How to Build a Learning Culture That Drives Performance

Business leaders and Learning and Development (L&D) professionals often extol the virtues of establishing a vibrant learning culture within an organization. It’s widely recognized as a key driver of both individual and collective performance and increasingly in younger generations, the opportunity to learn and grow is the most cited reason for employees leaving/looking for a job.

 

 

In today’s rapidly changing work environment, the ability to adapt, innovate, and continuously improve is crucial to business success. Yet, building a true learning culture is easier said than done. The CIPD highlighted this in its report, Creating Learning Cultures: Assessing the Evidence, which found that while 98% of L&D practitioners aim to develop a positive culture for learning, only 36% feel they have succeeded in doing so.

One of the main challenges is that a true learning culture goes beyond simply offering training opportunities; it requires a deeply ingrained mindset and an environment where learning is valued, encouraged, and rewarded at every level. This is, of course, closely tied to other factors such as job satisfaction, engagement, and motivation. Without these intrinsic drivers, employees are unlikely to be motivated to learn and take advantage of the opportunities available to them.

What is a Learning Culture?

At its core, a learning culture is more than just offering training programmes or ticking boxes for professional development. It’s about embedding learning into the very fabric of the organization – into its values, behaviors, and daily practices. One issue is that culture is such a broad term that it can be difficult to define targeted actions or practices that work. So what exactly is a learning culture? The CIPD recognizes that there are many definitions, but the key themes that come out from them all are:

• A learning culture is about making learning a natural part of how things get done at every level – individually, within teams, and across the organization.
• This kind of culture depends on strong leadership, following a clear strategy for learning, and guiding employees toward a shared vision. Open dialogue and reflection are key to driving positive change.
• Instead of thinking of a learning culture as a massive shift, it can be more useful to think of it as creating a “learning environment.” This ties the idea to specific behaviors and practices that can be implemented, making it feel more tangible.

So what can the learning and development function do to support this?

The reality is that creating a learning culture can feel overwhelming. But by focusing on building a learning environment—where learning is integrated into everyday processes—you can make meaningful progress without the pressure of trying to achieve wholesale change overnight. Here are three practical steps L&D teams can take to start building that environment:

1. Encourage Micro-learning

We recognize that some of the most impactful learning happens through experiential, face-to-face sessions where participants can engage deeply with concepts, explore ideas together, and feel comfortable showing vulnerability. However, these kinds of sessions can be expensive and in today’s busy workplace, expecting employees to consistently find large blocks of time for development isn’t realistic.

This is where micro-learning becomes invaluable. These short, focused learning sessions fit easily into busy schedules, allowing employees to develop new skills without major disruption. Micro-learning promotes continuous development by offering bite-sized content that can be consumed at convenient times, whether during a lunch break or between meetings. Research shows that learners retain more information when it’s delivered in small, manageable chunks, reducing cognitive overload, allowing learners to absorb and recall information more effectively. By making learning an everyday habit rather than an occasional event, you embed development into the natural flow of work.

To make this happen, L&D can:

• Curate bite-sized learning resources such as short videos, articles, or quizzes.
• Leverage mobile learning platforms like Primeast’s Learn@primeast so employees can access content on the go.

 

• Schedule regular micro-learning sessions to keep momentum, rather than relying on one-off workshops.

2. Reward Curiosity

A key aspect of creating a learning environment is encouraging employees to take ownership of their learning. This means recognising and rewarding curiosity. When people feel that their efforts to learn and grow are valued, they’re far more likely to invest in their development. This goes beyond formal learning initiatives—it’s about celebrating those who take the initiative to seek out new knowledge and develop new skills on their own.

A culture that rewards curiosity fosters a sense of ownership and motivation among employees. It shows that learning isn’t just encouraged but is something that’s appreciated and even rewarded. Recognising and rewarding these efforts also signals to others in the organization that learning is valued:

• Creating recognition programmes that reward employees who show a commitment to learning.
• Offering development budgets or incentives for self-directed learning.
• Encouraging managers to lead by example, demonstrating their own curiosity and ongoing development.

3. Foster Peer-to-Peer Learning

Building a learning environment is not just about individual efforts—it’s about fostering a sense of shared responsibility for learning across the organization. One of the most effective ways to do this is through peer-to-peer learning. When employees share their expertise with each other, it creates a collaborative learning culture that strengthens both knowledge and team bonds.

Peer-to-peer learning can be as simple as hosting regular knowledge-sharing sessions where employees present on topics they’re skilled in or creating opportunities for cross-functional learning. The key is to create spaces where people feel comfortable sharing what they know and learning from others:

• Setting up mentoring or buddy systems where experienced employees guide others.
• Running “lunch and learn” sessions where team members can present new skills or knowledge they’ve acquired.
• Encouraging collaborative problem-solving that promotes group learning.

Additional Strategies for Building a Learning Culture

While micro-learning, rewarding curiosity, and peer-to-peer learning are essential, other strategies can further bolster your efforts:

Use Learning Analytics

Data-driven insights from learning analytics can help measure the effectiveness of training programmes and inform future learning strategies. Metrics such as completion rates, engagement levels, and post-training performance improvements can provide valuable feedback.

Psychological Safety

The CIPD report underscores the need for psychological safety in a learning culture. Employees should feel comfortable asking questions, taking risks, and admitting when they do not know something. Creating this environment requires leadership to foster openness and support.

Align Learning with Business Goals

Learning and development activities should be closely tied to the organization’s strategic objectives. This makes it clear to employees that learning is not just about personal growth but is integral to achieving business success.

Final Thoughts: Start Small, Build Big

Building a learning culture doesn’t have to be overwhelming if you think of it as a process of cultivating a learning environment. By taking small but consistent actions like promoting micro-learning, rewarding curiosity, and fostering peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, you lay the groundwork for a culture where learning is naturally integrated into daily work life.

The truth is, creating a learning culture takes time. But when learning becomes a core part of how your organization operates, the benefits are clear: increased employee engagement, stronger team collaboration, and, ultimately, improved business performance. With the right approach, L&D can be the driving force that turns learning into a shared responsibility that everyone embraces.

How to Build a Learning Culture That Drives Performance

Business leaders and Learning and Development (L&D) professionals often extol the virtues of establishing a vibrant learning culture within an organisation. It’s widely recognised as a key driver of both individual and collective performance and increasingly in younger generations, the opportunity to learn and grow is the most cited reason for employees leaving/looking for a job.

