s purpose.”

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The Hallmarks And Benefits Of Servant Leadership In Today’s Business World

October 28th, 2021 Jason Randall Leave a comment

Traditionally, society hasn’t thought of company leaders as servants. But to deal more effectively with today’s changing business dynamics, more companies are incorporating servant leadership to benefit employees and the community as well as the bottom line.

Servant leadership is especially important and applicable in a post-COVID business world, when millions are quitting their jobs and CEOs are trying to stabilize their work cultures, says Jason Randall, CEO of Questco and ForbesBooks author of Beyond The Superhero: Executive Leadership For The Rest Of Us.

“Servant leadership is leading in a manner that encourages growth and success in others,” Randall says. “By investing in them, you as a leader instill a deeper buy-in.

“Leaders who are comfortable with a commanding style may find servant leadership counterintuitive, as though showing empathy to employees is an invitation to be taken advantage of. But when the servant leader listens with empathy to an employee who is strained by conflicting obligations, that leader is more likely to make accommodations such as flexible work schedules. These accommodations benefit productivity and the culture.”

Randall says that overly controlling leaders shut down their top talent and thus are a hindrance to company progress.

“As Steve Jobs said, ‘It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do,’ ” Randall says. “Getting divergent perspectives, as servant leaders do, is essential for company growth and individual engagement and fulfillment. Leaders who commonly resort to issuing commands are conditioning their people to not take much ownership.

“Employees who believe they are not valued for their minds won’t bother to come up with fresh ideas – or they will take their fresh ideas elsewhere.”

Randall says there are six hallmarks of the servant leader:

Availability. This means making sure there is adequate time in meetings for people to have their say, whether it involves venting frustrations, questioning, or establishing collaboration. “Giving time over to the employees and coaching them is really valuable to their development and contribution,” Randall says. “In too many organizations, senior leaders mostly huddle behind closed doors, and if they claim to have an open-door policy, it becomes a joke.”

Candor. “Because the servant leader is extending a lot of trust in individuals, it’s necessary to address any failures in a straightforward way,” Randall says. “But improving performance is not likely when the leader’s voice is angry or hostile.”

Consistency. Randall says that consistency in meetings and day-to-day procedures can be a challenge in the commotion of a growth organization, but the more consistency, the better the response from the workforce.

Empathy. “Being aware of and sensitive to the feelings, thoughts and experiences of others is a key characteristic of servant leaders,” Randall says. “Nobody can be a truly effective leader without understanding the humanity behind the individuals they are expecting to lead.”

Patience. The starting point for patience, Randall says, is when leaders recognize they can’t do everything themselves. “In the long term, it’s important for leaders to understand that we have to balance our lofty goals with the fact we have fallible human beings who must grow to achieve them,” he says. “The servant leader, who is patient, recognizes that team members are precious, and weathering the peaks and valleys will make everybody stronger.”

Trust. The servant leader encourages a freedom to experiment, which also means a freedom to stumble and learn from it, Randall says. “To delegate responsibilities, to encourage employees to speak up and be creative, leaders must show trust in the whole team,” he says. “Trust is the underpinning of the entire servant leadership approach of building a strong team.”

“Servant leaders get results, and they make everyone’s life better in the process,” Randall says. “They focus not only on business outcomes but also on the humanity of the team.”

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Jason Randall (www.meetjasonrandall.com) is CEO of Questco, an HR outsourcing company, and ForbesBooks author of Beyond The Superhero: Executive Leadership For The Rest Of Us. Formerly he was director of brand marketing for Maritz and vice president/managing director of Insperity. Randall earned his MBA at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School Management.

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Is Your Company In Culture Shock? How Leaders Can Practice What They Preach.

October 17th, 2021 David Friedman Leave a comment

As many workers flee their current jobs, burnout and lack of growth opportunities are being cited as two of the biggest reasons.

These changing work dynamics and employee perspectives, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, are highlighting the importance of having a strong work culture that’s sustainable, says David Friedman (www.culturewise.com), author of Culture by Design: How to Build a High-Performing Culture Even in the New Remote Work Environment.

But unfortunately, Friedman says, while business leaders often talk about culture, many don’t have a systematic process in place to build and maintain that culture as they do for other important aspects of their business.

“Leaders should be as process-oriented about their culture as they are about their sales, finances, and operations.” says Friedman, founder/CEO of CultureWise®.

“Leaders have a responsibility to be intentional and systematic about designing the culture they want, rather than settling for the culture that is created by chance.”

Friedman offers these suggestions for designing and driving company culture:

-Define employee behaviors that drive company success. Driving culture is mostly a teaching function, Friedman says. It requires building a curriculum around the specific behaviors, or fundamentals, the leadership team wants to teach daily, such as blameless problem-solving, honoring commitments and being a fanatic about response times. “Behaviors, because they’re action-oriented, are clearer than values, which tend to be abstract,” he says.

-Ritualize the practice of your fundamentals. “How many new initiatives have we started at work and in our personal lives, only to see them fall by the wayside as we got busy?” Friedman says. Those failures at work feed employee cynicism, he notes. “But by creating a structured, systematic way to teach winning behaviors repeatedly, they become ingrained in your people,” he says. “Without repetition, nothing lasts.”

