Think about this:
“For the first time in Gallup history, more Americans say that economic growth should be given priority even if the environment suffers to some extent (51%) than say protection of the environment should be given priority even at the risk of curbing economic growth (42%).”
While very slight (at 51%) more people think the state of the economy is more important than the environment.
Do You Let Your House Get Cluttered?
How many of us will actually let our house get cluttered because we have more important things to do? Like go to work or take the kids to the game. Interesting how when times get tough, we focus on the basics and the important needs.
I’ll not bore you with a recitation of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and I know there are other theories of needs, yet I want to highlight what this means for your business.
Maslow suggested there exists a “flow” of needs. People start with basic survival needs, move into relationship needs, and then to personal achievement needs. From a business perspective, this means people need the basics of money and safe working conditions first. This is followed by good working relationships and interactions with peers and management. – Remember (and this is backed up by research) that people will go to a new job for the money and benefits, but they will leave a job because of relationships.
Lastly, when people feel their basic needs and their relationship needs are met, they will move further into personal achievement. This is the area where people feel comfortable with what they are doing, how they do it, and the results it achieves. People who can’t get into this mode are usually stuck because of one of the earlier needs not being met. More importantly, people in this area are much more productive and perform at a higher level.
Their Concerns Are Your Concern
Think about that – if your people are stuck back in feeling their basic needs are not met, or if they feel the relationships from peers and managers are not at the level that they desire, simply because of human nature they will back up into those first needs and do what they need to so they feel those needs are met. And the moment they do this is the moment you lose productivity.
However, the more people believe their basic and relationship needs are being met, the more they will perform more naturally – less stressed – and better. As a result you gain productivity.
I’m not advocating that you increase everyone’s pay and hold parties every Friday afternoon (although people might really enjoy both of those things). Rather, I suggest you get into the heads and hearts of your people and find out where they’re focused and what’s keeping their hands from being more relaxed and more productive. Every interaction you have with a member of your team that focuses only on productivity, on goals, on results is only one small component of your management activity. When you can get to the questions of how their relationships are, and what’s worrying them about their current situation – then you can start to move them back up the ladder of productivity. And this is hard to do when you, yourself, are stressed about meeting objectives and keeping the business profitable.
However, maybe you can help people find stability in their economic uncertainties and not let your workplace environment and productivity suffer. Thus meeting both your needs.
Workforce Expertise:
Ask more questions; make fewer statements.
Listen more with your heart, and less with your ears.
Open your eyes more to see everything that is going on, and look for problems less.
It is the employer’s benefit to help employees solve their major problem. This way, they will stay focused on their job and will not be disturbed by their personal concerns.
Anca, I agree.
The challenge however comes when the problems are outside the scope of the employer – leaders and managers can be understanding and provide support, but they can’t be “parents” and solve the problems of their staff. And when those problems continue to create productivity issues, then other actions need to be taken.