 

 

In today’s rapidly changing work environment, the ability to adapt, innovate, and continuously improve is crucial to business success. Yet, building a true learning culture is easier said than done. The CIPD highlighted this in its report, Creating Learning Cultures: Assessing the Evidence, which found that while 98% of L&D practitioners aim to develop a positive culture for learning, only 36% feel they have succeeded in doing so.

One of the main challenges is that a true learning culture goes beyond simply offering training opportunities; it requires a deeply ingrained mindset and an environment where learning is valued, encouraged, and rewarded at every level. This is, of course, closely tied to other factors such as job satisfaction, engagement, and motivation. Without these intrinsic drivers, employees are unlikely to be motivated to learn and take advantage of the opportunities available to them.

What is a Learning Culture?

At its core, a learning culture is more than just offering training programmes or ticking boxes for professional development. It’s about embedding learning into the very fabric of the organisation – into its values, behaviours, and daily practices. One issue is that culture is such a broad term that it can be difficult to define targeted actions or practices that work. So what exactly is a learning culture? The CIPD recognises that there are many definitions, but the key themes that come out from them all are:

• A learning culture is about making learning a natural part of how things get done at every level – individually, within teams, and across the organisation.
• This kind of culture depends on strong leadership, following a clear strategy for learning, and guiding employees toward a shared vision. Open dialogue and reflection are key to driving positive change.
• Instead of thinking of a learning culture as a massive shift, it can be more useful to think of it as creating a “learning environment.” This ties the idea to specific behaviours and practices that can be implemented, making it feel more tangible.

So what can the learning and development function do to support this?

The reality is that creating a learning culture can feel overwhelming. But by focusing on building a learning environment—where learning is integrated into everyday processes—you can make meaningful progress without the pressure of trying to achieve wholesale change overnight. Here are three practical steps L&D teams can take to start building that environment:

1. Encourage Micro-learning

We recognise that some of the most impactful learning happens through experiential, face-to-face sessions where participants can engage deeply with concepts, explore ideas together, and feel comfortable showing vulnerability. However, these kinds of sessions can be expensive and in today’s busy workplace, expecting employees to consistently find large blocks of time for development isn’t realistic.

This is where micro-learning becomes invaluable. These short, focused learning sessions fit easily into busy schedules, allowing employees to develop new skills without major disruption. Micro-learning promotes continuous development by offering bite-sized content that can be consumed at convenient times, whether during a lunch break or between meetings. Research shows that learners retain more information when it’s delivered in small, manageable chunks, reducing cognitive overload, allowing learners to absorb and recall information more effectively. By making learning an everyday habit rather than an occasional event, you embed development into the natural flow of work.

To make this happen, L&D can:

• Curate bite-sized learning resources such as short videos, articles, or quizzes.
• Leverage mobile learning platforms like Primeast’s Learn@primeast so employees can access content on the go.

 

• Schedule regular micro-learning sessions to keep momentum, rather than relying on one-off workshops.

2. Reward Curiosity

A key aspect of creating a learning environment is encouraging employees to take ownership of their learning. This means recognising and rewarding curiosity. When people feel that their efforts to learn and grow are valued, they’re far more likely to invest in their development. This goes beyond formal learning initiatives—it’s about celebrating those who take the initiative to seek out new knowledge and develop new skills on their own.

A culture that rewards curiosity fosters a sense of ownership and motivation among employees. It shows that learning isn’t just encouraged but is something that’s appreciated and even rewarded. Recognising and rewarding these efforts also signals to others in the organisation that learning is valued:

• Creating recognition programmes that reward employees who show a commitment to learning.
• Offering development budgets or incentives for self-directed learning.
• Encouraging managers to lead by example, demonstrating their own curiosity and ongoing development.

3. Foster Peer-to-Peer Learning

Building a learning environment is not just about individual efforts—it’s about fostering a sense of shared responsibility for learning across the organisation. One of the most effective ways to do this is through peer-to-peer learning. When employees share their expertise with each other, it creates a collaborative learning culture that strengthens both knowledge and team bonds.

Peer-to-peer learning can be as simple as hosting regular knowledge-sharing sessions where employees present on topics they’re skilled in or creating opportunities for cross-functional learning. The key is to create spaces where people feel comfortable sharing what they know and learning from others:

• Setting up mentoring or buddy systems where experienced employees guide others.
• Running “lunch and learn” sessions where team members can present new skills or knowledge they’ve acquired.
• Encouraging collaborative problem-solving that promotes group learning.

Additional Strategies for Building a Learning Culture

While micro-learning, rewarding curiosity, and peer-to-peer learning are essential, other strategies can further bolster your efforts:

Use Learning Analytics

Data-driven insights from learning analytics can help measure the effectiveness of training programmes and inform future learning strategies. Metrics such as completion rates, engagement levels, and post-training performance improvements can provide valuable feedback.

Psychological Safety

The CIPD report underscores the need for psychological safety in a learning culture. Employees should feel comfortable asking questions, taking risks, and admitting when they do not know something. Creating this environment requires leadership to foster openness and support.

Align Learning with Business Goals

Learning and development activities should be closely tied to the organisation’s strategic objectives. This makes it clear to employees that learning is not just about personal growth but is integral to achieving business success.

Final Thoughts: Start Small, Build Big

Building a learning culture doesn’t have to be overwhelming if you think of it as a process of cultivating a learning environment. By taking small but consistent actions like promoting micro-learning, rewarding curiosity, and fostering peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, you lay the groundwork for a culture where learning is naturally integrated into daily work life.

The truth is, creating a learning culture takes time. But when learning becomes a core part of how your organisation operates, the benefits are clear: increased employee engagement, stronger team collaboration, and, ultimately, improved business performance. With the right approach, L&D can be the driving force that turns learning into a shared responsibility that everyone embraces.

Understanding your Personal Values

Understanding your personal values is a powerful step toward greater self-awareness and personal growth. When we understand our values we can do work and operate in a way that is aligned to them. Values are the guiding principles that shape our behaviors, decisions, and interactions. By gaining clarity on what truly matters to you, you can make more informed choices and align your life with your core beliefs.  When our external world is not aligned to our ‘inner’ world, we can experience a deep rooted tension. Let’s explore why your values are important, how they influence various aspects of your life, and how understanding them can enhance your sense of purpose and fulfilment.

