I had an interesting discussion with a colleague who manages an internal service department for a medium-sized organization. She’s a supportive manager whose team takes pride in providing quality service to internal clients. However, she finds it a challenge to keep her employees at the top of their game when some internal clients are unappreciative
Recognizing and affirming employee value is critical to creating and sustaining employee engagement. And while workplace recognition should be a no-brainer, Gallup research found otherwise. According to Gallup practice manager Annamarie Mann and researcher Nate Dvorak, ” … only one in three U.S. workers strongly agree that they received recognition or praise for doing good
A colleague expressed frustration about a corporate search that took nearly a year to replace a department head. It takes time to bring in the right person, and urgency takes a back seat to finding the right fit. The challenge, however, is getting through the process as employees cope with the “temporary” void feeling uncertain
Regardless of where you stand on the results of the recent presidential election, employee engagement has been affected by post-election uncertainty. That’s why Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, has encouraged employees to re-focus on the company’s mission and culture of “Enlightened Hospitality.” Following are excerpts from his recent letter to USHG employees: “…
Why is it that even in companies with a positive, engaged culture, there’s no guarantee all employees will be fully engaged? The answer has to do with who’s ultimately responsible for employee engagement – a responsibility shared by employees and their employers. Employers are responsible for creating and maintaining an engaging workplace where employees want
I’ve always enjoyed tongue-in-cheek translations of help wanted ads. Apparently, so does nonprofit executive and humorist Vu Le who compiled such a list for his Nonprofit with Balls blog. Here are some of my favorite employment translations from that list that are also applicable to for-profit organizations. Describing the organization A dynamic work environment: We are really disorganized.
I don’t remember when I started reading (and frequently quoting) posts by Judith M. Bardwick, Ph.D., but I was hooked on her insight into employee and organizational development. A highly respected writer, consultant, and speaker, she is known for combining “cutting-edge psychological research with practical business applications to optimize organizational performance.” I recently reached out
Actually, the question should be “What’s the matter with managing?” as I’m hearing from more colleagues who tell me they still love their work, but they dislike the managing people part. I shared my concern about this with Mary Theresa Taglang (MT), who has a background in HR and is now the Director of Lehigh University’s Master of
Plenty, if you’re cynical about it. And such cynicism is not surprising given how many employees endure lame attempts to improve engagement. For example: Providing a special lunch for employees as a token employee appreciation event. Conducting periodic employee engagement or satisfaction surveys with little or no follow-up. Creating an HR or cross-company employee committee
“I love working with my customers. They’re what keep me engaged. Can’t say I feel the same about the company I work for.” “I’m upset by the lack of professionalism in my office. Co-workers dress sloppily. They curse in the office and don’t seem to take work seriously. What keeps me going are the conversations I