5 Practical Ways To Improve Employee Performance

employee performance

In today’s fast-paced and competitive business environment, companies must continuously find ways to improve employee performance. A workforce that is motivated, engaged, and performing at its best is key to achieving business objectives and driving growth.

However, improving employee performance can be a challenging task, especially in the current climate of remote work and changing business conditions. A recent survey found that only 32% of American workers are engaged at work, underscoring the need for employers to concentrate on employee performance in order to enhance engagement and productivity.

Developing a culture of performance excellence is an integral part of any strategy for improving staff productivity. In this post, we will delve into five practical ways to improve employee performance that you can implement today.

Invest in Employee Training

Investing in employee training is an excellent strategy to increase job performance. Employees who participate in training programs are more likely to acquire the expertise and information they need to perform well at their job positions.

First, you’ll need to identify any skill gaps. This is the area where the employee lacks the skill or knowledge to do a certain task. Once skill gaps have been identified, you can then provide relevant training opportunities.

One way to do this is to utilize employee training software. The employee training software can help you deliver training to employees efficiently and effectively. The training is done online, which is convenient for employees and saves businesses time and money. The employee training software can also track employee progress and provide reports to managers, making it easy to monitor employee training and performance.

employee performance

Establish Clear Expectations

The most fundamental step in improving employee performance is to establish clear expectations. When workers have an idea of what they are, they are more inclined to dedicate their efforts to meeting those needs.

In order to establish clear expectations, you’ll need to communicate performance standards. These standards are the criteria by which an employee’s performance is measured. They should be objective, fair, and consistent. By communicating performance standards to employees, they will understand what is expected of them and how they will be evaluated.

Finally, providing regular feedback and coaching is essential for establishing clear expectations. It’s best to provide specific and constructive criticism, focusing on areas where employees can improve. Coaching should be ongoing, helping employees develop their skills and abilities to meet performance expectations.

Encourage Open Communication

Encouraging open communication is essential for improving employee performance. When employees have open lines of communication with their supervisors, they’re more willing to provide constructive criticism and ideas for improvement. Creating a culture of transparency is a great way to encourage open communication. You should be open and honest with your employees about business objectives, performance expectations, and other important information.

Providing channels for feedback and suggestions is also important for encouraging open communication. Managers should offer employees opportunities to provide feedback and suggestions. This can be done through surveys, suggestion boxes, or regular check-ins with employees.

Regularly checking in with employees is another way to encourage open communication. If you as a manager put in the effort to check on your employees regularly, you’re encouraging feedback from them on any issues you might not be aware of. Regular check-ins can also help employees feel valued and appreciated, which can improve motivation and performance.

employee performance

Offer Flexibility

One of the leading reasons for poor performance in the workplace is a lack of autonomy. In addition to other forms of independence, workers value the opportunity to adapt to changing circumstances.

Flexibility is not seen as a bonus by the entering staff; rather, it is a core policy. However, it doesn’t mean that your employees will be able to come to work whenever they please, rather that they will feel like they have a choice and some leeway to choose their working hours. Not attempting to micromanage is another part of this.

Even so, it takes more than just a shift in attitude and approach to the way a business operates in order to provide flexibility for its employees. Recognizing that each worker is unique is just as important as introducing guidelines that are adaptable in order to create a policy that works for everyone. The definition of flexibility, and the motivations for seeking it, are very contextual.

Recognize and Reward Achievements

Recognizing and rewarding achievements is a great way to improve employee performance. This can be done through public recognition, such as announcing achievements at team meetings, or through private recognition, such as sending a personal note of thanks to an employee.

Providing incentives and rewards for high performers is also important for improving employee performance. Financial incentives can include bonuses, commissions, or profit-sharing. Non-financial incentives can include extra time off, flexible work arrangements, or professional development opportunities.

Celebrating milestones and achievements is another way to recognize and reward achievements. Celebrating milestones, such as an employee’s work anniversary or completing a big project, can help employees feel valued and appreciated. Celebrating achievements, such as reaching sales targets or completing training programs, can help motivate employees to continue performing at a high level.