The Importance of Personal Values

Personal values are fundamental to our identity, shaping how we perceive the world and interact with it. They are deeply ingrained beliefs that guide our choices and influence our emotional responses. Here are a few reasons why knowing your values is crucial:

1. Guidance and Direction: Values act as a compass, providing a sense of direction in life. They help you prioritize your time, energy, and resources, ensuring that you focus on what truly matters to you. When faced with difficult decisions, your values serve as a framework to evaluate options and make choices that align with your true self.
2. Consistency and Integrity: Living in accordance with your values fosters a sense of integrity and authenticity. When your actions align with your values, you experience greater consistency and self-respect. This integrity not only strengthens your self-image but also enhances your reputation with others.
3. Emotional Resilience: Understanding your values can increase your resilience in challenging situations. By staying true to your core beliefs, you can navigate difficult times with confidence and clarity. Values provide a sense of stability, allowing you to remain grounded even when external circumstances are uncertain.
4. Increased Satisfaction: When your daily activities reflect your values, you experience higher levels of satisfaction and fulfilment. Aligning your actions with your values leads to a life that feels more meaningful and purposeful.

How Values Affect Your Behavior and Relationships

Your values influence your behavior and responses in various aspects of your life, from personal relationships to professional interactions. Here’s how:

Personal Relationships

Values play a pivotal role in shaping how you connect with others. When your relationships align with your values, you experience deeper connections and mutual respect. For example, if honesty is a core value, you’ll likely prioritize open and transparent communication with your loved ones. This authenticity fosters trust and intimacy, strengthening your relationships.

Values also impact the way you resolve conflicts. If compassion is a key value, you’ll approach disagreements with empathy and understanding, striving for resolutions that honour the perspectives of all parties involved. By aligning your interactions with your values, you create relationships that are more harmonious and enduring.

Working Relationships

In the workplace, values play a critical role in how you collaborate with colleagues. When you share common values with your team, it fosters a positive work environment and enhances teamwork. For instance, if teamwork is a key value, you’ll be more inclined to support and uplift your colleagues.

Values also influence your leadership style. Leaders who prioriti\e integrity and transparency build trust within their teams, creating a culture of openness and accountability. By aligning your professional interactions with your values, you contribute to a more productive and positive workplace.

Meetings and Collaborations

During meetings and collaborative projects, values influence your participation and contributions. If innovation is a core value, you may approach discussions with creativity and a willingness to explore new ideas. This openness can lead to more dynamic and effective problem-solving.

Values also affect how you perceive feedback. If growth and learning are important values, you’ll likely embrace constructive criticism as an opportunity for improvement rather than a threat to your self-worth. By aligning your mindset with your values, you can engage more effectively in collaborative settings.

Decision-Making and Problem-Solving

Values serve as a filter for decision-making. When faced with choices, aligning your decisions with your values ensures that you remain true to yourself and make choices that reflect your priorities. For example, if environmental sustainability is a core value, you’ll likely consider the ecological impact of your decisions.

Values also influence how you approach problem-solving. If compassion is a key value, you may prioritise solutions that address the needs and well-being of others. By aligning your decision-making process with your values, you create outcomes that are more aligned with your ethical beliefs and aspirations.

Aligning Values with Purpose: The Ikigai Model

Together, aligning to your values AND your purpose creates the strongest foundations for a meaningful life. The Ikigai model offers a framework for finding your purpose by integrating your values with your passions, skills, and the needs of the world. Ikigai, a Japanese concept, translates to “a reason for being” and is often visualized as the intersection of four key elements. You can take this model and write your responses in each section to help you find your ‘ikigai’:

1. What You Love (Passion): What are the activities that bring you joy and fulfilment? When your work aligns with your passions, it feels less like a chore and more like an expression of who you are.
2. What You Are Good At (Vocation): What skills and talents do you excel in? When we are involved in a task that we are good at, we are more likely to be motivated to try and master that skill, challenging ourselves to improve and do better, seeking that sense of satisfaction at having done something well. It feels good. Leveraging your strengths in your work leads to greater effectiveness and confidence.
3. What the World Needs (Mission): How can you best serve or contribute to society? When your work addresses a genuine need, that you are providing something of worth to society, it becomes more meaningful and impactful.
4. What You Can Be Paid For (Profession): What work might we do that provides value that generates income. Aligning your career with your financial goals ensures sustainability and stability.

By understanding your values and how they intersect with these elements, you can find a sense of purpose that resonates deeply with who you are. When your work aligns with your values and purpose, you experience greater satisfaction and motivation.

Taking Action: Aligning Your Life with Your Values

Understanding your personal values is just the beginning. Here are some steps to help you align your life more closely with your values and beliefs:

1. Reflect Regularly: Take time to reflect on your values and how they are manifesting in your life. Journaling can be a valuable tool for gaining insight and clarity. Set aside moments to assess whether your actions align with your core beliefs and make adjustments as needed. Identify situations or moments where you feel angry, annoyed, withdrawn, frustrated which results in a reactive response and consider why this is the case. What values are being stepped on that might be causing your ‘emotional brain’ to react so  negatively? Exploring the beliefs that lie behind these responses will help you to master your own responses in future similar situations and achieve better outcomes. 
2. Set Value-Driven Goals: Create goals that are aligned with your values. This ensures that your actions are purposeful and meaningful. When your goals reflect your values, you are more likely to stay motivated and committed to achieving them.
3. Evaluate Choices: When making decisions, consider how each option aligns with your values. Choose paths that resonate with your core beliefs. This approach helps you avoid decisions that may lead to regret or dissatisfaction.
4. Communicate Openly: Share your values with those around you. Open communication fosters understanding and strengthens relationships. By expressing your values, you create an environment where others can support and respect your priorities.
5. Seek Alignment in Work: Look for opportunities and roles that align with your values. When your work reflects your values, you’ll find greater fulfilment and engagement. Seek out organizations and projects that share your values, creating a sense of purpose in your professional life.
6. Embrace Growth and Learning: Be open to revisiting and refining your values as you grow and evolve. Life experiences can shape and shift your beliefs, so remain flexible and willing to adapt.
7. Practice Self-Compassion: Recognize that aligning your life with your values is a journey, not a destination. Be kind to yourself as you navigate challenges and setbacks, and celebrate your progress along the way.

Conclusion

By understanding and embracing your personal values, you can create a life that is more authentic, purposeful, and fulfilling. Your values are the key to unlocking a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you. As you continue on your journey, remember that aligning your values with your actions and choices will lead to a more harmonious and meaningful life.

Understanding your Personal Values

Understanding your personal values is a powerful step toward greater self-awareness and personal growth. When we understand our values we can do work and operate in a way that is aligned to them. Values are the guiding principles that shape our behaviours, decisions, and interactions. By gaining clarity on what truly matters to you, you can make more informed choices and align your life with your core beliefs.  When our external world is not aligned to our ‘inner’ world, we can experience a deep rooted tension. Let’s explore why your values are important, how they influence various aspects of your life, and how understanding them can enhance your sense of purpose and fulfilment.

