Editor's Note:
Employers need to set expectations of performance and abilities
from their employees. Without expectations, employees will
find it much more difficult to perform and it becomes increasingly
hard on good employees to do perform.
Employees who are
able, willing, and engaged need to be rewarded. Those who
are not, need to be removed. In building and living up to
these standards of expectations, you will build a quality team of
employees that will drive your business to new heights. And
everyone will also like their job just a little bit
more.
Are you in AWE of your Employees?
by: Jan B. King
Employers have become so concerned about seeming “unfair” or
worse becoming the victims of lawsuits by unhappy ex-employees that
they’ve stopped requiring minimum standards of employees.
This can
only lead to poor individual and eventually poor company
performance. Your best employee performers will resent the fact that
you use company money to pay people who aren’t up to standard and
will reduce their own level of performance or leave.
Take back the power in your workplace and set standards of
performance. How to fairly assess each of your employees? I use a
simple three part measurement tool with the acronym AWE or Able –
Willing – Engaged.
Is the Employee Able?
This is the minimum standard of employment or continued
employment. Does the employee have the basic job skills? Does he or
she also have the people skills to be able to work effectively? Does
the employee have family or personal issues that make it impossible
for the employee to work the expected hours?
Does the employee have
any emotional or physical health issues that make it impossible to
do the job effectively? Is he or she lacking any problem attitudes,
such as racism or sexism that make them unable to be open to
customer or co-worker interactions.
If you answered “no” to any of these questions, you should
move the employee to another job where the issues aren’t going to
affect their competency or transition them out of the company.
Is the Employee Willing?
The next level up that is also a make or break issues – is the
employee willing to do the work available? Does the employee seem
happy to be at work? Does he or she genuinely care about the welfare
of customers, co-worker, and the company in general?
Does the
employee get to work well-rested and prepared so that he or she is
able to be fully present and concentrate? Does the employee
gracefully take on assigned tasks? Does the employee arrive at
meetings on time and prepared? Is the employee open to dialogue and
answering questions related to his or her work?
If you answered “no” to any of these questions, there may be
some resentments that have built up meaning that the employee can do
the job, but isn’t willing to give 100%.
This employee needs to
have the opportunity to vent frustrations, get clear instructions on
what is expected, and then have the opportunity to recommit to the
work of the company.
If the employee remains unwilling and hinders
the work of others with a poor attitude, the employee should be
transitioned out of the company.
Is the Employee Engaged?
This is the highest level of employee involvement and commitment.
These are employees who are engaged in the work of the company take
initiative. They are problem-solvers and actively work out work
problems, including inter-personal problems. They actively seek
feedback about their performance.
These employees are natural
leaders and will lead in a project whether or not they have a
management title – other just seem to follow them because of their
willingness to take risks or because of their demonstrated
expertise. They also look outside the company for sources of good
ideas and are always setting goals to take their own work to the
next level.
They like to learn and will look for opportunities to
take on new tasks to learn new skills. These employees give 100%
because they are motivated to do so internally.
It is only if a company gets in the way of superior performance
that these employees will stop working at the highest level. If they
become frustrated that management does not support their efforts to
raise the performance bar in the company, they will disengage and
eventually leave.
Final Comment
Employees who are not able to do the job shouldn’t be offered
continued employment. If you can create open communications with
employees who seem unwilling, you can often turn around their
performance. Your best point of leverage is taking employees who are
willing and helping them become employees who are engaged.
The best
way to do that is to have plenty of engaged employees around. Their
work behavior can be infectious. And get out of the way of the
engaged employees. They want room to run and will only leave if
micromanaged or not allowed room to experiment with new ideas.
Follow these few simple ideas and you will be in AWE of the
contributions made by your employees to the prosperity of your
business.
