I remember working for an organization many years ago and one of my employees called to tell me she was had taken another job and was leaving. I almost burst into tears! (Super professional, I know). Losing an okay employee is tough, but losing a good employee can be devastating.
We all know how long it takes to fill roles, especially key, high-level ones. Empty seats take a toll on the organization as other people have to pick up the slack, institutional knowledge can get lost, and progress slows down.
One of my goals this year is to invest in my team. (See it here in my PowerSheets)
I don’t necessarily mean investing extra money into the amazing women on my team. I mean investing my time and energy into nurturing our relationships and their professional development. It’s so easy to become 100% task and deliverable oriented without any thought to ensuring your team members are truly thriving in their work.
There are a ton of things you can do to ensure your employees are happy, aside from providing free lunch or unlimited vacation, and I’ve written about tactics you can try here, here, and here.
But the number one way to ensure your team is engaged and thriving?
Connect your team to the inspiring vision of your organization
When people feel like their work has purpose, they will perform at a higher level, stay engaged, and be more committed. WIN. WIN. WIN.
You can make that happen by inviting your people to directly engage with those you serve. Nonprofits, invite your staff to participate in program activities. Small businesses, have your employees directly connect with your customers or clients.
One of my favorite ways to connect my team to the inspiring vision of our organization is to collaborate on our strategic plan. Although the business started out as mine, it’s now ours and I value the team’s input on how we’re going to move forward together.
So if you’ve just landed an amazing new team member, CONGRATS! Now the hard work begins to keep her inspired, engaged, and thriving!
#financeteam #humanresources