The Importance of Personal Values

Personal values are fundamental to our identity, shaping how we perceive the world and interact with it. They are deeply ingrained beliefs that guide our choices and influence our emotional responses. Here are a few reasons why knowing your values is crucial:

1. Guidance and Direction: Values act as a compass, providing a sense of direction in life. They help you prioritise your time, energy, and resources, ensuring that you focus on what truly matters to you. When faced with difficult decisions, your values serve as a framework to evaluate options and make choices that align with your true self.
2. Consistency and Integrity: Living in accordance with your values fosters a sense of integrity and authenticity. When your actions align with your values, you experience greater consistency and self-respect. This integrity not only strengthens your self-image but also enhances your reputation with others.
3. Emotional Resilience: Understanding your values can increase your resilience in challenging situations. By staying true to your core beliefs, you can navigate difficult times with confidence and clarity. Values provide a sense of stability, allowing you to remain grounded even when external circumstances are uncertain.
4. Increased Satisfaction: When your daily activities reflect your values, you experience higher levels of satisfaction and fulfilment. Aligning your actions with your values leads to a life that feels more meaningful and purposeful.

How Values Affect Your Behaviour and Relationships

Your values influence your behaviour and responses in various aspects of your life, from personal relationships to professional interactions. Here’s how:

Personal Relationships

Values play a pivotal role in shaping how you connect with others. When your relationships align with your values, you experience deeper connections and mutual respect. For example, if honesty is a core value, you’ll likely prioritise open and transparent communication with your loved ones. This authenticity fosters trust and intimacy, strengthening your relationships.

Values also impact the way you resolve conflicts. If compassion is a key value, you’ll approach disagreements with empathy and understanding, striving for resolutions that honour the perspectives of all parties involved. By aligning your interactions with your values, you create relationships that are more harmonious and enduring.

Working Relationships

In the workplace, values play a critical role in how you collaborate with colleagues. When you share common values with your team, it fosters a positive work environment and enhances teamwork. For instance, if teamwork is a key value, you’ll be more inclined to support and uplift your colleagues.

Values also influence your leadership style. Leaders who prioritise integrity and transparency build trust within their teams, creating a culture of openness and accountability. By aligning your professional interactions with your values, you contribute to a more productive and positive workplace.

Meetings and Collaborations

During meetings and collaborative projects, values influence your participation and contributions. If innovation is a core value, you may approach discussions with creativity and a willingness to explore new ideas. This openness can lead to more dynamic and effective problem-solving.

Values also affect how you perceive feedback. If growth and learning are important values, you’ll likely embrace constructive criticism as an opportunity for improvement rather than a threat to your self-worth. By aligning your mindset with your values, you can engage more effectively in collaborative settings.

Decision-Making and Problem-Solving

Values serve as a filter for decision-making. When faced with choices, aligning your decisions with your values ensures that you remain true to yourself and make choices that reflect your priorities. For example, if environmental sustainability is a core value, you’ll likely consider the ecological impact of your decisions.

Values also influence how you approach problem-solving. If compassion is a key value, you may prioritise solutions that address the needs and well-being of others. By aligning your decision-making process with your values, you create outcomes that are more aligned with your ethical beliefs and aspirations.

Aligning Values with Purpose: The Ikigai Model

Together, aligning to your values AND your purpose creates the strongest foundations for a meaningful life. The Ikigai model offers a framework for finding your purpose by integrating your values with your passions, skills, and the needs of the world. Ikigai, a Japanese concept, translates to “a reason for being” and is often visualised as the intersection of four key elements. You can take this model and write your responses in each section to help you find your ‘ikigai’:

1. What You Love (Passion): What are the activities that bring you joy and fulfilment? When your work aligns with your passions, it feels less like a chore and more like an expression of who you are.
2. What You Are Good At (Vocation): What skills and talents do you excel in? When we are involved in a task that we are good at, we are more likely to be motivated to try and master that skill, challenging ourselves to improve and do better, seeking that sense of satisfaction at having done something well. It feels good. Leveraging your strengths in your work leads to greater effectiveness and confidence.
3. What the World Needs (Mission): How can you best serve or contribute to society? When your work addresses a genuine need, that you are providing something of worth to society, it becomes more meaningful and impactful.
4. What You Can Be Paid For (Profession): What work might we do that provides value that generates income. Aligning your career with your financial goals ensures sustainability and stability.

By understanding your values and how they intersect with these elements, you can find a sense of purpose that resonates deeply with who you are. When your work aligns with your values and purpose, you experience greater satisfaction and motivation.

Taking Action: Aligning Your Life with Your Values

Understanding your personal values is just the beginning. Here are some steps to help you align your life more closely with your values and beliefs:

1. Reflect Regularly: Take time to reflect on your values and how they are manifesting in your life. Journaling can be a valuable tool for gaining insight and clarity. Set aside moments to assess whether your actions align with your core beliefs and make adjustments as needed. Identify situations or moments where you feel angry, annoyed, withdrawn, frustrated which results in a reactive response and consider why this is the case. What values are being stepped on that might be causing your ‘emotional brain’ to react so  negatively? Exploring the beliefs that lie behind these responses will help you to master your own responses in future similar situations and achieve better outcomes. 
2. Set Value-Driven Goals: Create goals that are aligned with your values. This ensures that your actions are purposeful and meaningful. When your goals reflect your values, you are more likely to stay motivated and committed to achieving them.
3. Evaluate Choices: When making decisions, consider how each option aligns with your values. Choose paths that resonate with your core beliefs. This approach helps you avoid decisions that may lead to regret or dissatisfaction.
4. Communicate Openly: Share your values with those around you. Open communication fosters understanding and strengthens relationships. By expressing your values, you create an environment where others can support and respect your priorities.
5. Seek Alignment in Work: Look for opportunities and roles that align with your values. When your work reflects your values, you’ll find greater fulfilment and engagement. Seek out organisations and projects that share your values, creating a sense of purpose in your professional life.
6. Embrace Growth and Learning: Be open to revisiting and refining your values as you grow and evolve. Life experiences can shape and shift your beliefs, so remain flexible and willing to adapt.
7. Practice Self-Compassion: Recognise that aligning your life with your values is a journey, not a destination. Be kind to yourself as you navigate challenges and setbacks, and celebrate your progress along the way.

