The ability to adapt to change is something that all business owners and leaders are familiar with; but how do you manage what could optimistically be describe as the 'interesting times?' we're living and working through?

We've certainly been through some turbulent times in the past few years. The UK has experienced a period of what feels like continuous change, the pandemic, Brexit, changes in government, the war between Ukraine and Russia, the economy and now the cost-of-living crisis. It can be hard to keep up -  let's face it, all of the above would be a challenge by themselves but I'm sure you'll agree that going through them all at once has made for an interesting journey! 

We know that the next 6-12 months looks like presenting challenges and changes that are going to impact all of us in different ways, so as a leader, how will you make sure that your employees are; motivated, productive, present?

It starts with you
Ever heard of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs? Whilst this model was established in 1943 it represents a number of areas that the majority of individuals need to experience to be able to flourish and succeed. With that in mind ask yourself, are you:

• motivated?
• productive and present at work?

If yes that’s great. If not, why not? It's pretty likely that your lack of motivation won't be going unnoticed.

The way you show up for your role has a direct impact on the rest of the workforce and your customers, so ask yourself what you're struggling with and how you can address it.

• If you are struggling with engagement – ask yourself what your employees are dealing with at the moment, too. 
• Is social media, the news or something else taking your focus away from what you should be doing? It's likely that your employees are noticing and, some of them might be struggling with their own issues. How can you improve your own focus and inspire others to do the same?
• Try reversing the roles and imagine how you would be coping with everything as one of your employees. Imagine how they'd see your role as a manager right now. 

Is this impacting your success or your business?

Simply. Yes.

You need to hold yourself to account and identify what you are going to stop doing, start doing and continue doing. Phil Daniels, a psychology professor at Brigham Young University created a technique called the Stop Start and Continue and whilst it was designed for team feedback it can be used in many different scenarios including enhancing effectiveness, drive engagement and in turn that can help improve retention rates.  Best of all, it’s simple to use!  All you need to do is note down:

• Stop – what actions / processes fall into this area?
• Start – what should you be doing that you aren’t doing?
• Continue – what is working well and should remain in place?

Write a list 
Just thinking about ideas in your head makes it much easier to forget about them and you need to be accountable! If you need convincing, just remember the last time you went shopping without a list; you will have come home with a bag full of things you didn't need and probably have forgotten one or two items you did!

Talk
Once you have a list of stop, start and continue items, get out there and talk to your employees. Make them feel empowered and a part of a plan to get things moving again when life is throwing; them, you and the business curveballs.

Let people know that you understand their concerns and try to set up regular meetings where people can voice how they feel, so that they feel part of a team who are 'all in this together' and not just a number on a payroll. This will help your employees to engage with you, on a business and a personal level, as you can show them that you are experiencing similar issues to them.

If staff start to believe you've got a renewed focus on getting through the challenges the 2020s are throwing at you all ...as a team, they'll start to respond to the visible changes they see in you and your positivity will spur them on.   Remember, employees mirror their leaders whether we want them to or not!  

Allaya Cooks-Campbell from Betterup stated that 87% of employees cherish transparency within their workplace as well as experiencing a notable increase in attracting top talent.

Can I help?
If you're struggling with the turbulence or feel its impacting your employees and would like to talk to an experienced HR consultant about any HR support or HR guidance, I'd love to chat!

For many of us in business, our focus has always been on ensuring a great experience for our customers. But what about our employees?
 
There has certainly been a shift in the expectation of employees. Back in the 2000s, work was simply a 9-5 environment where overtime wasn't always paid if people worked extra hours. During the 2010s, the culture was one of 'be first in and last out' and overtime wasn’t paid on a regular basis. More recently, employees are beginning to look for roles in which they feel valued in terms of their input and inclusion as well as being part of the wider community.  But what does this mean for employers?

Whether you have just one or 20,000 employees, a really successful employer in the 2020s needs to put some real thought into  how they can add value to the employee experience. 
 
Rules of Attraction and Retention
We all know the rules when it comes to attracting and retaining clients and customers. If you want your business to be a success, you must make sure that each customer, from their first to last interaction with you or your business, has a positive, considered experience.  By doing this you are helping to drive return business. 
 
But...what about your staff? Do you do the same for them? 
 
Employee’s Attraction and Retention
Employees tend to be around 70% of a business’s cost; therefore, improving retention rates, understanding development needs, and enhancing effectiveness should be at the top of mind! 
 
When considering the employee’s experience in line with their lifecycle at the company, this is where HR guidance and HR support can be beneficial for businesses! Taking the time to consider what improvements or adjustments can be implemented to add more value and of course if you do implement them, what can you expect in return?
 
Employee Lifecycle
This is the whole cycle of the employee working with you / your business from when they join to when they leave. It's important to know about this lifecycle because it not only improves the experience of working with you for your employees, it makes business smoother for you and your business.

Stages of an Employee Lifecycle & Adding Value

Indeed.com suggest 15 ways to make employees feel valued.  Do you use these methods within your business?
 
Do you know what your retention rates are? 
 
Have you considered taking time to analyse and understand your employee experience? 
 
Can you improve your engagement and retention to benefit your business? 

As a trusted HR professional with over 20 years’ experience I am able to off HR guidance, leadership mentoring and business coaching as a service to you.  If you feel this would be beneficial then please contact us.