Employee Retention: Managers have it all wrong.
What do you think are the top 10 values of employees?
“There is little success where there is little laughter.” Andrew Carnegie
Are you a manager? Stop reading for a minute and ask yourself what you think your employees most want. According to the Foreman Facts, Labor Relations Institute of NY’s 2004 study, managers have it all wrong.
Managers think people want, in order; good wages, job security, promotions, good working conditions, interesting work, loyalty from the company, tactful discipline, appreciation, understanding, and feeling included.
What employees really want is number one, APPRECIATION. Number two is feeling included, part of the team. Number three is to be understood. Number four is job security. And down at number five is GOOD WAGES. After that are interesting work, promotion, loyalty, working conditions and tactful discipline.
Employees really want to feel appreciated for their unique contribution in meaningful ways. They want to feel included and part of something bigger than themselves.
Just saying “great job”, is not enough. As a certified trainer in the science of happiness, I often talk about creating a system for intentional gratitude and appreciation as the first step toward a happier life.
I believe there is a difference between gratitude and appreciation. Both are important. I am grateful for a sunny day, time for a long walk, beautiful surroundings, and a roof over my head. But appreciation to me is a more heartfelt emotion. It is about relationship. It is love in action by noticing specific qualities or actions of another person.
I can appreciate when one of my kids checks in on me or offers to help me. It feels like love in action. It is when we have a family gathering and have deep and meaningful conversations. It is time spent with friends laughing and playing games or just connecting. It is when I take the time to notice something special about someone and verbalize it in a specific and authentic way.
The same is true in a work situation. It is easy at home and at the office to take each other for granted. In my work I point out that our brains are wired for the negative. We notice the negative. Because of that it is very easy to notice the flaws of those around us. We are quick to point out mistakes and problems, and rarely take the time to notice and comment on the good.
Tony Hsiesh, CEO of Zappos says, “If you get the culture right, most of the other stuff will just take care of itself.”
I believe that creating habits of gratitude and appreciation need to be integral parts of a company’s culture. Teaching everyone to be intentional about looking for and pointing out each other’s strengths and uniqueness will create a feeling of good will within teams and throughout the entire company.
Corporate retention is a huge topic right now, and happy employees are more likely to work harder, be more vested in excellent work, and to be loyal. I have seen it over and over. Most of us are not naturally good appreciators. But the good news is it can be taught and implemented.
A company’s most valuable asset is a happy staff.
I am always happy to talk about ways to improve employee retention.