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4 keys to give feedback that’ll help employees grow

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4 keys to give feedback that’ll help employees grow

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Most leaders want to give feedback that helps employees do better. Unfortunately, many give feedback that makes employees feel worse about themselves and their work.

In fact, feedback – even if you call it “constructive” – almost always reduces employee engagement, according to Peter Bregman and Howie Jacobson, coauthors of You Can Change Other People.

It’s understandable, considering leaders have to point out shortcomings and weaknesses. That naturally puts employees in an uncomfortable, defensive position.

“Telling people they are missing the mark is not the same as helping them hit the mark,” the authors say in their Harvard Business Review research.

But there are ways to deliver feedback that removes the uncomfortable barriers and helps employees grow. Here are the research-proven strategies.

Shift from critic to ally

An ally in improvement is far better than a critic of performance. So it’s important to step into employee feedback as an ally.

  • Step 1: Empathize. If employees are struggling, acknowledge that it must be difficult or frustrating to face that every day.
  • Step 2: Build confidence. Tell employees you believe they have the ability to handle the situation.
  • Step 3: Get permission. Ask if they are willing to think with you about the situation and what to do.

Go straight to the outcome

When employees give permission to look at the situation and explore fixes, you might be tempted to review the “problem.” Don’t!

The authors say that’s just getting back into bad feedback. Instead, focus on the “energizing future” they can create.

Ask, “What’s the outcome you’re going for here?”

Then give them the space and time to explain what they’re trying to achieve or overcome for themselves, and the organization. Help them turn that into an outcome that’s positive, clear and meaningful.

Look for hidden opportunities

Once you’ve hashed out the ultimate outcome, you can go back to the problem. But you don’t have to address it as something that needs to be solved.

Instead, now you can frame it as the thing that might help them reach the energizing outcome. Perhaps it offers an opportunity to practice a new behavior. Or maybe it points to a larger (or even smaller) underlying issue that needs attention – and that attention will dissolve issues.

Create a ‘Level-10 Plan’

With a “problem” in the rear view and sights set on the solution, you can work together on a plan of action to reach it.

You might set up steps, goals and regular check-ins that gradually move the employee toward the goal.

And you can gain commitment to the plan by asking, “On a scale of 1-10, how confident are you that you’ll execute the plan successfully?”

The answer will likely be a resounding “10” because the employee helped create the plan and imagine the future. And that’s where you get the term “Level-10 Plan.”

While it’s important for the employees to successfully change or adapt, it’s also critical they follow through on the plan, assess the results and continually move forward.

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Furniture company to pay $5 million to end sex bias lawsuit

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A furniture company will pay a steep price to settle a federal government lawsuit that accused it of unlawful sex discrimination.

American Freight Management Company LLC does business as American Freight Furniture and Mattress.

The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued the employer. It accused it of discriminating against females on the basis of sex.

According to the agency, the employer had a long history of discriminating against women.

It said that since at least 2013, it blocked qualified women from getting sales and warehouse jobs at its retail stores nationwide.

Managers sometimes discarded job applications just because women submitted them, the agency said.

Bad Comments Alleged

And managers made damning comments such as, “Women can’t lift,” it added.

Managers also allegedly said that women are not good at selling furniture and would be “a distraction” to male employees.

The suit accused the employer of violating Title VII. That law bans job discrimination based on sex.

A three-year consent decree ends the case. Under it, the employer will pay $5 million in monetary relief.

It will also offer jobs to rejected female applicants.

Title VII bans employment discrimination based on a number of protected categories, including sex. It applies to applicants as well as employees.

The message here is not complicated at all. Assuming that women can’t do a job just because they are women is an ancient and misguided notion that should be far from the minds of any hiring manager.

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Top scams: IRS issues warning

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It’s that time of the year! You know what we’re talking about … tax season. And you know what that means … a hoard of low-down, no-good, dirty, rotten scam artists will be coming out of the woodwork to trick your employees out of their personal and financial information. That’s why the IRS issued a warning of the top scams these thieves will use. Share it and create awareness among your people.

COVID-19 texts

Warn employees they can expect an uptick in text message scams. And there’s a good chance those texts will reference COVID-19. They could also contain links claiming to be IRS websites or other online tools.

Emphasize to employees that the IRS doesn’t use text messages to discuss personal tax issues, bills or refunds! The agency only uses IRS Secure Access. In addition, the IRS won’t send them messages via social media platforms.

