You might be a leader who understands the significance of valuing your employees, but are you a leader who is able to put that principle into action in your workplace? Do you have a strong culture of gratitude? Are your employees bragging to their friends about where they work? Do you know how to go beyond the standard, and often disingenuous, tokens of appreciation to create the deeper feelings of value that lead to better quality work, higher productivity and a richer human experience? We’ve gathered some tools from leaders who have for you to put in your toolbox. Read on for some tried and true ways to show the members of your staff you value them and their contributions.
- KNOW YOUR PEOPLE – Make meaningful connections with your employees by asking about their family by name, recognizing personal milestones, and sharing personal tidbits about yourself. When you have a fully developed picture of who your people are outside of work, you can better motivate, appreciate, and coach them at work. Plus, it’s how to be a good human.
- LET THEM KNOW THEY MAKE A DIFFERENCE – In healthcare, this feeling can be intrinsic in the work, but that doesn’t mean workers naturally feel like they matter all the time. You can help reinforce their feelings of worth by really listening to their concerns and implementing their suggestions when you can. If a nurse has a suggestion for more nutritious snacks in the breakroom or a more efficient charting process, don’t just yada yada the request. Take the time to vet it out and, if feasible, put it in place.
- DEVELOP THEM FOR CAREER ADVANCEMENT – Ask your team members what they want out of their career. If they are content to stay where they are, identify ways to keep them engaged. You might give them some special side projects like coordinating a monthly potluck or mentoring the new team members. Make sure these projects are in line with what appeals to the individual, not just busy work – (see #1). If they’re looking to advance, find opportunities for the individual to learn the skills that will be needed. An LPN who would like to move into a supervisory position or administration would benefit from exposure to the hiring process. Involve the LPN in the recruiting process when possible, including candidate interviews and discussions for the next hiring opportunity. This experience can be invaluable. Don’t forget to address any bad behavior or any self-sabotaging habits that might interfere with their advancement plans.
- LET THEM KNOW THEY CAN TRUST YOU – As you develop close relationships with your team, they will inevitably share private things with you. Keep their secrets! Sharing something they expected you to keep to yourself is NOT the way to show you value them. You also need to recognize that sometimes all you need to do is listen. If a team member comes to you about an issue with another team member, make sure you know whether the individual wants you to get involved or not. It can backfire if a boss takes the concerns about a coworker directly to their boss. Even though the boss’s intention may be good; they just want to solve the problem, the effect can be damaging to the relationship between the coworkers. In a situation like this, the employee may have been better served with some advice for handling the situation on their own, or even just a friendly ear.
- RECOGNIZE THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS – Programs of recognition are ongoing, defined methods for employers to recognize their employees for performance and are a pillar in the foundation of a collaborative workplace culture. Best-in-class programs will also facilitate peer-to-peer recognition and spontaneous acknowledgement of achievements given in the moment. Shout-outs during shift change to staff who have received accolades from patients or patient families combined with electronic “kudos” awards that can be given by anyone to anyone is an example of a simple program.
- MAKE WORK FUN – Find big and small ways to introduce fun into the workplace. If this isn’t your forte, or even if it is, establish a “fun committee” to plan activities and events for employees. Put a jigsaw puzzle on a breakroom table that everyone can work on a few minutes at a time while getting a cup of coffee.
- PAY ATTENTION TO THE WORK ENVIRONMENT – An elevator that frequently breaks down and bathroom faucets that run cold for minutes might seem like relatively minor issues, but when it becomes the norm to have things not work or not look good, it wears on employee morale and pride in their workplace. When the environment is comfortable and well-maintained, the employees feel valued.
- COMMUNICATE WELL AND OFTEN – In a fast-paced healthcare facility, whether personnel is informed or not can make a critical difference in patient care. Nobody likes to be out of the loop, and employees who believe information is not shared with them will struggle to be invested in their work. Establish multiple channels of communication and be methodic about your approach to distributing information.
- GIVE THEM UNDIVIDED ATTENTION – Nothing makes us feel more important than receiving someone’s full focus. There is a lot of competition for your attention: smartwatch alerts, phone calls, patients, bosses, squirrels. However, you can must remove all of it when you are meeting with an employee. Placing your phone face down on the desk is not enough. The phone dancing around the desk to the beat of the vibrating notification will interrupt your discussion the same as you answering a call. Silent all dings, rings, and vibrations that might distract either of you and avoid multitasking, even if you think it applies to what the other person is talking about.
If you do even half of these things, you’ll be well on your way to earning a place on the Best Places to Work list. And with all your motivated and high-producing employees, you might even find more awards being bestowed on your office, facility, or organization.