Final Thoughts

Improving employee performance is essential for the success of any business. By implementing these strategies, you can create a culture of performance excellence that drives success and growth. Improving employee performance is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort, but by investing in employees, businesses can achieve their objectives and thrive.

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7 Strategies to Increase Your Employee Wellness Within Your Company

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7 strategies to increase your employee wellness 

Employee wellness is the key to having a successful business. If you don’t take care of your employees, then it is for sure that they won’t take care of you either. 

According to a late study done by IBM in late 2020, only 46% of employees claimed that the company they work at supported them physically and emotionally. At the same time, 80% of executives claimed that they are supportive, but employees didn’t always state the same! 

It isn’t a good idea to leave your employee’s wellness behind, and that is why in this article, we will show you seven strategies to increase your employee’s wellness. 

employee-wellness

  1. Recognize your employees 

By recognizing your employees, we mean recognizing all of their efforts and achievements made daily at the workplace. 37% of employees claimed that recognition was very important to their emotional state at the workplace. Let’s not forget that employee recognition is considered the most important driver of great work out of all! 

You may have thought it was the salary, but only 7% of employees stated that salary was their most important driver at work. Once employees feel like they are not being recognized at the workplace, they may start not operating at their maximum capacity. 

We can take an example as if you were going out with a bunch of friends, and many of them weren’t appreciating you. Once you feel unappreciated, you will look for new friends. The same case is with employee recognition. 

  1. Set up an employee giving campaign to assist employee wellness

Setting up an employee giving campaign is an excellent way of making your employees feel proud of the company they work at. Some of the greatest companies worldwide create employee giving programs. By doing this, you are an excellent example for other employers to look at. 

Employee giving come in different types, which are: 

  • Employee donation matching: when the employer is matching cash donations with the contribution of the employee. When the employer provides a matching gift, it makes a bigger difference for non-profit organizations or even recipients who donated. 
  • In-kind donations: donations made through material possessions such as food, medical supplies, and clothing. Usually, employees who don’t have money to do any donation matching may turn to in-kind donations. 
  • Employee do-good grants: Employee grants are when a company rewards its employees as donors. Instead of the employee receiving financial rewards, they transfer these rewards to a non-profit organization. Of course, employee do-good grants are given as a choice if they want to participate in it or not. 

  • Employee volunteer grants: something your employees need to apply to. There are two different types of volunteer grants: Grants for volunteering expenses and dollars for doers. 
  • Grants for volunteering expenses: employees apply for any grants to support their volunteering opportunities. Most companies will cover travel expenses, food expenses, and some other costs. 
  • Dollars for doers: a financial grant is rewarded to employees depending on their committed hours- whether it be for a local community or non-profit organization. 

  1. Communicate with your employees 

Don’t be that person who only comes into the office and talks about your employee’s daily duties. We know you are at the workplace, but let’s try to make it more interesting. Try to connect with your employees by asking exciting questions such as how their day is going? What plans do they have? And some other questions you may think of. 

According to a study done by the Harvard Business Review, it was shown that 23% of employees claimed that their manager isn’t good at communicating and that it is more likely to impact their mental health. 

Additionally, about 33% of employees also claimed that they don’t trust their employers. This all comes from a lack of communication with employees. When a company conducts excellent communication with its team, employees will feel more informed, motivated, and secure. Whereas this directly affects contribution levels towards the company’s goals. 

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  1. Don’t burn your employees out 

No, it isn’t smart to overload your employees with work and think they will be productive all the time. This is just you planning for failure in your company. 86% of employees claimed they need to work really hard to prove to their bosses that they are hard workers and deserve their job. You don’t want to be that person who is expecting too much from employees.  

Rest is just as important as hard work is too. Sadly, 45% of employees claim that they are burned out at the workplace. You can’t work hard and never rest, it just doesn’t go that way. Promoting wellness at the workplace also means encouraging rest too. Especially if your team is working remotely, you don’t want to make them have sleepless nights because of the overloaded work you are asking them to do.

Try planning out your activities or setting up daily tasks that need to get done. Each employee has their own pace at which they get work done, so try to see what works for you and them. 