If they get one of these messages, advise them to take a screen shot of the message and email it to phishing@irs.gov with the date/time/time zone they got the message and the phone number that received the message.

And finally, remind them to never click on links or open attachments that are unsolicited text messages from any local, state or federal tax agency.

Email phishing scams

Employees need to know the IRS will never initiate contact with them by email to request personal or financial info. If the IRS needs personal info, it’ll initiate most contact through regular USPS hand-delivered snail mail.

If, however, they do receive unsolicited email that looks like it’s from the IRS or a program linked to the IRS, it’s fraud and they should report it. Have them send the email as an attachment to phishing@irs.gov. If they go to Report Phishing and Online Scams at IRS.gov and click on “What to do if you receive a suspicious IRS-related email,” they’ll get detailed instructions.

Phone scams

The IRS isn’t the local collections company. Again, inform employees they’ll never get a pre-recorded, urgent or threatening message from the IRS.

According to the agency, phone scammers often leave a message that says the taxpayer will be arrested if they don’t call back. These clever thieves can also make it appear that they’re calling from the IRS office or other local law enforcement office or anywhere in the U.S.  

If they do get one of these calls, never ever give out their personal or financial info via the phone and hang up immediately.

Important facts to know about the IRS. The agency will never:

  • ask for a payment via the phone and does not use prepaid debit cards, gift cards or wire transfers for tax payments
  • bring in local law enforcement to arrest a taxpayer
  • demand payment without giving taxpayers the chance to question or appeal, and
  • request credit or debit card info via the phone.

You can also share with employees that if they do owe the IRS, they’ll get a bill in the mail requesting payment be made by check to “U.S. Treasury” and no one else. The IRS doesn’t use third parties.

To report a call:

If an employee is unsure if they owe taxes, have them:

Unemployment fraud

Unemployment fraud is also big this year, but as your employees are employed, you won’t need to worry about this.

However, your employees’ significant others may be unemployed, which can affect your people if they’re stressed about their change in household finances.

Just warn them to watch out for unemployment claims or other benefit payments they didn’t apply for. There’s been a huge surge in fraudulent unemployment claims using stolen identities.

For details on how to report fraud to state workforce agencies, go to the U.S. Department of Labor’s DOL.gov/fraud page.

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More states dropping mask mandates

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Here’s some good news for employers trying to get back to normal — more states have begun dropping mask mandates, and experts are cautiously optimistic we’re approaching “normalcy.”

Some states that have ended their mask mandates (or will very soon) include:

  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Illinois
  • Massachusetts
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Pennsylvania
  • Oregon, and
  • Rhode Island.

Some of these states plan to end mask mandates in schools, too, if case numbers and hospitalizations continue to decrease.

“This is what we’ve been waiting for — tremendous progress after two long years,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said. “This is trending in a very, very good direction, and that is why we’re now approaching a new phase in the pandemic.”

Experts continue to disagree

However, while a lot of states are optimistic, the CDC is still warning Americans to be cautious.

“We continue to recommend masking in areas of high and substantial transmission,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said.

Walensky pointed out that most of the country currently falls under this umbrella, and despite improvement in numbers, there are still almost 250,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the United States every day.

Backing up the CDC Director’s message is White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who encouraged Americans to follow the CDC’s mask guidance, even if their states dropped the mask mandate.

Other health experts are concerned with states rolling back mask mandates too soon, saying the decisions don’t align with the science. Instead, experts are worried these states’ decisions are simply based on politics and citizens getting tired of masking.

Masks at work

If you’re still unsure about letting employees go maskless in your workplace, employment law attorney Anthony Mingione of the firm Blank Rome has some tips for getting workers to keep masking up.

Communication is key, Mingione says. If numbers are bad in your area, show that data to your employees to explain why you’re still requiring masks.

It can also help to focus on the positives, like higher levels of trust and safety in the workplace.

Article

3 keys to negotiate better: Get what HR needs now

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If anyone ever needed to negotiate better, it’s the human resources leader.

After all, aren’t you almost always in the middle, working toward what’s best for employees and championing what’s best for your company?

On top of that, you often need to propose – and win – ideas that help your team succeed. And every once in a while, you need to negotiate for yourself to get what you want professionally.

