In 2018 McKinsey developed a leader’s guide to help companies “Make Work
Meaningful.” Its simple premise was that people who find meaning at their work
are happier, more productive and more engaged.
Without a rehash of the entire guide, the outline shows four straightforward
practices that can help create an
environment where organizational change is personal. These four practices are:
Reduce Anonymity
Make sure employees know who their
customers are (either internally or externally) and encourage them to connect
with one. Build face to face
interactions into existing processes encouraging employees to know who is most
affected by their work. Studies show
that just this interaction alone can boost customer satisfaction by as much as
14%
Help Employees Understand the Impact of Their Work
Invite customers who have had the best
and the worst experiences with your products to talk with employees in person
so your team can see how their work affects customers.
Notice, Recognize and Reward Good Work
Create systems where colleagues and
customers alike can communicate satisfaction with a task. Everyone wants to know that their work is
noticed and valued. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive, but it does
have to happen. “Thank you we appreciate your efforts” are simple words but
they can be powerful when spoken with sincerity.
Connect Daily Work to a Higher Goal
Push people to think about their work
in a high-level way by asking employees a series of “why” questions about 3 to
5 of their most important daily tasks.
As stated in the Leader’s Guide…
“it’s well understood that people who believe
their job has meaning and a broader purpose are more likely to work harder,
take on challenging or unpopular tasks, and collaborate effectively. Research
repeatedly shows that people deliver their best effort and ideas when they feel
they are part of something larger than the pursuit of a paycheck.”
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