Conclusion

By understanding and embracing your personal values, you can create a life that is more authentic, purposeful, and fulfilling. Your values are the key to unlocking a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you. As you continue on your journey, remember that aligning your values with your actions and choices will lead to a more harmonious and meaningful life.

The 7 Challenges of Flattened Management Hierarchies

The 7 Challenges of Flattened Management Hierarchies

In our last article, we discussed how organizations could use a collaboration skills checklist to profit in the modern workplace. The modern workplace is increasingly one where management and supervisory lines are blurred or removed. These flattened management hierarchies have been shown to produce many benefits, including:

• Greater motivation placed on individuals to maximize their own performance
• People taking ownership of the decision making process, leading to greater agility and speed
• Teams becoming self-governing, reducing HR responsibilities
• People increasing their skillsets more quickly and contributing more fully to organizational performance

However, flattened management hierarchies also provide a range of challenges to the organization, its leaders, and employees.

Focusing on the challenges of flattened management hierarchies

When developing a competitive organizational structure capable of challenging in the 21st century, change management must consider needs of the business and its people. Valve Software considered its flat structure to be integral to its business strategy. Company CEO Gabe Newell said:

“When we started Valve [in 1996], we thought about what the company needed to be good at. We realized that here, our job was to create things that hadn’t existed before. Managers are good at institutionalizing procedures, but in our line of work, that’s not always good. Sometimes the skills in one generation of product are irrelevant to the skills in another generation. Our industry is in such technological, design, and artistic flux that we need somebody who can recognize that. It’s pretty rare for someone to be in a lead role on two consecutive projects.”

Here are seven challenges that are commonly faced by organizations with a lack of hierarchical structure:

1. Lack of leadership leads to motivational issues

Not everyone is a self-starter, and flatter structures thrive when its people are good self-motivators. Flat organizations are short on the management numbers to offer individual guidance and instruction.

2. Decision making processes become blurred

A more collaborative approach may require big decisions to be made by voting or consensus. This can be complicated and slow down the decision making process.

3. A lack of understanding of spheres of responsibility

When people are challenged to work in cross functional teams and on multiple projects, spheres of responsibility can become confused. There must always be some degree of supervision and delegation, but teams will commonly be self-governing to minimize the supervision needed. The real challenge here is that important issues are communicated to each team.

4. Processes and procedures lack consistency

When teams are allowed to determine their own best practices, methods of working become disassociated. This produces inconsistences in approach and employees may find it difficult to transition from one team to another.

5. A lack of recognized career progression

With fewer supervisory and management positions, there will be less opportunity for traditional career progression. Not only this, but with fewer managers to oversee projects and the work environment, high-flying employees could be passed over for promotion or recognition. This could lead to higher staff turnover.

6. Keeping on top of capabilities and abilities

While the flattened management hierarchy and new way of working will produce opportunities for self-improvement of individuals, it will be more difficult to monitor these capabilities and utilize to enhance the organization.

7. Traditional lines of communication become defunct

Finally, when people work in smaller, autonomous teams, traditional communication techniques and tools fail to ‘spread the word’. New technologies and procedures will need to be used to ensure communication is efficient and effective.

Change is difficult. It needs a strategic vision, a committed leadership, and a set of common objectives that drive employees and teams to achieve. In flattened management hierarchies, organizational leadership will necessarily need to discover new ways to motivate and manage. Best practices will be continuously iterated and will need to be communicated via appropriate channels.

In our next article in this series, we’ll examine how to motivate a millennial generation workforce as you strategize to jumpstart change.

Contact Primeast today and discover how a Change Agent Bootcamp, and coaching in Consulting and Facilitating, will help your organization take advantage of the modern, collaborative workplace.

The 7 Challenges of Flattened Management Hierarchies

The 7 Challenges of Flattened Management Hierarchies

In our last article, we discussed how organisations could use a collaboration skills checklist to profit in the modern workplace. The modern workplace is increasingly one where management and supervisory lines are blurred or removed. These flattened management hierarchies have been shown to produce many benefits, including:

• Greater motivation placed on individuals to maximise their own performance
• People taking ownership of the decision making process, leading to greater agility and speed
• Teams becoming self-governing, reducing HR responsibilities
• People increasing their skillsets more quickly and contributing more fully to organisational performance

However, flattened management hierarchies also provide a range of challenges to the organisation, its leaders, and employees.

Focusing on the challenges of flattened management hierarchies

When developing a competitive organisational structure capable of challenging in the 21st century, change management must consider needs of the business and its people. Valve Software considered its flat structure to be integral to its business strategy. Company CEO Gabe Newell said:

“When we started Valve [in 1996], we thought about what the company needed to be good at. We realized that here, our job was to create things that hadn’t existed before. Managers are good at institutionalizing procedures, but in our line of work, that’s not always good. Sometimes the skills in one generation of product are irrelevant to the skills in another generation. Our industry is in such technological, design, and artistic flux that we need somebody who can recognise that. It’s pretty rare for someone to be in a lead role on two consecutive projects.”

Here are seven challenges that are commonly faced by organisations with a lack of hierarchical structure:

1. Lack of leadership leads to motivational issues

Not everyone is a self-starter, and flatter structures thrive when its people are good self-motivators. Flat organisations are short on the management numbers to offer individual guidance and instruction.

2. Decision making processes become blurred

A more collaborative approach may require big decisions to be made by voting or consensus. This can be complicated and slow down the decision making process.

3. A lack of understanding of spheres of responsibility

When people are challenged to work in cross functional teams and on multiple projects, spheres of responsibility can become confused. There must always be some degree of supervision and delegation, but teams will commonly be self-governing to minimise the supervision needed. The real challenge here is that important issues are communicated to each team.

4. Processes and procedures lack consistency

When teams are allowed to determine their own best practices, methods of working become disassociated. This produces inconsistences in approach and employees may find it difficult to transition from one team to another.

5. A lack of recognised career progression

With fewer supervisory and management positions, there will be less opportunity for traditional career progression. Not only this, but with fewer managers to oversee projects and the work environment, high-flying employees could be passed over for promotion or recognition. This could lead to higher staff turnover.

6. Keeping on top of capabilities and abilities

While the flattened management hierarchy and new way of working will produce opportunities for self-improvement of individuals, it will be more difficult to monitor these capabilities and utilize to enhance the organisation.

7. Traditional lines of communication become defunct

Finally, when people work in smaller, autonomous teams, traditional communication techniques and tools fail to ‘spread the word’. New technologies and procedures will need to be used to ensure communication is efficient and effective.