Expert help

So here’s help – three top negotiation strategies from experts at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

The best part is they’re good in nearly every situation – from getting resources for your team or a raise for yourself to getting employees to adopt new procedures or accept change.

Focus on the other side

Most leaders don’t negotiate, thinking they’re negotiating. They just tend to focus on what they want and how they’ll get it.

In contrast, the Kellogg researchers say the better bet is to focus on what the other side needs and how you can help them get it.

You’re the vehicle for the change you want, not a roadblock to what the other side wants.

For instance, if you want a promotion – and a hefty pay raise that should come with it – focus on the responsibilities you’ll take up and alleviate for the boss. Or talk about the processes you’ll make more efficient so the department realizes cost savings.

To be sure you have the other side in focus, take what Kellogg professor of management and organizations Victoria Medvec calls a “pronoun check.” If you find yourself saying “I” and “me” a lot, you’re probably on the wrong track – the one to nowhere.

Differentiate yourself, your cause

When you set out to gain something – and end up in negotiations – recognize that you aren’t the only one pining for more time, money, attention or resources.

Because others are negotiating for what they want – even if it’s not exactly what you want – you need to differentiate yourself or your cause.

Highlight what makes you stand out or what will make the biggest impact in the near future. Remember that it needs to hold context for the person or people whose approval you want.

For instance, if you want more funding for new software in your department, focus on how your team is the only one that sees employees at their best and worst. Your enhanced insight will help identify the best benefits to attract top talent.

Bring options to the table

You may only want one thing when you go into a situation where you negotiate, but you’ll want to offer a few things to the other side.

Consider all the issues you want resolved. Then look at several ways that could happen. You can mix and match issues and solutions to create a few options to put out there.

“Multiple offers let the other side feel like they have a choice,” Medvec says. “They feel better about having a choice. And they’re going to react better to having a choice.”

For example, you want your team to earn a bonus for a project they dread. You might present this to the CFO: a percentage of the cost savings divided between team members, additional paid time off or a one-time larger bonus based on the timeliness and quality of the finished project.

Leave wiggle room in your options, knowing what you’ll compromise on, what the other side is likely to compromise on and what could be contentious.

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Employer not liable for death of employee who drowned at work

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How far do employers have to go to keep their employees safe at work?

In this case, an employee drowned while pressure-washing a dock. At the time, he was not wearing a personal floatation device.

The big question: Did his employer have a legal obligation to make sure he used one?

What factors go into arriving at the right answer?

In a new ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit provides some insight.

For about a year, Johnnie Norton worked at the Tampa Convention Center in Florida.

One of Norton’s job duties was to pressure-wash a concrete dock that was approximately 290 feet long and 10 feet wide.

The dock did not have any guardrails or barricades, and in some areas the water in the bay just off it was 19 feet deep. Norton used a pressure washer.

Fatal Accident

While performing this job task, Norton fell into the bay and drowned. At the time, he was not wearing a personal floatation device.

When the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) learned about the death, it sent a compliance officer to investigate.

The officer learned that there had been no prior similar incidents. He also learned that two other employees who similarly pressure-washed the deck voluntarily wore personal floatation devices when they did so. The devices were available in an employer warehouse.

Telling Inquiry?

Also, an operations manager at the convention center told the officer that Norton answered in the affirmative when he asked if he could swim.

Following the completion of the investigation, OSHA cited the employer, saying it should have provided a personal floatation device to Norton and required him to use it while he pressure-washed the dock.

OSHA decided that the employer violated a federal regulation that says employers must provide protective equipment “wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards.” It proposed a penalty of $12,675.

ALJ Backs OSHA

The employer contested the citation before an administrative law judge (ALJ) who affirmed OSHA’s decision after a hearing.

The ALJ found that OSHA had the requisite knowledge of the danger to be held liable. More specifically, he decided that the employer had “clear actual knowledge that [personal protective equipment] was necessary under the circumstances” because the dock was unguarded and lacked ladders. He also placed great weight on the fact that two other employees wore life jackets while washing the dock.

The matter reached the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit for further review.

The reviewing court explained that to hold the employer liable for a violation of the regulation, OSHA had to show either that the protective measure is an industry custom or that the employer had “actual knowledge that personal protective equipment [was] needed to protect its employees from a particular hazard.”

What’s ‘Actual Knowledge’?

