Employee Engagement

Successful partnership

Focus on Retention: Questions to Ask a New Employee

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When I hear from leaders, staffing is almost always at or near the top of the biggest issues they are facing. It seems we are constantly asking ourselves, Do we have enough staff? This question usually centers on the number of staff. If we are fortunate enough to have the needed numbers, then the discussion moves to items like, What is the experience level of our staff? Usually it is both. One, there’s not enough staff, and two,…
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To Retain New Employees, Look at How You’re Managing Creative Tension

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I spend a lot of time inside organizations. A common thread I see is that there are many people who are either new to the organization or, if they’ve been there for a while, are in a new position. Both situations can be daunting. Then add the fact that organizations don’t always adapt certain measures to the newness of the team, and the result is individual and organizational tension. Peter Senge, author of The Fifth…
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Take an N=1 Approach to Helping People Feel They Belong

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We know when we feel we belong somewhere. For years I have shared that most people appreciate a work environment where they believe the work they are doing fills a purpose, is worthwhile, and makes a difference. Today, I feel it takes much more than that. A person can feel all of those things and still may not feel that they belong. Belonging is that deep-down sense that “this is the right place for me.”…
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For Those Who Are Working on Holidays, Here’s How to Thank Them

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As we head into the height of the holiday season, many of us are excited about taking a few days off work, spending time with our families, and enjoying fun activities and traditions. This is a good thing. We are so fortunate to get to have these meaningful experiences. But let’s take a moment to thank those who must work: physicians, nurses, healthcare staff, first responders, servers in restaurants, airline employees, military personnel, clergy members,…
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Do Your Employees Feel a Sense of Belonging?

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In my most recent work, I have been delving into that important sense of belonging. It is a critical human need. We know what it feels like when we have it and when we don’t. There is sadness when a person feels they do not belong, and magic when they do. The sooner a person feels they belong to a company or group, the more comfortable they become. The more comfortable they are, the more…
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Leaders Need Appreciation, Empathy, and Forgiveness (A Boss’s Day Message)

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We hear a lot about the need to show appreciation and empathy to employees. But with National Boss’s Day coming up on October 16, here is my message: Leaders need appreciation and empathy also. Even some forgiveness helps at times. (We focused on forgiveness as a cultural value last week. It’s important to remember that leaders need forgiveness too!) There was a time when I thought being a manager would be easy. When teaching, I…
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Feedback and Empowerment: How to Get Results

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I recently had the pleasure of spending time with a group of nurses who are in leadership positions at Mercy Health˗Springfield Regional Medical Center in Springfield, Ohio. My style is to ask the person in charge of such an event/meeting to poll the attendees and ask them what they want to leave with. This way it is the attendees’ agenda, not mine. The group provided several items. Two of the takeaways they wanted were “How…
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“This Is the Right Place for Me.” (Helping New Hires Feel This Way Quickly)

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Getting and keeping good people has always been one of the biggest challenges for business owners. Finding the right person to join the team has been especially tricky these past few years. The shortage of candidates and the growing competition for those staffing resources has created a sense of urgency. Business owners need to find the right person for the job, and it needs to happen quickly. The interview process may feel a lot like…
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The Mid-Year Review: A Powerful Retention Tool.

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It is hard to believe 2022 is half over already. Yet here we are in the middle of June. That means at Studer Family of Companies (SFOC), it is time for mid-year reviews. Many times, companies schedule annual performance reviews. They have one-on-one meetings, and they have department meetings. This column is about adding a mid-year conversation. Employees are hard to come by these days. We need to do everything possible to engage and retain…
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It’s Time to Bring Back Accountability. Here’s How.

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When can we start holding people accountable again? This is a question I frequently receive. It does not mean that there is no accountability. What it does mean is that due to staff shortages, leaders are tending to lower the bar on expectations and accountability. It makes sense. If there are not enough staff to provide service, the business may need to reduce hours. This can lead to not having enough revenue to keep the doors…
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