Yep…you read it correctly, Cranky Employees are Ruling our world. And…that is not a good thing.
There have been two surveys providing us the data. The first one, Right Management’s snapshot survey, showed the satisfaction of the U.S. and Canadian worker: 19% Satisfied; 16% Somewhat satisfied; 21% Somewhat unsatisfied; 44% Unsatisfied.
YIKES…that means 60+% of employees are not happy!
Mercer’s What’s Working™ survey showed that a third of employees throughout the U.S. and Canada are looking to leave their organization. To translate, this means 1 in 3 employees are thinking about moving to another company.
No matter how you slice and dice the above numbers, it’s not looking good for business. Think about this – if you are leading an organization of 9 people, 3 of them at this very moment are thinking about jumping ship. Do you know who they might be? Can you afford to lose 3 of your team members? Now, ask yourself this question – are you one of the team members who would like to jump? If yes, are you showing signs of dissatisfaction to your team or to your leader?
I think we all have a pretty good idea of “why” employees are dissatisfied. Let me provide a short recap: Since the global economic downturn that started in 2008, there have been layoffs; more work with fewer people to do the work; long hours with expectations of availability 24/7; cuts in pay and benefits; reduced job security – uncertainty of position and job; fewer advancement opportunities; limited training and development; colleagues throwing team members under the bus; tempers flaring; leaders demanding more and more; less appreciation; stress off the charts. You get the idea…
We have become a fear-based, working-wounded culture. And, how will we move an organization forward and build a first-class employee base if we are coming from a place of fear and stress? We won’t.
Here are 4 things employees need and want. Leaders, pay attention. Employees need to feel:
- Valued: Treat your employees with respect. Let them know that what they bring to the organization is appreciated, needed and valued. Say “thank you” and mean it. Look them in the eye. Have their back. Let them know they can count on you. Smile. Laugh.
- Connected: We all need a community. Build your group so they want to be part of the team. Create a team environment of trust and accountability. Hold everyone to the same standards. Build loyalty and be loyal. Smile. Laugh.
- Challenged: People want to grow and learn. Provide your team members with stretch goals that help build their skills. Sit down with them and “ask” what they want to do. They are responsible for their career growth, and you are the one who can provide accessibility to growth opportunities. Have a conversation and help them attain their goals. Smile. Laugh.
- Recognized: Pay your employees competitively. Duh!!!! And then, ask how they want to be recognized outside of salary/benefits, etc., when they have done something above the call of duty. Do they like to be called out in an email to the entire organization; do they like a pat on the back; do they like one-on-one recognition? Do not assume everyone likes to be recognized in the same way. Smile. Laugh.
There are endless formulas for calculating turnover costs. Let’s just use the one that indicates turnover costs equal 150% of annual salary for a mid-level employee. You do the math and decide whether your organization can handle having dissatisfied employees who want to and will leave your organization.
Most of us are not trying to find a cure for cancer (and if you are, thank you). We need to pay attention to the human aspect of our business. People will stay in their organizations because they are intrinsically motivated. And, right now people are cranky!
Did I say…smile…laugh…
Till next time,
Karen
