How to
Create a Performance Based Workforce
By Pat
Heydlauff
Much is written today about workforce
engagement, productivity, and performance yet few lay out a basic
strategy for aligning the workforce with a company's expectations
and long-term goals.
According to Erik Breggren, Vice
President of global research and customer results, SuccessFactors,
"Our research shows that companies that invest in the ability to
execute, aligning goals to strategy while creating a
performance-based culture, experience higher shareholder returns.
Connecting the true heart of people's work activity with the
company's strategy ultimately drives superior execution results."
The simple truth is that businesses
that are in trouble or are having a difficult time just surviving,
are consumed from within. Businesses that connect with their
workforce and practice focused engagement within, grow and prosper.
What follows are three basic steps
for laying a sustainable foundation for creating a performance based
workforce that is connected, engaged and focused on your wants and
needs.
Get Connected
In an October 6, 2011 Parade
Magazine Article, Wired,
Sherry Turkle, director of MIT’s Initiative on Technology and Self
and author of Alone Together said, "Though kids treat their cell
phones like appendages, getting them to talk on the phone can be
nearly impossible. Experts worry that this fundamental change in how
kids communicate is endangering the development of an important set
of skills they’ll need later on: how to converse, read cues from
vocal intonations, and even negotiate."
I would argue that this problem hit
the workforce several years ago and that in general, people are not
connected but only in touch. There is a big difference between being
connected and being in touch – connected means joined and a certain
attachment while in touch means one is simply in contact, distant
and detached.. One of leadership's 21st Century gauntlets
is to determine how to best connect with their workforce through all
methods of communication, verbal, visual and sensory, to tie
together the workforce's needs with the company's goals and vision.
Strategy: Communicate to connect in
many forms, often and if possible eyeball to eyeball.
Get Engaged!
Once you have started your new communication plan, get engaged with
your workforce one on one. If
necessary, move your desk from the ivory tower right into the center
of your workforce – you may get an earful but you will also get
results. By positioning yourself within your workforce, you are
directly engaged with your team and them with you. Your workforce is
always engaged in something, but is it is up to you to make sure
that they are engaged in what you want and need.
Strategy: Involve yourself directly
with your workforce and involve them in planning and strategy
sessions. This provides them a sense of self-worth and job
satisfaction. According to a new survey by the Society for Human
Resource Management, communication with senior management is one of
the things employees value the most.
Stay Focused!
There is a natural flow to the focus of a workforce. Because of
today's social media communications, texting and constantly being in
touch, the workforce is often involved in distracted focus. If the
clarity of leadership's message is compromised and not connected to
the company's overall vision, the workforce does not feel either
valued or connected and their focus is compromised which results in
a downturn in productivity and performance.
Strategy: Remove all physical
barriers preventing a natural flow of focus in your workplace such
as unnecessary walls and cubicles. Eliminate untidiness and chaos
that leads to confusion and disorder, further hampering focus.
Develop tools that facilitate removing mental barriers as well so
the workforce can clearly play back to you exactly what is expected
of them including time parameters.
Invest time in nurturing and guiding
your workforce. Treat them as if they are the most valuable asset
you have, because they are - and often your largest expense. By
being connected and engaged with them, they will become more focused
and their performance, productivity and job satisfaction all
improve.
Read other articles and learn more about
Pat Heydlauff.
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