Change is difficult. It needs a strategic vision, a committed leadership, and a set of common objectives that drive employees and teams to achieve. In flattened management hierarchies, organisational leadership will necessarily need to discover new ways to motivate and manage. Best practices will be continuously iterated and will need to be communicated via appropriate channels.

In our next article in this series, we’ll examine how to motivate a millennial generation workforce as you strategize to jumpstart change.

Contact Primeast today and discover how a Change management training, and coaching in Consulting and Facilitating, will help your organisation take advantage of the modern, collaborative workplace.

Diversity and Inclusion Deliver Change Management Success

Diversity and Change Management: How Inclusion Delivers Success

Attitudes toward organizational change often sit at two extremes. Some view change with dread, feeling threatened and fearful, resistant to leaving the familiar behind. Others embrace change, seeing it as a chance for creativity and new opportunities. Energized by potential, they revel in its risks.

These extremes reflect responses shaped by personal culture, experiences, upbringing, and mindset. Failed change projects are often blamed on poor training, insufficient explanation, or the overwhelming pace and scope of change. The key question is how to lead diverse attitudes effectively through times of change.

Building an inclusive workplace starts with a strong culture that values diversity and encourages engagement. This creates an environment where all voices are heard, enhancing team dynamics and overall performance.

Building an Inclusive Workplace Culture

An inclusive workplace culture creates a positive, productive environment by valuing diversity, promoting equality, and fostering belonging. To build this culture, companies can start with a clear vision and mission emphasizing diversity and inclusion, supported by a strategy with specific goals and objectives.

Companies can promote inclusion by offering diversity training, encouraging open communication, and fostering active listening. Creating employee resource groups also supports employees from diverse backgrounds, building a sense of community and belonging.

Prioritising an inclusive culture empowers employees to contribute their best work, fostering greater innovation and productivity.

Valuing diversity and workplace inclusion energizes effective change

A 2015 McKinsey report titled ‘Why Diversity Matters’’ found that businesses with higher levels of diversity outperform others by up to 15%. This outperformance is explained by what diversity brings to the table.

By employing a diverse range of people (different genders, backgrounds, ages, personalities, races, and so on), an organization gives itself the potential to discover more creative solutions and become more welcoming to an increasingly diverse customer base. A diverse team includes employees from various backgrounds, cultures, and generations, enhancing the talent pool and reducing recruiting costs. To unlock this potential, diversity must be accompanied by inclusion. People must be made to feel that their contributions are valued, and that they are respected as people, colleagues and employees.

Valuing workplace diversity energizes effective change. Especially through periods of change, diversity provides the impetus to discover innovative solutions, making teams more inventive and agile, and thus aiding the breaking down of resistance to change.

Creating a Diverse Workforce

A diverse workforce drives innovation, improves decision-making, and enhances business performance. By uniting individuals with varied backgrounds and perspectives, diversity fosters fresh ideas and solutions.

To build a diverse workforce, companies can use inclusive hiring practices like blind resume screening to reduce bias and expand the candidate pool. This approach evaluates candidates based on skills rather than background. Providing diversity and inclusion training further reinforces the importance of a diverse team.

Embracing diverse hiring and an inclusive culture attracts top talent, driving innovation and business success.

Combating cultural conflicts in change management

In any multicultural setting, there is bound to be some conflict. How leaders deal with this is crucial to creating a forum where such conflict becomes a force for greater innovation and creativity. Implementing inclusive behaviors, such as providing equal access to resources and establishing safe spaces for all team members, is essential. It is essential that leaders eliminate their unconscious bias, and take a care-fronting approach to conflict resolution.

Inclusive Workplace Practices

Inclusive workplace practices are essential for creating a positive and productive work environment. Inclusive practices can include flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting or flexible hours, to promote work-life balance and increase employee satisfaction.

Companies can also implement inclusive practices, such as employee resource groups, to provide support and resources for employees from diverse backgrounds. These groups can help create a sense of community and belonging, making employees feel valued and respected. Additionally, companies can promote open communication and feedback, and encourage active listening to foster a sense of belonging among all employees.

By adopting inclusive workplace practices, companies can create an environment where all employees feel supported and empowered to contribute their best work, leading to increased innovation and productivity.

Strategies for Fostering an Inclusive Culture

Fostering an inclusive culture requires a strategic approach that involves multiple stakeholders and departments. Companies can start by establishing a clear vision and mission that emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion. This vision should be communicated consistently across the organization to ensure that all employees understand and embrace the company’s commitment to an inclusive workplace culture.

Companies can also promote an inclusive culture by providing training and education on diversity and inclusion, encouraging open communication and feedback, and promoting active listening. Additionally, companies can create employee resource groups to provide support and resources for employees from diverse backgrounds. These groups can help foster a sense of community and belonging, making employees feel valued and respected.

By implementing these strategies, companies can create an inclusive culture that values diversity, promotes equality, and fosters a sense of belonging among all employees.

Are your leaders equipped to take advantage of a diverse workforce?

It is also essential that change leaders identify differences in approaches to work (for example, task-oriented or relationship-oriented), contrasting attitudes, and different skill sets. Communication styles between genders and age groups are likely to be different, too. As the workforce gets younger, change leaders must become more mindful of the mindset of the millennial generation.

Leaders today must understand that their diverse workforces have embedded assumptions and ways of thinking. These differences must be accommodated in the leadership approach. Communication in leadership is key – without attention to cultural differences, a leader’s verbal and nonverbal communication style can destroy collaboration.

It is crucial that today’s leaders possess the skills to manage across cultures. They must be good listeners, and have the skill set to discover hidden talents and employ them in situations that benefit both the employee and the organization.

Organizational culture should be developed in line with a diversity and inclusion (D&I) policy that encourages employee engagement across cultural divides. Opportunities for promotion should be seen to be equal for all, irrespective of gender, race or background. Teams should be developed purposefully, with diversity of members leading to healthy conflict that enables greater agility through change.

Overcoming Challenges to Inclusion

Overcoming challenges to inclusion requires a proactive approach that involves multiple stakeholders and departments. Companies can start by identifying the challenges and barriers to inclusion, such as unconscious bias, negative team dynamics, or a lack of leadership support.

Companies can also provide training and education on diversity and inclusion to overcome unconscious bias and promote a culture of inclusion. This training can help employees recognize and address their biases, leading to a more inclusive work environment. Additionally, companies can implement inclusive practices, such as blind resume screening, to reduce bias and increase the pool of qualified candidates.

By implementing these strategies, companies can overcome the challenges to inclusion and create a positive and productive work environment that values diversity and promotes equality. This proactive approach will help ensure that all employees feel valued and respected, leading to increased innovation and business success.

