Studies have shown that people who feel happy at work are more productive! But how to influence the well-being of your subordinates?
Help projects move forward
- Nothing is more frustrating to people than a project they can’t get moving. Offer to help people overcome the obstacles that keep their projects from advancing, e.g. Intervene if needed to accelerate a decision.
- Clarify the leeway available to your subordinates. They will likely feel energized by a well-defined playing field, with a clear framework, scope, objectives, etc.
Underline the importance of the collective goal
- Take the time to explain the strategy. Helping people perceive how they contribute to achieving a worthwhile goal fosters their sense of well-being.
- Recognize the value of the work accomplished, e.g. Thank people for their specific contributions on a project and let them know how things turn out.
Instill a pleasant workplace ambiance
- Be aware of the needs of your subordinates, e.g. Don’t hesitate to let people know you are there to give advice if they need it; offer encouragement on complex projects; etc.
- Facilitate interpersonal relations, e.g. Propose regular team get-togethers, organize the work space to facilitate discussions, etc.
Take action
Congratulate people around you (20 min)
Highlighting successes is a factor of pleasure at work and of commitment.
In the coming week, set yourself the objective to identify one good reason to congratulate each of your staff members.
Make sure these congratulations are sincere, justified and proportional to the event. E.g.: “I really liked the way you intervened during that meeting. Your arguments were clear and convincing. It helped me respond to the objections.”
Transform this moment into an occasion to foster progress: take the opportunity to exchange with your staff member on the way he experienced the situation and the lessons he drew from it; underline the assets he showed that could be useful again. E.g.: An assured and calm posture, power of conviction, etc.
Ask one of your team members what he feels (20 min)
Decoding your team members’ emotions will enable you to better calibrate your level of support.
In a first instance, try to identify the emotions of one of your team members. To do this, pay attention to his attitude, to the vocabulary he uses, to his non-verbal language.
Then explicitly ask him: how is he dealing with the present situation? While listening to him, hold your judgment. His emotions are legitimate, even if they might appear surprising or exaggerated.
If he finds it difficult to formulate or even identify his emotions, share your hypotheses and ask him to confirm or nullify them. Make sure you don’t put words in his mouth while doing this. E.g.: “I have the feeling you are worried” rather than “you are worried”.
Identify an obstacle that interferes with your team’s work and remove it! (30 min)
An important role for a manager is to remove the barriers that prevent their team from progressing.
Ask some of your team members what prevents them from progressing in their work the way they would like, and what causes them the greatest frustration. E.g.: A project that stalls awaiting an official decision, the difficulty of obtaining information from such or such department, the impression of doing and undoing for obscure reasons, etc.
Consider whether you can intervene to solve this issue: even if it does not seem major, reducing the feeling of frustration can have a determining impact on motivation. E.g.: use your network to get information, use your influence to accelerate a decision process, call for a meeting to address a malfunction.
Check with your team how to make the best out of these more favorable conditions.
Practical Tips
> Help your subordinates make progress in their work
> Understand the feelings of your subordinates
Find out more
> Happiness, a powerful performance driver
> Fostering wellbeing in the workplace?
© Managéris