  1. Allow employees to discover themselves to promote employee wellness

Nothing can be better than being an influence on your team that will directly impact how they feel. You can’t motivate anybody enough until they motivate themselves, although you can be a good influence. When you are helping employees find their purpose, that self-drive will start to kick in by itself. 

According to research done by Delivering Happiness, they found out that there are three levels of happiness: 

  • Pleasure: the fleeting form of happiness 
  • Passion: happiness that continues as long as you are performing the activities that are fulfilling your passion. 
  • Purpose: the highest level of happiness that fuels your daily life with energy and joy. 

The best thing you can do for your employees’ well-being is empower them to have passion and purpose. Here is what you can do to help them find their purpose:

  • Find their intrinsic motivation (goals, what drives them.) employee-wellness
  • Try implementing a set of activities that will lead them to work on what impacts their well-being as part of your wellness activities. 
  • Be a motivation coach to your employees. Empower them as human beings, and allow them to act as champions. 

You would be surprised that 85% of employees are not engaged at the workplace. Different factors affect this, although the leading cause is the lack of motivation. 

  1. Promote flexibility for employee wellness

Technological innovations have greatly impacted the way we work and significantly have affected how employees feel. Since the pandemic’s beginning, even the way we work has changed and how employees want to work. According to a survey, 73% of employees stated that they were more efficient when working remotely. 

After the release of the COVID-19 vaccine, many employers urged employees to return back to the office, although this wasn’t pleasant for the majority of them. Roughly one in three employees claimed that returning to the office negatively impacted their well-being. At the same time, workers who experienced a decline in their mental health were also five times less likely to be productive! 

  1. Encourage financial well-being to improve employee wellness

Financial well-being has negatively affected a vast percentage of people across the globe after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many have had a cut in their salary or even have been temporarily laid off; what seemed to be going well turned into a nightmare in a short period of time. 

According to a financial wellness survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), it claimed that most employees had to engage heavily on their emergency funds from the start of the pandemic. Nothing gets more stressful than that and negatively has impacted the emotional and physical well-being of employees across the globe.  

Many employees got comfortable working from home and even left their job when asked to return to the office. This was all because they felt that their well-being was being affected negatively and just wasn’t worth it. Moreover, it was a wrong move from employers as they didn’t seek to do what was best for employees but only for themselves. 

Wrapping up your 7 strategies

employee-wellness

That’s about it for this article. These are the seven strategies you can use in order to promote employee well-being and a culture that is firmly focused on employee well-being. 

From the beginning of the pandemic, we know that everything has gotten more difficult for employees and employers. For that reason, employee well-being has become just as hard as it was to keep up with. Although, in turbulent times also lies opportunity. And without a doubt, these seven strategies will be your aid to making your employees happier than ever! 

 

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Ways to Boost Employee Engagement

Employee engagement

Are you looking for ways to boost employee engagement? Employee engagement is defined as the strength of the emotional and mental connection an employee feels towards their work. This includes their perception of their workplace, their peers, as well as the nature of the work they do. So, it’s no surprise that the more engaged an employee is, the more likely they are to remain at a company. On the flip side, employees that feel detached from their work are more likely to leave. They can also prove detrimental to the company, as disengaged employees are often less productive and more likely to miss work.

Ways to Boost Employee Engagement

Therefore, building a workforce with a high level of employee engagement is one of your major priorities as an employer and a leader. This is not only good for your business, but also your employees’ well-being. In line with that, here are five ways you can boost the current level of employee engagement in your company:

  1. Implement a recognition and rewards system

Acknowledging and rewarding employees for their stellar performances is a powerful way to boost engagement. It makes them feel like their contributions are valuable and encourages them to keep up the good work. Plus, there are multiple ways to reward employees, from simple verbal affirmations to grander incentives like compensation bonuses or attendance to exclusive training programs.

But then there’s the question of when you’re actually going to reward high performers. One recommendation is to offer rewards immediately after you learn of your employee’s achievement. Why? A study on reward systems found that people who received rewards immediately after completing small tasks showed more eagerness and enjoyment in their work. This is in comparison to people who received rewards only after they completed a long project. Additionally, the individuals who were rewarded early remained interested in their tasks even after their rewards were removed. As such, researchers concluded that there is likely a lasting positive effect between rewards and job satisfaction. So, don’t be stingy with giving your employees when it comes to recognizing their achievements.

