Here are 5 behaviours for leaders to adopt when struggling
to keep employees happy and loyal:
1) Tell the truth.
Not everyone is a star. Pick out those with leadership or other valued talent
potential and nurture them. This will come back to the business as these
individuals, in turn, nurture other workers.
2) Communicate roles
and responsibilities. Provide a path to success not only for those with
leadership promise but for all employees. Sometimes this will mean difficult
changes, but remember the most important skill of a leader: never surprise an
employee with bad news. Have a development plan for all, and a get-well plan
for those whose performance lags. Make sure everyone knows the plan.
3) Create a workplace
culture that values real people relationships. For many employees,
workgroup relationships and relationships between managers and workers drive
engagement and loyalty more effectively than wearing the corporate branded
shirt.
4) Be fair and open.
This does not mean treat everyone equally – it means have transparent processes
for managing and leading. Employees are more likely to respond positively to
change when the process used to manage change is fair.
5) Model the behaviours
you seek. Accept your responsibility as a leader and act with engagement,
commitment and responsibility. Do this every day.
Each of us possesses skills, strengths, talents and flaws.
Each of us seeks to belong, to be engaged, to relate to those around us.
Loyalty is built on relationships, shared understanding and trust. Engagement
and commitment require loyalty, shared goals and fair treatment. Don’t take
loyalty and engagement for granted – create a remarkable culture where there
are possible and rewarding outcomes of the workplace.
We are only human after all – Every one of us. Every leader.
Every brand. Every workplace. Every person.
