A Happy Workforce: The Labor Day Edition

Posted on August 29, 2013 in Consulting

Employee happiness is critical to a thriving business.   Happy employees work with conviction and inspire colleagues with a positive attitude.  Unhappy workers miss work, spread disillusion and contempt, and, eventually quit leaving the business with a void.    Employee retention, absenteeism, and work performance all depend on the happiness of workers.

All the more reason, as we enjoy the Labor Day weekend, that we discuss ways to make workers happy… and not just with more money.

1.      Adopt a “no jerks” policy.

In 2007, Stanford Professor Robert Sutton published The No A—hole Rule.  (The title uses the full word.)  The theme is simple: jerks should be removed from the workplace because intimidation and bullying harms morale and productivity.   The book is not the origin of a “no jerks” policy, but it certainly helped broadcast the concept.  For example, Google – a cutting edge workplace — adopted a “no jerks” policy.

Most people have held a job – or might unfortunately have a job now – working for a jerk.  Many years ago I realized I was in a bad place when a law firm partner told me that the problem with being an associate was that you were always someone’s “b-tch.”  I was, of course, an associate at the time working under unfavorable conditions.  I moved on to a happy place, and hopefully from that experience I learned how to be a better boss later in my career.

Great economic benefits may come from adopting and enforcing a “no jerks” policy.  It will reduce allegations of discrimination or harassment because most of those claims stem from bad managers who use power, not for effective leadership, but to bully, intimidate, humiliate, and ridicule. Quite understandably, employees personalize the attacks by these jerks and believe that the harsh supervisor does not like them because of some characteristic about them, such as their gender, race, or national origin.  In reality, the jerk might not have any illegal discriminatory animus.  He’s simply a jerk to all without regard to gender, race, or national origin.  But it is difficult to explain that to the offended employee and maybe impossible to defend a company who retained a jerk accused of discrimination.

2.       Communicate with workers.

People appreciate knowing where they stand with their boss. They want to know whether they are performing their job well, should they expect a raise, and are they up for a promotion.  Yet, many supervisors fail to take the time to talk with their employees.  Caught up in the day to day production, managers mistakenly overlook the importance of communicating effectively with employees.

Employers can always improve their communication with their employees.   First, employers can increase the frequency of meaningful discussion, and, second, they can communicate in a more clear and meaningful way.   A few ways to communicate better with workers are:

  • Conduct annual written performance evaluations, better still, hold semi-annual reviews;

  • Timely counseling and constructive criticism.  Don’t wait for the annual (or semi-annual) review to address situations as they arise;

  • Discipline effectively with examples that teach and guide; and

  • Avoid email as much as possible.  It is nicer to sit and talk with a person.

 

3.    Consider personality tests to make better hiring decisions.

Every new hire presents excitement and challenges for the workplace.  Yet, in the rush to fill a void, employers fill a position too fast hoping for the best with sometimes unfortunate consequences for the business.  Employees suffer from a rushed hiring decision because a new person hired without sufficient thought and effort disrupts the workplace and morale.  A bad hire can quickly lead to employee disenchantment and the resignation of valuable employees.  The lesson is simple: hire smart and slowly to make sure the fit is right.

One way to improve the hiring process is with personality tests.  There are lots of different types of people and when the right types work together the atmosphere is good.  I am a fan of the DISC or Omnia personality tests.  Having taken both tests, I know that they are not offensive in the slightest and do not attempt to judge a person’s skills, education, politics, and have no relationship to age, national origin, gender, religion, or any other protected status.  In fact, I was surprised how innocuous the questions were and, really shocked, by how the report accurately described my personality.  These short and relatively inexpensive aids can help an employer make good hiring decisions.

For example, before I hired my assistant – the great and wonderful Margo, who many know — I asked if she would mind taking such a test.  She agreed, and I volunteered to her that I would be taking the test as well so that Omnia (the vendor I used) could use their expertise to determine if we would work well together.  We obviously were, as everyone who has ever called my office knows.  I strongly encourage other employers to use this valuable resource.

I hope you enjoyed this newsletter, and, if you are so inclined, forward it to a friend who works for a jerk.  Enjoy the holiday weekend.


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