Saturday, February 21, 2015

5 Workplace Dis-eases and What You Can Do About Them


5 Workplace Dis-eases and What You Can Do About Them         by Mike Moore

I think it was Henry Ford who said,” Why is it that when all I need is a good pair of hands, they have to come attached to a human being?” He too realized that workplace problems are inevitably people problems and when you begin to solve people problems you begin to solve problems in the workplace.

In a recent Ipsos-Reid poll it was revealed that 60 percent of all employees surveyed were dissatisfied with their job and that 43 percent of these were actively or passively looking for other employment.  The cause of this was discovered to be 5 workplace diseases list below.

* Stress

Employee stress is definitely on the rise and if not addressed can cause serious problems for both employers and employees.  I read recently that half of all Long Term Disability claims are stress related and that a good number of worker absentees throughout the year are stress induced.

* High Employee Turnover

When people have to function in an unhealthy stress filled work environment where appreciation and praise are absent they want out and begin to look elsewhere for meaningful and more satisfying employment.

* Low Morale

I believe that low morale is the inevitable result of a lack of personalism in the workplace. When your staff perceives that they and their well-being are priorities for management morale begins to improve.  It is in the best interest of management to care for the health, well-being and happiness of its employees.

* Low Productivity

People who don’t feel valued don’t produce as well as those who do.  This is a basic axiom in my opinion. It rings true in every area of human interaction.  I once had a woman approach me with glowing praise for her supervisor. When I asked why she felt this way she handed me a brief note written by the supervisor. It contained two lines and they said. Dear Joy, Just a note to let you know how much I appreciate your presence and hard work in our department. We are better for having you among us.”  That’s all it said, but the impact on this woman was profound. She would have walked over a field of razor blades in her bare feet for this person. Two little lines.  People produce when they feel cherished.

* Lack of Creative Problem Solving

When people work in a climate of encouragement, empowerment, appreciation and fun they are more willing to contribute their creativity to the solution of company problems.  Every organization needs creative employees and creativity thrives in a climate where people are listened to, valued and encouraged to laugh. Always remember that there is a huge reservoir of creative potential within the individual and collective wisdom of the group.  All one has to do is tap it.

 * Lack of Effective Communication                               

Communication is fundamentally the sharing of self with others. In an effective workplace employees need to be encouraged to honestly and comfortably say what is on their minds.  I once asked a manager, “Who tells you what you need to know and don’t want to hear?” He thought for a moment and said, “Nobody”.  This is a tragic situation but a very common one. Most workers keep their opinions to themselves for fear of being labelled a boat rocker.  I have news for you.  A company who wants to maximize the potential of its staff and reap the benefits of their collective wisdom must encourage people to be boat rockers. Boat rockers are a valuable asset to any company or organization.  Isn’t it sad that they are considered liabilities?  It is in the best interest of any company to encourage people to give their opinions whether they are dissenting or not.  No one person has a monopoly on wisdom, insight or correct thinking. We are richer when we access the attributes of the group.

 When you consider these 5 workplace dis-eases and their negative impact on your business or organization you will be hard pressed to find a more effective, cost efficient solution than a program including humour, laughter, appreciation and praise.  They fit together like hand and glove and are very simple to implement. All you need is a commitment from upper management and a few training sessions to teach the hows and whys of such a program. Once you have your people on board you will be able to see your workplace culture improve significantly.

 
Mike Moore speaks and writes on the power of humour, attitude and appreciation to help people in all walks of life maximize their unlimited potential and improve their relationships.

To consider Mike for a workshop or conference keynote visit http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/t.cgi?motplus

 

 

 

No comments: