Last week I was talking with a client named Rick, who is a middle manager in a mid-size company. He was telling me how frustrated he is because he has lots of great ideas about how to streamline his department, but the owner of the company doesn’t listen to him. The owner asks for ideas, puts out a suggestion box, and solicits thoughts in staff meetings. However, when people contribute, he says he’ll think about it and that’s the last they ever hear.

Even though Rick makes a great salary, his boss’s indifference has made him feel unappreciated and discouraged, and he is looking for another job.

Could you have employees like Rick? Do you employ people who are experts in their field and probably understand their job better than you do? Yet, for some reason, you don’t utilize their wealth of skill and knowledge by encouraging them to be creative and asking for and respecting their ideas?

Your Most Valuable Resource

Your employees are your most valuable resource. They are the ones who deal directly with your clients/customers, or have the specialized knowledge to get a specific job done quickly and correctly. Nobody knows your customers better than your front-line staff. They see and speak with your customers on a daily basis and know firsthand how people feel about the product or service you provide, and the way you provide it. How often do you ask these employees for their thoughts on what your company can do better in client service? How do you utilize this wonderful resource?

Why People Work

Studies have shown that there are many reasons people work. The research has found that money is not the most important aspect in job satisfaction. What people want from their work environment is:

To feel valued and know that someone cares about them as a person.
To feel that they belong and are making a contribution and a difference.
To be seen and treated as capable, competent and with respect.
To receive praise and recognition for their efforts.
To receive encouragement and support in the areas they want to grow.

What You Can Do

There are many ways you can make your workplace into the kind of environment that will meet your employees’ needs. An environment where people feel heard, valued and respected. In return, they will give you their loyalty, and you and your business will reap the benefits of their expertise.

Here are a few suggestions for creating a supportive, team-oriented workplace that will bring out the best in your employees:

• Ask and listen, listen, listen! Ask your employees for their thoughts, ideas and opinions and then listen with an open mind to their answers. Listening to your employees shows that you respect them and value what they have to say. That you respect their skill and knowledge, and know they are an important part of your organization. Treat each one of your employees as an expert in his or her field, and they will become one. One of the main characteristics of an effective leader is the ability to ask questions and then listen with an open mind. As the Chinese proverb says: “Seek first to understand; only then to be understood.”

• Have a Suggestion Box that you actually use. Put it in a central location, and empty it at the end of every business day. Each suggestion must be read and considered, and every person who submits a suggestion must receive a thank you and acknowledgment for their effort. If you choose to implement an idea that has been submitted, it’s vital that the employee be given credit. Thank them personally, and also make it known throughout your organization where the idea came from. If the idea increases profits, a financial bonus may also be in order.

• Staff Meetings. The same is true with discussions in staff meetings. Set aside time to in each meeting to share challenges and solicit solutions. Take the time to facilitate a discussion in which all ideas are appreciated and valued. If an employee shares an idea, validate their effort, even if it’s not an idea you can implement. If you support and encourage your staff’s creativity they will continue to think about ways to improve your business, and the next idea they have may be just what you are looking for.

Your employees’ desire to be valued and treated as capable and competent is a basic human need. If you remember that your staff members are your most valuable resource, and treat them accordingly, you and your business will reap the benefits. (For a FREE worksheet and article on Ten Ways To Create A Positive Work Environment visit our website at insidejobscoach.com and click on Resources).

It’s also important to keep these things in mind as you deal with the people in your personal life. Do you treat your children, spouse, and friends as if they are capable and competent? Do you take the time to ask, listen, and help bring out their best? Whether part of your work or personal world, all people have the same need to be valued and heard. They all want to be seen as capable and competent. How are you doing this?