OSHA conceded there was no evidence that it is an industry custom to require employees to wear a life jacket while pressure-washing a dock.

That meant the only question was whether the employer had actual knowledge that there was a hazard requiring the use of a personal floatation device.

The ALJ misapplied the standard for actual knowledge, the appeals court ruled. Actual knowledge requires knowledge of both the hazard and the fact that it requires the provision and use of protective equipment. But the ALJ wrongfully found that awareness of the existence of the hazardous condition was enough, the court said.

Not Enough Evidence

There was insufficient evidence of actual knowledge in this case, the appeals court determined.

None of the factors that the ALJ relied on – the condition of the dock, the manager’s question about ability to swim, the other employees’ use of life jackets, and the obviousness of the hazard – showed actual knowledge of a need to provide protective equipment.

None of That Is Enough

The other employees’ use of the devices showed only that their preferences were accommodated, the court said, and the manager’s inquiry only showed that the employer knew the task could be dangerous for those who could not swim. The obviousness of a hazard is not evidence of actual knowledge, it added.

The citation was vacated.

C&W Facility Services, Inc. v. Secretary of Labor, No. 20-11789, 2022 WL 123113 (11th Cir. 1/13/22).

Article

Building a healthy company culture must be intentional

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With so much of employers’ focus on recruiting and retaining talent this year, a lot are concentrating on revamping company culture.

While good pay and benefits can convince a lot of employees to stay, a healthy work environment can be just as critical — and it costs virtually nothing to create.

Research by Deloitte found that 88% of employees believe company culture is crucial to an organization’s overall success, as well as employee happiness.

Here are just some of the benefits of a healthy company culture, according to Forbes.com:

  • Attracting more talent. Who wouldn’t want to work for a company known for its happy employees? Word of a positive culture will get around and could be the thing to seal the deal for prospective employees.
  • Less turnover. Positive culture will help recruit workers as well as retain them. If people are pleased with their work environment and enjoy going to work, they’ll be more loyal.
  • Better teamwork. A good company culture fosters collaboration and socialization. It’s only natural this would lead to employees effectively working together. Employees also tend to be more motivated and to produce better work in general.
  • Less stress. Companies with healthy cultures tend to see fewer stressed employees.

Focus on employees

So how can employers build a healthy company culture? It’s not overly difficult, but it won’t fall into place just because you want it to, either. Here’s how one company went about it.

Jeff Chambers, CEO of Lumin Digital, knows how important it is to intentionally create the kind of culture you want.

“A lot of companies are focused on performance metrics and revenue, and a culture just sort of emerges,” Chambers said. “Sometimes it’s a good one, and sometimes it’s not. We wanted to avoid falling into that.”

Chambers’ goal was to create an intentional culture at Lumin Digital — one employees would love to be a part of. So company leaders got together and came up with some values they wanted the culture to consist of, transparency, inclusion and flexibility making the top of the list.

“We decided we wanted managers to focus on employee behavior instead of fixating on outcomes,” Chambers said. “When you invest in the people, they’ll produce the results you want.”

Transparency and trust

A big thing Lumin Digital focused on was ensuring employees knew management trusted them. Chambers said this meant managers weren’t constantly checking in with workers. Instead, they expressed confidence in their employees that they could get the job done.

Transparency is key to help build this trust. “This can be uncomfortable for leaders,” Chambers said, “but at our company, we know it’s important to share everything — even the not-so-great news.”

Lumin Digital has weekly roundtable meetings between small groups of employees and company leaders. This creates a relaxed setting for leaders to share important news and for employees to give their input. Employees appreciate the fact they have easy access to company leaders — and this allows them to feel good about sharing opinions.

Chambers’ efforts to achieve a transparent, trustworthy culture have paid off, the company boasting an impressive 1% turnover rate. Lumin Digital has also ranked in the 95th percentile for employee engagement.

“We put effort and trust into all our employees, and we get that from them in return,” Chambers said.

4 more strategies

While working on building trust and transparency, here are some other healthy culture strategies employers can implement:

  1. Focus on wellness. Employees won’t be able to appreciate company culture if they aren’t feeling their best. Physical, mental and emotional wellbeing are the foundation to a great culture. Leaders should look into providing wellness tools and on-site health opportunities.
  2. Share your values. Employees feel more connected to their job and company if they know their work has purpose. Give your workers concrete examples of how they’re positively contributing to the company or clients.
  3. Keep things positive. Leaders should lead by example and praise employees and practice kindness. It’s important to show any rude or negative employees that their behavior won’t be tolerated.
  4. Always listen. The easiest way to know what will make employees happy is to ask them! Not only can you tailor a culture to what they need, but they’ll be appreciative you took their opinion to heart.

