A pat on the back a day will keep the resignations away -- it's a new take on an old adage but is increasingly important advice for HR struggling with retention.
A chat, or an email, a day will keep the resignations away -- it's a new take on an old adage but is increasingly important advice for HR professionals struggling with retention.
“Managers can be doing everything right, but if they're not including employees in the information loop, staff engagement could suffer,” says Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Human Resources Kit For Dummies®, 3rd Edition. “To improve communication, keep team members apprised of company goals and performance, and encourage them to ask questions and offer feedback.”
The results of a recent study conducted by Accountemps show that 33 per cent of respondents believe inadequate communication from management is the primary cause of morale issues in the workplace. Additionally, the results indicate 18 per cent saw micromanagement as the biggest problem, while 38 per cent thought effective communication was the best possible solution.
In order to decrease the possibility of employee turnover, managers should ensure that they are living up to their roles by serving as good communicators. Whether it’s in a group meeting, or on a one-on-one basis with individual workers, employee morale will increase significantly if their immediate superiors are as upfront with them as possible.
With that being said, nearly one-fifth of the survey respondents pointed to micromanagement as a major concern. While it is important for managers to ensure that tasks are being performed properly and in a timely fashion, over-managing the employees adds a level of hostility to the workplace that would be counterproductive to project completion.
But, as Messmer adds, if there are communication issues in the office, resolving these issues is relatively simple.
“Fortunately, morale problems can often be addressed relatively easily. Improving workplace communication is one of the most effective – and one of the least costly – ways to combat the problem of a disengaged workforce,” he says.
