Editor's view, Inside Track, August 2010
The real value of your people
There are stories about airlines striking, global corporate restructuring, organisations and governments demanding more for less, however how are employees feeling and what do they want? I keep hearing that it’s the people within organisations that are the asset – is this truly the case? Certainly plenty of time and energy is given to attracting and selecting the right people.
Speaking recently with an employee of a major British airline who has been based at the same airport for six years, we uncovered that they had not had, a single conversation with their line manager during that time.
So, what would make the difference? Communication from their line manager telling them openly and candidly where they stand, in an authentic way, would go a long way to help. It seems simple enough however many leaders seem unaware of the importance of giving or receiving feedback even though it is a core leadership capability. Leaders need to communicate consistently and frequently to ensure people feel valued and listened to.
Leaders and employees alike are being forced to shift their mindset. Many used to consider from feedback as something formal and difficult that happens only at appraisal time or when there is a problem. Now they should think of it as a positive, motivating and two-way learning process, not always easy to do but definitely made harder by avoidance. It is very important to get it right and taking responsibility is a key first step.
Richard Branson says “_people generally don’t leave their jobs through lack of pay – they leave because they aren’t valued. Many companies put their people in boxes – if you are a switchboard operator, you are always a switchboard operator. But we value our people and encourage them to be adaptable and innovative_.”
If leaders do this, people will feel more valued, be more engaged and importantly motivated and productive – which is a win-win for everybody.
