These days, it seems, I am hearing more and more stories from people who are thoroughly fed up with their job. When I say fed up, I'm not talking about just being upset now and then with the average day-to-day job-related responsibilities, but something much deeper and yes, more dangerous. From office work to waitressing and factory workers to housekeeping, the stories I am hearing are not contained to just one industry. Job turnover is at an all-time high.
So why stay? If you're not happy leave, right? That is easier to say than do. For most, fear of the unknown is the number one reason people stay in unhealthy environments, whether personal or professional. Fear of change, fear of having to take a pay cut, fear of making another mistake and so-forth.
MANAGERS:
- Morale-Let me clear up one major misunderstanding; the problem is typically NOT lazy employees, but dare I say, leadership? How ironic that many businesses have robust employee training programs; yet few provide training for their management team. Morale should be the number one priority.
- Micromanagement-When was the last time you took a quick assessment of your team? Do team members smile? Is there laughter and conversation between employees before or after a shift? Does your team appear energetic, or worse, do they seem overwhelmed, despondent, down or depressed? If so, is it possible the team could be experiencing the effects of a toxic environment, failed policies, unnecessary rules, and/or micromanagement? Understand that real world KPI's are Key People Issues (Not Key Performance Indicators). Customers do not care about metrics, call stats, scripted responses or why you are short staffed. Customers seek genuine concern for their problem and expect a representative to be equipped to resolve the issue without seeking approval or transferring to another person.
- Know Your Team-Can you recognize subtle mood changes like increased office whispering, sadness, productivity decreases, increased absenteeism or body language that screams "I just don't care anymore"? These are telltale signs of possible personal issues outside the workplace, burn-out, illness or stress. Unless these issues are addressed with caring and empathy, most likely the result will be turn-over.
- Style-Are you an "open door" manager? Can employees speak with you in confidence without fear of retaliation or confrontation? If performance goals are not met, are you working to provide additional training, realistically evaluating overall performance goals expectations, and coaching with kindness? Are you guilty of micromanaging? Your employees are adults. Trust them to make decisions without seeking approval for every little thing and back them when they do. (Yes, while there are exceptions, these should be few and far between). Remember, no one is perfect (including you) and if and when a wrong decision is made, use that as an opportunity to discuss and coach to it; never berate someone for a mistake. Employees who are given the ability to resolve issues on their own demonstrate increased productivity, gain confidence, usually go above and beyond, and yes, they plan to stay and work toward advancement.
- Training-Does the company strive to equip their talent with essential training to effectively meet and exceed goals?
- Discipline-Avoid knee jerk criticism or sending impulsive emails. Do you apply a "Pick your battles" mindset? Do you take time to STOP, THINK and EVALUATE the current morale before coaching, delivering a disciplinary action or sending an email? Have you assessed the reason why disciplinary action is considered? What is the end goal? Could another approach achieve the desired result? Have you asked the employee what they believe would help them improve and then, give them time to improve? If it becomes obvious that the employee is not going to succeed, try to help the employee find employment in another department or even another company. Discussing their interests, skillset and goals can help determine the best pathway forward.
EMPLOYEES
Employees need to recognize they hold the key to their respective employer's success, even if they are made to feel differently. When to call it quits. If you have tried to discuss your frustrations to no avail, it may be time to move on.
- Communication-Is there a lack of effective communication? Are you or your coworkers' experiencing feelings of isolation, uncertainty about expectations, unsure of the direction of the business, lack of motivation, decreased morale, disengagement, or an overall sense of distrust.
- Micromanagement-Micromanagement is frustrating. Do you feel like you have a shadow over your shoulders watching every move, waiting to pounce?
- Stress- Many employees are suffering from very real work-related stress. Stress from constant criticism, unrealistic expectations, backhanded compliments, fear of making a bad call, making a mistake, observing preferential treatment of others, losing their job, and/or or heaven forbid, failing to meet unreasonable performance goals. Stress can manifest itself in a variety of ways such as, headaches, stomach issues, tense muscles, inability to sleep, cluttered/distracted thoughts, unable to concentrate, sense of dread (especially on Sunday nights), uncontrollable crying, and/or a sense of being completely overwhelmed. CAUTION-before self-diagnosing your symptoms as stress, always consult a physician first.
- Culture-Is the workplace culture negative or toxic? Are others experiencing the same vibe? Do you feel stuck in a rut? Are there opportunities for advancement? Do you feel undervalued, bored, disengaged, disrespected and/or dissatisfied? Be sure to see if these feelings more prominent in the winter months? If so, these feelings may be the result of seasonal changes.
If you can identify with any of the above statements, try discussing your frustrations with your leadership team. Again, if discussions fall flat, it may be time to evaluate and pursue a different pathway to success. Last but not least, ONLY YOU can decide when the time is right. No job is worth your health or sanity. Never jump, but make a calculated decision, plan and always keep moving forward.
Tammie Tuley is an independent writer, Certified Grant Consultant, motivation speaker, and author of
Grant Writing Bootcamp...Back to the Basics and Get Yourself Settled Lil' Girl
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