Victor Frankl, via his book Man’s Search for Meaning, wrote about how important it is in living a good life to have a purpose. When we have a purpose we can weather any storm and look back over our life and know our life mattered. It helps answer the question: why are we here? Purpose … Continued
There is quite alot of discussion about the importance or otherwise of employee engagement to productivity and performance of individuals at work. There is correlational data which suggests organisations with high levels of engagement (however that is defined and measured) have higher levels of productivity, discretionary effort or job satisfaction. There is much less data … Continued
Despite us spending on average 25% less time at work compared with 50 years ago, two thirds of us feel overwhelmed. Something’s obviously going wrong and why is it we feel so very stressed as a result? Is it because we are catastrophising daily events into highly stressful situations (very possibly). Or is it because … Continued
There is a growing canon of research on the benefits to organisations when employees get to use their strengths at work. Using your strengths every day increases engagement, meaning and job satisfaction. That translates to lower employee turnover and absenteeism. In addition, leveraging strengths is key to releasing creativity as it increases the amount of … Continued
The aim of any performance management system is to continuously improve the performance of individuals and that of the organisation (ACAS). It involves making sure that the performance of individuals contributes to the goals of their teams and the business as a whole. Good performance management helps everyone in the organisation to know: what the … Continued
Many organisations struggle to increase their employee engagement levels. Chances are many initiatives undertaken by these organisations are organisation wide and process driven. A different ‘give back’ initiative, a new cutomer service incentive scheme or even better food/desks/chairs/gym membership. Whilst we should not ignore the importance of such initiatives, I worry they lack the personal … Continued
65% of workers report that in the past 12 months they received no recognition for good work during the prior year (Gallup). Appreciation can be used strategically by supervisors to boost employee morale. Appreciating the best qualities in those with whom we work can help give them a boost, motivating them to persevere even when … Continued
An interesting blog at IDEO highlighting an experiment in client empathy ended up emphasising how the little things in life really matter. IDEO is a creative design company which is justifiably proud of their fantastic work culture. In their words ‘We provide the small things that enable the day to run smoothly so individuals can … Continued
Most performance management is ‘broken’ – it is administratively burdensome and often gets in the way of having an enlightened and honest conversation between the organisation and the employee. In a recent edition of the RSA journal entitled 21st Century Enlightenment, Lynda Gratton gave her view on the important issues of work in the 21st … Continued
“Jobs that exist today were invented to fulfil particular industrial and commercial purposes. Employers want recruits who will fit into existing organisations and systems whereas the young are now being educated to develop and express their individual personalities and no longer just to obey and conform…. Work has not yet been reconceived as a … Continued
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