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Medical inquiry was justified: Here’s why

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Employers need to be very mindful of ADA requirements when they ask their employees medical questions or seek medical records. But that doesn’t mean such requests are never justified.

In a recent case, a federal appeals court said a railway company permissibly asked an engineer to provide medical records. The company terminated the engineer’s employer after he did not meet the request.

Michael Coffey began working as a locomotive engineer for the Norfolk Southern Railway Company in 1999.

In addition to operating trains, Coffey responded to track hazards that might cause a collision or a derailment. Multiple times per shift, he walked across uneven tracks and climb steps to board and deboard the train.

Train Derails

In 2012, Coffey was operating a train when it derailed. After the accident, a drug test showed amphetamines in his system.

The railway allowed him to keep working, but it subjected him to follow-up drug testing for five years.

In 2016, Coffey tested positive for amphetamines and for codeine as well.

He told the railway that he had prescriptions for both medications.

More specifically, he said the amphetamines were Adderall, which he took to treat his Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. He added that he took Tylenol #3 for a back condition. That explained the positive codeine test result, he said.

The railway responded to this explanation by asking Coffey to provide it with certain records regarding his use of medication within 30 days.

The railway asked that Coffey’s treating physicians tell the employer about Coffey’s diagnoses, symptoms, medication regimen and compliance with it, side effects, and awareness of medications prescribed by others.

It also asked Coffey’s doctors to weigh in on his ability to safely perform his job functions. And it requested that they articulate any recommended work restrictions or job-related accommodations.

Coffey says he passed the request along to his doctors, and that he believed they responded. But the railway says they did not.

Injury Complicates Things

Things got more complicated when Coffey ruptured his Achilles tendon in June of 2016.

He took a medical leave after suffering the injury. The railway told him it needed medical info from him before he returned. It wanted the info to evaluate his fitness to return.

The post-injury leave lasted for about 10 months. In April of 2017, his doctor cleared him to return to work. The railway sent Coffey a follow-up letter, again asking for all the records it had sought earlier.

Coffey said a pattern developed: The railway would ask for the records; he would ask him doctors to provide them; and the railway would tell him it had not received them.

The railway finally received particular records in June and July of 2017. But they were scant. There was a two-sentence note from his doctor clearing him to return to work with no restrictions. And there was the results of a months-old functional capacity evaluation. Also, one-page notes verified that Coffey had prescriptions for Adderall and Tylenol #3.

The railway did not like the response. It did not adequately answer its questions.

It told Coffey there would be a disciplinary hearing in early September of 2017. Coffey provided about 400 pages of medical records for the hearing, but the railway said they did not answer all its questions. It then terminated Coffey’s employment.

Coffey sued, saying the railway violated the ADA by discriminating against him based on disability and by making improper medical requests and terminating his employment for not complying with those requests.

A lower court granted summary judgment in the railway’s favor, ruling that it reasonably believed that Coffey could not perform his job safely. And it said that the requests were consistent with business necessity, as the ADA requires, because federal safety regulations require the railway to ask their employees about their use of controlled substances.

Appeals Court Affirms

On appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the lower court’s ruling.

Stressing the safety-sensitive nature of Coffey’s job, the appeals court agreed that Federal Railway Administration regulations mandated the requests.

The railway’s requests were consistent with the ADA because they were job-related and consistent with business necessity, the court said.

It rejected Coffey’s argument that the volume of records requested was not necessary. But the records were job-related and federally required.

The case is Coffey v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co., No. 21-1248, 2022 WL 128487 (4th Cir. 1/14/22).

Takeaway for employers: Tread carefully when seeking medical records — but if you reasonably believe they are needed to evaluate fitness to do the job, your request likely meets the ADA requirement that it is job-related and consistent with business necessity.

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Online pharmacy: Generic meds at bottom-line prices

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The more money Benefit pros can save their employers and employees while still meeting their benefits and compensation needs, the better. Especially in today’s pandemic environment, people are watching every dollar they spend. So, here’s something you might want to share with your employees when it comes to medications. Mark Cuban, one of the sharks on the TV show Shark Tank, launched an online pharmacy: Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company (MCCPDC).