Embrace diversity and your team will embrace change

It is natural to be wary of change. Whether a person is excited by it or fearful of it, the risks are the same. As are the rewards. When an organization embraces diversity and inclusion, it prepares itself for change. Inclusion efforts, such as regularly reassessing hiring practices and ensuring all voices are heard, are crucial for fostering a supportive environment.

Divergence in views and perspectives, and discussion and debate in open and honest forums in which all are encouraged to take part and all voices are heard equally, leads to better solutions. Workplace inclusion, by promoting diverse experiences and providing equal opportunities, fuels successful change and helps to eliminate resistance to change.

Does your organization have a positive diversity and inclusion policy? Are your leaders equipped to manage multicultural teams effectively?

Contact us today, and discover how we could help your leaders and managers lead more effectively and authentically through periods of change.

Diversity and Inclusion Deliver Change Management Success

Diversity and Change Management: How Inclusion Delivers Success

Attitudes toward organisational change often sit at two extremes. Some view change with dread, feeling threatened and fearful, resistant to leaving the familiar behind. Others embrace change, seeing it as a chance for creativity and new opportunities. Energized by potential, they revel in its risks.

These extremes reflect responses shaped by personal culture, experiences, upbringing, and mindset. Failed change projects are often blamed on poor training, insufficient explanation, or the overwhelming pace and scope of change. The key question is how to lead diverse attitudes effectively through times of change.

Building an inclusive workplace starts with a strong culture that values diversity and encourages engagement. This creates an environment where all voices are heard, enhancing team dynamics and overall performance.

Building an Inclusive Workplace Culture

An inclusive workplace culture creates a positive, productive environment by valuing diversity, promoting equality, and fostering belonging. To build this culture, companies can start with a clear vision and mission emphasizing diversity and inclusion, supported by a strategy with specific goals and objectives.

Companies can promote inclusion by offering diversity training, encouraging open communication, and fostering active listening. Creating employee resource groups also supports employees from diverse backgrounds, building a sense of community and belonging.

Prioritising an inclusive culture empowers employees to contribute their best work, fostering greater innovation and productivity.

Valuing diversity and workplace inclusion energises effective change

A 2015 McKinsey report titled ‘Why Diversity Matters’’ found that businesses with higher levels of diversity outperform others by up to 15%. This outperformance is explained by what diversity brings to the table.

By employing a diverse range of people (different genders, backgrounds, ages, personalities, races, and so on), an organisation gives itself the potential to discover more creative solutions and become more welcoming to an increasingly diverse customer base. A diverse team includes employees from various backgrounds, cultures, and generations, enhancing the talent pool and reducing recruiting costs. To unlock this potential, diversity must be accompanied by inclusion. People must be made to feel that their contributions are valued, and that they are respected as people, colleagues and employees.

Valuing workplace diversity energises effective change. Especially through periods of change, diversity provides the impetus to discover innovative solutions, making teams more inventive and agile, and thus aiding the breaking down of resistance to change.

Creating a Diverse Workforce

A diverse workforce drives innovation, improves decision-making, and enhances business performance. By uniting individuals with varied backgrounds and perspectives, diversity fosters fresh ideas and solutions.

To build a diverse workforce, companies can use inclusive hiring practices like blind resume screening to reduce bias and expand the candidate pool. This approach evaluates candidates based on skills rather than background. Providing diversity and inclusion training further reinforces the importance of a diverse team.

Embracing diverse hiring and an inclusive culture attracts top talent, driving innovation and business success.

Combating cultural conflicts in change management

In any multicultural setting, there is bound to be some conflict. How leaders deal with this is crucial to creating a forum where such conflict becomes a force for greater innovation and creativity. Implementing inclusive behaviors, such as providing equal access to resources and establishing safe spaces for all team members, is essential. It is essential that leaders eliminate their unconscious bias, and take a care-fronting approach to conflict resolution.

Inclusive Workplace Practices

Inclusive workplace practices are essential for creating a positive and productive work environment. Inclusive practices can include flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting or flexible hours, to promote work-life balance and increase employee satisfaction.

Companies can also implement inclusive practices, such as employee resource groups, to provide support and resources for employees from diverse backgrounds. These groups can help create a sense of community and belonging, making employees feel valued and respected. Additionally, companies can promote open communication and feedback, and encourage active listening to foster a sense of belonging among all employees.

By adopting inclusive workplace practices, companies can create an environment where all employees feel supported and empowered to contribute their best work, leading to increased innovation and productivity.

Strategies for Fostering an Inclusive Culture

Fostering an inclusive culture requires a strategic approach that involves multiple stakeholders and departments. Companies can start by establishing a clear vision and mission that emphasises the importance of diversity and inclusion. This vision should be communicated consistently across the organisation to ensure that all employees understand and embrace the company’s commitment to an inclusive workplace culture.

Companies can also promote an inclusive culture by providing training and education on diversity and inclusion, encouraging open communication and feedback, and promoting active listening. Additionally, companies can create employee resource groups to provide support and resources for employees from diverse backgrounds. These groups can help foster a sense of community and belonging, making employees feel valued and respected.

By implementing these strategies, companies can create an inclusive culture that values diversity, promotes equality, and fosters a sense of belonging among all employees.

Are your leaders equipped to take advantage of a diverse workforce?

It is also essential that change leaders identify differences in approaches to work (for example, task-oriented or relationship-oriented), contrasting attitudes, and different skill sets. Communication styles between genders and age groups are likely to be different, too. As the workforce gets younger, change leaders must become more mindful of the mindset of the millennial generation.

Leaders today must understand that their diverse workforces have embedded assumptions and ways of thinking. These differences must be accommodated in the leadership approach. Communication in leadership is key – without attention to cultural differences, a leader’s verbal and nonverbal communication style can destroy collaboration.

It is crucial that today’s leaders possess the skills to manage across cultures. They must be good listeners, and have the skill set to discover hidden talents and employ them in situations that benefit both the employee and the organisation.

Organisational culture should be developed in line with a diversity and inclusion (D&I) policy that encourages employee engagement across cultural divides. Opportunities for promotion should be seen to be equal for all, irrespective of gender, race or background. Teams should be developed purposefully, with diversity of members leading to healthy conflict that enables greater agility through change.

Overcoming Challenges to Inclusion

Overcoming challenges to inclusion requires a proactive approach that involves multiple stakeholders and departments. Companies can start by identifying the challenges and barriers to inclusion, such as unconscious bias, negative team dynamics, or a lack of leadership support.

