CPA Magazine – 10 Secrets your employees are not telling you
Date: December 16, 2014
Name: CPA Magazine – 10 Secrets your employees are not telling you
Presenter: Jeff Holloway, CA
CA Magazine webinar invites Jeff Holloway, the branch manager for Robert Half, to reveal the secrets from employees that are hiding from management. Jeff Holloway specializes in recruitment with over 12 years of experience. In addition, he analyzes the employment trends and establishes many insights to support major companies through this economy. Nevertheless, under his direction, he manages to lead Robert Half towards a successful recognition in accounting and finance professional industry. Moreover, managers will benefit from this presentation because this presentation will reveal the secrets behind employees.
In this economy, corporation and small companies are facing more work with less available resources. Holloway believes the economy rebound is on the way. However, during this recession stage, employers are facing the challenge to find skilled employees. Many organizations are also facing the challenges on recruitment and retention. Holloway brings this matter to attention and discovers there are solutions to address these issues.
Holloway discovers ignorance is not bliss. Many employees do not share what is on their mind to their employers. In fact, this will lead to either deterioration in service, missed deadlines, decreased productivity and low morale.
Holloway believes knowledge is the power to change and improve. Managers need to keep a pulse on the work environment by understanding their employees’ concerns and satisfaction. The payoff is to improve morale, increase motivation, and reduce turnover rate. Holloway will uncover the 10 secrets managers need to know about their employees.
Secret # 1: Employees feel overwhelmed
Many employees feel lean teams and tight budgets will lead them to stress. Mangers need to watch out for employees who have high absenteeism, missed deadlines, increased errors, and apathy. Holloway emphasizes managers need to remember the law of diminishing returns. This means managers might receive high productivity in the short term, but might lose in the long run.
Holloway suggests managers to reprioritize projects, redistribute workloads, place non-critical projects on hold or hire interim help.
Secret # 2: Employees want to advance
Employees want to move up and advance to higher position. Managers should be involved with their professional development plan. Holloway suggests managers to groom their employees by giving challenging assignments, skill building opportunities and cross training.
Secret # 3: Employees may be thinking of leaving
Based on research, 45% of employees are planning to leave their careers when economy improves. In order to retain the best employees, Holloway suggests managers to conduct job interview to understand employees’ feedback. Managers need to recognize and reward employees’ efforts and allow employees to share their vision with the company. This will allow managers to work along with their employees to change their vision into reality.
Secret # 4: Employees are nervous
Employees are nervous towards their future in the company. Managers need to understand transparency is significant. Allow the work environment with open communication is important. Holloway suggests managers to communicate with their employees about the current performance of the business. In addition, managers should solicit employees’ ideas for better efficiency.
Secret # 5: Employees feel overlooked
Employees want appreciation and recognition. Managers need to ensure employees’ recognition should be rewarded. This includes bravo points, spot bonuses or even employee of the month award. Holloway suggests managers to look at the hidden message during the conversation with employees.
Holloway suggests some possible signals example as follows.
| Employee Comments | Signal |
| I have been doing the work of 3 people for a year | Burnout |
| Is everything ok with the company? | Job security |
| A friend of mine just got promoted | Promotion |
| I have an appointment to leave early | Other job interview |
Secret # 6: Employees think you are in their way
Managers need to understand that when employees have progress, it will lead to motivation. Furthermore, it will lead to more progress. Managers need to think if they are the roadblock for employees. Holloway suggests managers to eliminate long and unnecessary meetings, streamline approval processes, and delegate the work.
Secret # 7: Employees want to have a say
Sometimes employees feel not trusted in the company. Trust is empowering and motivating and managers need to ensure employees feel that way. Holloway suggests managers to let their employees to take ownership of the projects. By encouraging them to analyze, strategize, and think creatively, managers can remove this barriers from their employees.
Secret # 8: Employees want a raise
Employees want their payback from their hard work. Managers need to be open about the compensation with their employees. By either telling the truth or give a time frame will reduce the suspense from employees. Holloway suggests if managers could not provide the compensation, they could provide other alternatives, such as additional paid time off or reimbursement for professional education.
Secret # 9: Employees know other great people
Employees have their own network and managers can benefit that from their employees. Holloway suggests managers to allow their employees to find the top performers for the company by team referrals, referral bonuses, and bring along employees to events. Employees will feel motivated and involved because enthusiasm is contagious.
Secret # 10: Employees like their colleagues
Corporate culture is a factor in employees’ satisfaction. Managers need to ensure the company core value is a part of company’s culture. Holloway suggests managers to foster the team cohesion, and celebration.
Mangers can look for secrets from their employees by their behavior, body language and work habits. Managers need to be aware of the whispered conversations, chronic tardiness or early departures. In addition, managers need to be aware of the employees work attitude.
Holloway suggests managers to create trouble shooting team to discover the secrets. Managers can ask their employees to grade their performance. Setting a suggestion box can be effective. Lastly, managers can give out prices for their great ideas.
“Secrets thrive when employees feel they cannot be honest with their employers”