We hear so much these days about how bad things are in the workplace. In a study done by Healthy Companies International, a management consulting firm, one-in-four workers are unhappy with their jobs finding it is only a means to making money to enhance other activities in their life. Of the workers surveyed, eleven percent reported that their jobs were “a drain on their happiness and their energy.” These feelings are attributing to widespread employee disengagement. More companies are starting to recognize the need to change these feelings in order to retain their workers and to create a culture of unity and productivity.
Creating this type of culture starts at the top. As leaders, you want to set the precedence for how you would like employees to perform in their jobs and to establish feelings that excite and unite. I have always been a believer in leading by doing, meaning that I always behave in ways that are open and direct, as well as respectful and recognizing. Leaders need to set the example for their charges in the way they think, act and behave. Listening to employees and observing their workplace behaviors and activities will help you to tune in to their wants and needs. But often employees are not sure how to act or respond to expectations demanded of them. That is why those in leadership positions need to be the example; this is not just about setting the policies but actually leading the way. It is about practicing what you preach. Get out on the floor and spend time with employees, even work with them one day a month. Survey them or have town hall meetings where they get the opportunity to express their views and offer solutions to workplace problems. Doing so will increase employee confidence, trust and loyalty. Do you practice what you preach?
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