 |
|
|
|
Government Leader home > news stories
01/08/07
Discover what employees really want — and then learn how to give it to them
By Terry Bacon
Special to Government Leader
Are you a natural “people person”? Only a few managers are.
Most managers are technical experts promoted for hands-on achievements, not warm-and-fuzzy interactions with others. And while many managers love their job, most hate managing people. The reason: They have no idea what employees really want from a boss.
To give managers an inside track on what matters most to workers, Lore International Institute surveyed 500 employees from all types of organizations and industries. The findings offer revealing information for every manager in today’s talent-driven workplace.
What employees want
Even “loyal” employees are committed to companies for only about two years, according to a recent study from Walker Loyalty Reports, a product of Walker Information Inc. of Indianapolis. When you understand what people really want from a manager, you boost your chances of keeping them longer. Here’s what the Lore survey findings say: - Honesty. Ninety-two percent want honesty and integrity from their manager.
- Fairness. Eighty-nine percent want their manager to be fair and to hold everyone accountable to the same standards.
- Trust. Eighty-seven percent want to trust — and be trusted by — their manager.
- Respect . Eighty-five percent want to respect — and be respected by — their manager.
- Collaboration. Seventy-seven percent want to be a part of their manager’s team and be asked to contribute ideas and solutions.
- Appreciation. Seventy-four percent want their manager to appreciate them for who they are and what they do.
What employees don’t want
Sure, knowing what employees want is important. Just as important, though, is knowing what people don’t want. The survey offers some interesting findings: - Friendship. Under 3 percent want their manager to be a friend or companion.
- Conversation. Less than 15 percent want to have interesting conversations with their manager.
- Emotional Support. Just 25 percent want emotional support from their manager.
- Humor. Only 29 percent want their manager to be fun-loving or good-humored.
Why managers should care
The way you treat employees largely determines whether they stay with you or choose to leave. A recent Harvard Business Review report notes that most employees would rather work for a “lovable fool” than a “competent jerk.”
What is the good news for the “competent jerk,” the manager who is an excellent administrator but a cold, insensitive and task-driven boss? It’s that most anyone can become a people person by learning how to behave like one.
How to give employees what they want
Understanding what people want is essential to being a successful manager, but you must also know how to give it to them — and that takes both will and skill. Here are some nitty-gritty tips for getting started: - Treat people like human beings — not human resources. Call everyone by name. Celebrate their birthdays. Learn a few details about their lives — even if you have to jot them down to remember them.
- Invite ideas. Ask people what they think, both one-on-one and in team meetings. Determine the best ideas, act on them and give credit where credit is due.
- Give risky assignments. Trust people with “stretch” projects even when the outcome is uncertain. It’ll give them a chance to shine — or to fall short and grow.
- Protect and serve. The workplace isn’t black and white. Rules are made and broken. Projects start off strong and wind up failing. Show people you’ve got their backs and help them regroup and recover when the going gets tough.
- Pay attention. Multitasking isn’t cool. Turn off the phone, quit your e-mail and meet people face-on with no distractions.
- Keep secrets. Have respect for what people share with you in confidence. Unless a secret crosses a legal or ethical line, keep it to yourself.
Terry Bacon is a founding partner and chief executive officer of Lore International Institute (www.lorenet.com), a global HR research and consulting group, and the author of What People Want: A Manager’s Guide to Building Relationships That Work (Davies-Black, $27.95).
|
|
|
![Government Leader[purity]](/images/govleader_smlogo.gif "Government Leader [purity]"){kind=small}