  1. Create a healthy working environment

Let’s not forget that the physical environment plays a huge part in determining your productivity and stress levels. Employees are more likely to enjoy their job if they think of the office as comfortable and conducive for working. This, in turn, will improve your employee engagement and their performance levels.

One thing you can do is alter the workplace. Creating more open spaces can encourage conversation and collaboration among employees. And if your office doesn’t have enough space for that, simply enacting an open-door policy can foster a more welcoming environment, especially around company executives. But don’t forget that it’s equally important to provide spaces for quiet time. Break rooms can serve as relaxation areas where employees can take a breather. Meanwhile, multi-purpose rooms can be utilized for quiet time when they aren’t already being used for meetings or other events. By providing spaces for both work and rest, you’re giving your employees more power to control their productivity levels. And if you’ve gone digital, you can apply this by providing the right technology or even ergonomic furniture.

  1. Pay attention to your employees’ financial wellness

Finances are a huge part of everyone’s life, and it’s no secret that financial problems can cause stress. This, in turn, can affect other facets of their life, including their job. This financial stress could very well be hampering employee engagement. And while this isn’t directly a management issue, there are a few things you can do to help your struggling employees.

Implementing financial wellness programs for employees can be a big help to those struggling with money matters. It’s also a huge step towards creating a more financially resilient workforce. One area you can focus on is their personal debt as it can cause a lot of stress.

First, lessons on debt management should mention what types of debts they should prioritize and discuss all the debtor’s options. For instance, they can reach out to their creditors to request that they freeze interest and other charges. They should also be made aware that not all personal loans come with sky-high fees. If a loan applicant had a better understanding of their options, they could avoid paying too many fees and interest while barely scratching the surface when it comes to paying back the loan. Interest rates are one of the reasons consumers have a hard time paying off their debt in full, which could push them further into debt. But by bringing in finance professionals who can give them practical advice, your employees can understand their finances much better. And as the person who encouraged them to take charge of their money management, this could have a positive effect on their engagement at work. This financial professional can also suggest filing a consumer proposal, which can be a better alternative to declaring bankruptcy, depending on your employee’s current situation.

  1. Provide opportunities for feedback

Feedback is a two-way street that is vital to your company’s growth. Creating avenues where employees can share their opinions lets them know that they’re heard and that their voice holds weight. On the flip side, providing your feedback on employee performance shows that you’re hands-on in your management approach, which can encourage employees to strive for better performance. Plus, reports that are filled with positive comments tend to boost employee engagement.

That said, make sure you don’t neglect running through your employees’ points of improvement, as this is necessary for their professional growth. If possible, provide constructive criticism with actionable tips that they can use to improve on for their next project. As for individuals who require disciplinary action, consider opting for a more proactive alternative — progressive coaching. This method involves guiding and encouraging employees rather than simply punishing them. It provides them with the opportunity to improve their performance while also avoiding more stress and tension in the workplace. Progressive coaching is deemed an effective alternative to harsh discipline, especially since it can improve the employee retention rate. In short, clear and constructive feedback does wonders for employee engagement.

  1. Promote a work-life balance

Employee engagement also improves when individual employees are given ample time away from work. This is where the importance of a work-life balance comes in. Everyone needs some ‘me time’ to rest and recuperate. And you need to remember that your employees aren’t robots that can work nonstop. So, take this into account when planning projects and employee schedules.

If you want to take a more active role in helping employees achieve a healthy work-life balance, enact company policies and set realistic work expectations that enable them to lead more balanced lives. This can include allowing for flexible work hours and implementing paid time off policies. As the employer, you should also encourage your employees to take breaks, especially if work is taking a toll on their health. Don’t forget to take breaks, yourself as well. Because if you want to improve employee engagement, you need to be in the right state of mind.

These are just a few ways to go about improving employee engagement in your company. But while good working environments and healthy company policies are vital, these are ineffective without management that genuinely cares for its constituents. To build a workforce that is dedicated to the company, company executives should also be dedicated to promoting the growth of their employees.

Written by Ashley Parker

For the exclusive use of smallbusinesscoach.org

 

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