Showing Respect
In a previous blog, we introduced the importance of emotional compensation, a concept based on seven universal human needs. While paying people fairly and providing good benefits—traditional total compensation—meets certain basic needs, we’re learning that meeting emotional needs can be equally important in retaining your staff members.
One of the most significant components of emotional compensation is “treating employees with respect.” There are many great ways you can do so.
Re-recruit them. Show your current staff the kind of interest you took in them when you were recruiting them to join your organization and re-recruit them now,
It doesn’t matter how long someone has worked for you nor how well you think you know and understand them. Spend some time with them now. Sincerely ask open ended questions to get them to share information and listen carefully to their responses. You will probably be amazed at what you learn.
To get things started:
Ask what their greatest challenge was during Covid, and how they overcame it (or are still working on it).
Ask about their greatest accomplishment either personally or professionally.
Ask about hobbies or about volunteer work they do. For example, “What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?”
Ask their opinion. It is flattering to staff members to be asked their thoughts about a possible solution to a problem. They key here is to ask about a real issue and then listen carefully to their ideas. It doesn’t mean you have to adopt their idea, but it does mean you must let them know the business reasons for not taking their advice. The point is to let them know you value their knowledge and intelligence.
If you do use their suggestion, give them credit publicly and if possible, reward them too.
Let them know their work matters. One of the most important ways you can show respect is to let people know often how much value they bring to your organization. Let them know that whatever part they play, they make a difference.
This is especially true with people whose jobs are behind the scenes. Your sales people most likely know where their work fits but perhaps your support teams like accounting or HR may not see that if they don’t do their work, the front facing folks can’t do theirs either.
Remember that showing respect for your team members is not a one-time thing. These ideas are actions you should be taking all the time to let your staff know that you value and respect them. Give it a try and see if maybe you can keep your employees with you just a little bit longer. This is so important especially now when so many people are leaving organizations during this “great resignation” period.