If you’re thinking who cares, just another business venture to make him even richer, you may be right. But the website says: “We’re different than your normal pharmacy. We think you should know how much your medications cost and why. We cut out the middlemen and pass the savings on to you.”

Online pharmacy cuts out middlemen

Cuban believes that everyone should have “safe, affordable medicines at transparent prices.” And according to the website, the company is cutting out the middlemen and giving consumers manufacturers’ prices, plus a 15% mark up, plus a cost for pharmacy labor, plus shipping.

Now, wait. Before you say, “There goes the prices!” check this out.

A 30-count supply of 400mg Imatinib (a chemotherapy drug used to treat leukemia and other kinds of cancer and related diseases) would cost:

 $38.40 (manufacturer price) + $6.00 (15% mark up) + $3.00 (pharmacy labor) = $47.40 (plus $5.00 shipping added at checkout)

Compare that to the retail price at other pharmacies ($9,657.40) and $52.40 doesn’t sound so bad now does it?

Affordable meds

This could be a huge help for employees. A September 2021 Gallup poll revealed “an estimated 17 million persons reported in June that they were unable to pay for at least one doctor-prescribed medication for their household during the prior three months.”

 So how can MCCPDC do this?

They will buy directly from third-party suppliers or make their own. Specifically, fees paid to pharmacists, pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers are being elminiated.

The online pharmacy has been launched and is essentially a 503(b) compound pharmacy. Currently, the company has purchased more than 100 generic medications based on the FDA’s shortage list.

Will this shake the pharmaceutical industry to its core?

Unfortunately, the answer right now is no.

The company only offers 100 generic medications and is a no-insurance business. But if it takes off, it could make a dent in the industry in the future.

We can all keep our fingers crossed!

Article

3 research-proven ways to engage every employee

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Many leaders believe there’s no way to engage every employee.

After all, every department, team and individual is different with nuances of their own. How could you possibly satisfy them all?

With hardcore, deep diving research that seems to have uncovered the absolute three best ways to improve employee engagement.

Harvard Business School researchers created the Employee Engagement Checklist. And to say they were engaged in that work would be an understatement.

They tirelessly reviewed academic literature, compiled a list of the 20 most important drivers of engagement and pulled together data on what engages employees in the COVID-19 era. Then, they compared that to what managers predicted would boost employees’ engagement. Finally, they formulated a series of recommendations on how to engage everyone.

And here’s what works:

Help make the connection

Top of the list: Help employees connect what they do to what they care about. More simply put, make their work matter in their lives.

Three tactics:

  • Rethink your mission. Employees feel better working for companies that want to do more than be the best in the industry. They prefer companies that are at least somewhat focused on a greater good that aligns with their values.
  • Show employees how their work aligns with the mission. It’s not enough to simply create a feel-good mission. Work with employees to revamp job descriptions so they reflect the purpose, not just the duties. For instance, the hospital janitorial staff role could be re-framed as helping sick people rather than just cleaning.
  • Support Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Let employees create and thrive together around similar passions, interests and causes.

Cut stress, add enjoyment

Forget all work and no play makes Jane a dull girl. Work that’s not enjoyable makes Jane stressed and disengaged.

To add enjoyment:

  • Help employees find intrinsic (internal) motivation. The researchers suggested job rotations so employees have opportunities to try different work and find what really makes them happy.
  • Give more autonomy. Regardless of the position, train employees so well they can make decisions and handle challenges without oversight. Let them choose as much as possible how and when they do their work.
  • Boost confidence. Give employees opportunities to mentor and be mentored. What they can learn from and teach each other boosts morale and confidence organically.

Reward with what employees want

In addition to internal motivation, employees still want rewards that are more external – specifically, more time off and financial incentives.

To reward and engage every employee better:

  • Increase time-off incentives. Make it easier to earn days or hours off. Increase vacation days. Even better, implement company-wide days off so no one is compelled to check in, respond or take on responsibilities.
  • Help them invest in time-saving purchases. Partner with dry cleaning, grocery delivery, childcare, tax preparation, meal kit, housekeeping, etc., services so employees can make more time for leisure.
  • Discourage after-hour messaging. Employees need to disconnect every day to stay engaged when they’re working.
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