-Select people who are the right fit for your culture. A new hire’s value system isn’t likely to change, Friedman says, so it’s vital they have the right values to fulfill the behaviors leadership wants to drive the company.

-Integrate new hires into your culture. A person’s first week on the job is hugely important in the context of culture, Friedman says. “It’s their first impression, and that tends to be lasting and difficult to change,” he says. “It’s remarkable how few companies spend appropriate time and resources orchestrating every aspect of a new hire’s early experience.”

-Communicate your culture throughout the organization. Too often, Friedman says, company leadership displays inspirational messages and posters on the office walls that are inconsistent with the way people behave in the work culture. “We talk about teamwork, but then people work and think in silos,” he says. “Or we talk about quality, but our people are forced to produce at warp speed and without the proper tools. If our culture is authentic, the more we see images and reminders of it all around us, the better.”

-Coach to reinforce your culture. “Coaching sessions by managers and supervisors are critical opportunities to teach and reinforce your culture,” Friedman says. “Using the specific language of the culture in the coaching session shows staff that the words on the wall are meaningful.”

“Most leaders think of culture as something that happens on its own,” Friedman says. “It’s never occurred to them that they can be as intentional and systematic about culture as they can about the rest of their business. And in these changing, challenging times, more are beginning to see how important it is.”

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David Friedman (www.culturewise.com) is author of Culture by Design: How to Build a High-Performing Culture Even in the New Remote Work Environment. He also is founder/CEO of CultureWise®, a turnkey operating system for small to midsize businesses to create and sustain a high-performing culture. He is the former president of RSI, an award-winning employee benefits brokerage and consulting firm that was named one of the best places to work in the Philadelphia region seven times. Friedman has taught more than 6,000 CEOs about work culture and led more than 500 workshops on the subject. With Sean Sweeney, Friedman formed High Performing Culture, LLC, based on the culture methodology Friedman created at RSI.

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It’s an Employee’s Market, Here’s How to Keep Them

October 15th, 2021 Kathleen Quinn Votaw Leave a comment

Have employees ever had this much leverage?

Employers are struggling to fill jobs in the wake of “The Great Resignation.” There were a record number of U.S. job openings in June – over 10 million – as nearly four million Americans quit in that month alone, reflecting confidence they can find better positions and places to work.

Many employers are having to compete for workers by offering attractive signing bonuses, higher pay, better benefits, and remote work flexibility. But company leaders, whether they are trying to recruit top talent or retain it, must be cognizant that doing either successfully depends on much more than an attractive compensation package and big raises, says Kathleen Quinn Votaw, the author of DARE to CARE IN THE WORKPLACE: A Guide to the New Way We Work.

“The role of leaders in recruitment and retention has been changing,” says Quinn Votaw, CEO of TalenTrust, a strategic recruiting and human capital consulting firm. “People want different things from you now. A paycheck is not enough on any level.

“It comes down to work culture, and leaders set the tone for that. Leaders who hold onto outdated management styles like top-down control or distrust of anyone working from home will lose some of their best employees. Today, you can count on the fact that top talent is evaluating your values, leadership style, and your level of commitment to putting people first. These are the things that determine whether people stay with you or go.”

The global pandemic, Quinn Votaw says, has increased the importance employees place on work-life balance, more flexibility, and stronger connection with leadership. Deloitte’s 2021 Human Capital Trends report shows that many executives believe workers will gain greater independence and influence relative to their employers in the future.

“In this type of market, workers have a lot of leverage,” says Deloitte CEO Joe Ucuzoglu.

Quinn Votaw offers three ways for leaders to create a culture where workers want to stay and one that new talent wants to join.

-Emphasize communication and recognition. “When people feel underappreciated for their contributions, it’s impossible to have a positive employee experience,” Quinn Votaw says. Increasing recognition, along with prioritizing open and transparent communication, she says, “build the strong connections and trusting relationships that employees want most.”

-Nurture a healthy work-life balance. Putting a higher priority on productivity than the well-being of employees leads to disengagement, burnout, and turnover. Research by Robert Half finds that 70 percent of employees say they’ve been working on weekends and working more hours than they did before the pandemic, yet 51 percent of them worry that their manager doubts their productivity when working from home. “Who can blame them for looking for new opportunities in happier, healthier, more trusting work environments?” Quinn Votaw says. “Give employees manageable workloads and the flexibility to get the job done in a way that fits their life holistically.”

-Listen and take meaningful action. Quinn Votaw says turnover prevention boils down to understanding what your people need. “Employees have complained for decades that leaders are terrible at making needed changes in response to their feedback,” she says. “Today’s employees won’t put up with lip service. Act on their feedback quickly so they know you are listening and understand that they are valued.”

“People want leaders who listen to them, trust them, show patience and humility, and support and empower them,” Quinn Votaw says. “Retaining your talent means creating an amazing, positive, inclusive culture where everyone is paid fairly, appreciated, and able to grow.”

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5 Ways Leaders Can Use Empathy to Increase Employee Job Satisfaction

1. Tighten the Recruitment Process

2. Create Upward Mobility Opportunities

3. Accept Anonymous Feedback

4. Support Worker Health

5. Communicate With Employees Often

6. Maintain Competitive Compensation

7. Recognize and Reward Commendable Behavior

8. Encourage Employees to Take Advantage of Perks

Small Changes Can Have a Big Impact

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