Companies can also provide training and education on diversity and inclusion to overcome unconscious bias and promote a culture of inclusion. This training can help employees recognise and address their biases, leading to a more inclusive work environment. Additionally, companies can implement inclusive practices, such as blind resume screening, to reduce bias and increase the pool of qualified candidates.

By implementing these strategies, companies can overcome the challenges to inclusion and create a positive and productive work environment that values diversity and promotes equality. This proactive approach will help ensure that all employees feel valued and respected, leading to increased innovation and business success.

Embrace diversity and your team will embrace change

It is natural to be wary of change. Whether a person is excited by it or fearful of it, the risks are the same. As are the rewards. When an organisation embraces diversity and inclusion, it prepares itself for change. Inclusion efforts, such as regularly reassessing hiring practices and ensuring all voices are heard, are crucial for fostering a supportive environment.

Divergence in views and perspectives, and discussion and debate in open and honest forums in which all are encouraged to take part and all voices are heard equally, leads to better solutions. Workplace inclusion, by promoting diverse experiences and providing equal opportunities, fuels successful change and helps to eliminate resistance to change.

Does your organisation have a positive diversity and inclusion policy? Are your leaders equipped to manage multicultural teams effectively?

Contact us today, and discover how we could help your leaders and managers lead more effectively and authentically through periods of change.

How to Manage a Multigenerational Workforce

Is Your Workplace Environment Conducive to Collaboration Amid Generational Differences?

As younger employees join your workforce and older employees remain employed for longer, your organisation is likely to become a multigenerational workforce. This diversity of age demographics presents leaders with many challenges that must be overcome. In this article, we examine seven of these challenges.

Understanding Generational Differences

Understanding generational differences is crucial for effective management in today’s multi-generational workforce. Each generation brings unique attributes, values, and experiences that shape their perspectives and behaviours. By recognising and embracing these differences, organisations can foster a more inclusive and productive work environment.

Generational differences can be attributed to various factors, including historical events, technological advancements, and cultural shifts. For instance, Baby Boomers grew up during a time of economic prosperity and social change, while Generation Z is characterised by their digital nativity and diverse backgrounds. Understanding these differences can help managers tailor their leadership styles, communication approaches, and professional development opportunities to meet the needs of each generation.

Moreover, recognising generational differences can help bridge the generational gap and promote knowledge sharing between older and younger employees. By leveraging the strengths of each generation, organisations can create a more collaborative and innovative work environment. For example, younger employees can bring fresh ideas and technological expertise, while older employees can offer valuable experience and mentorship.

Benefits of a multi-generational Workforce

A multi-generational workforce offers numerous benefits to organisations, including increased productivity, improved decision-making, and enhanced innovation. By embracing generational diversity, organisations can tap into the unique strengths and perspectives of each generation, leading to better problem-solving and a more competitive edge.

Moreover, a multi-generational workforce can help organisations attract and retain top talent, as employees of all ages are drawn to inclusive and diverse work environments. By offering flexible work arrangements, professional development opportunities, and a culture of respect and empathy, organisations can create a workplace that appeals to multiple generations.

Additionally, a multi-generational workforce can help organisations better understand and serve their diverse customer base. By having employees from different generations and backgrounds, organisations can gain valuable insights into the needs and preferences of their customers, leading to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.

1. Age

There are many personal challenges associated with age, and these manifest in the workplace. Younger employees may desire more flexibility and the opportunity to work from home. Older employees may have more exacting wellness needs. Leaders should create the flexible workplace environment that addresses the needs of all employees, promoting a healthy work life balance.

2. Values

Our values are determined by many factors, including upbringing and experiences. Older generations have lived through the Cold War and economic strife. They were raised by parents who suffered war during World War II. They took part in civil rights movements. Younger generations have been at the forefront of technological advance, and are living with a future shaped by climate change.

Baby boomers expect millennials to have the same commitment to hard work and long hours. Millennials expect more flexibility and shorter hours in the office with greater autonomy. Leaders must manage these conflicting values, respecting all workers and helping each to understand and accept the different ways in which full contributions are made.

3. Workplace Relationship Issues

Older employees, particularly those from the Silent Generation, tend to be more conservative in their approach to workplace relationships. They have been conditioned that work is work, and personal issues should be left at the door. However, today mental health and wellbeing is considered of great importance. Employees are encouraged to discuss a wider range of issues, and organisations accept the overlap between personal and professional lives more readily. This can create friction between employees, as some wish to discuss subjects that others consider to be taboo.

Organisations are combatting this challenge by providing ‘safe spaces’’ where controversial subjects may be discussed openly, and equipping managers with the skills to carefront rather than confront conflict between work colleagues.

4. Feedback

The need for feedback differs between generations. Younger employees tend to thrive on constant feedback, whereas older workers require less. For older employees, feedback should be given when necessary, not when desired.

How does a leader know how often to give feedback? Ask each employee, and set a schedule for them. Remember, though, that continuous communication leads to healthier relationships, and less confusion when honest truths are finally revealed.

5. Preferred Communication Styles Across Generations

The communication preferences of different generations in the workplace stretch from the millennials’ use of social media and digital communication channels, to the baby boomers’ desire for face-to-face conversation or email.

An organisation must establish how best to communicate, and set a strategy that embraces all preferences. For example, a team meeting may be followed up by a video summary posted to employees’ email inboxes or on the company’s intranet.

6. Dress Code

Older workers, who witnessed the rise of personal computers, are used to the formality of workwear. It helps them draw a line between their professional self and their personal self. Younger workers are more likely to wish to wear the same clothes in the office as they would outside. While many organisations have relaxed their dress code, many have not. This can cause conflict between employees and management.

While there is no single correct answer to dress code – often it is part of the DNA of an organisation – it is important that, while a workplace may not have a uniform, workplace dress code is uniform and observed consistently by all.

7. Perceptions of Work Ethics

Older generations often accuse younger workers of having poor work ethics. However, perception of work ethic varies between generations.

Older employees are more likely to remain at work until their work is complete before leaving for home. They see younger employees leaving before their work is complete and believe that this is indicative of a poor work ethic. However, these younger employees – often more digitally adept – may be working remotely from home, where they feel more relaxed and productive.

Organisations may combat these perceptions by managing by performance and introducing workplace project management systems to routine. Taking this action often helps people to work more collaboratively and understand that being office based is not always necessary to be productive.

Accommodating Diverse Working Styles and Needs

Accommodating diverse working styles and needs is essential for creating an inclusive and productive work environment. Organisations can offer flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting, flexible hours, and compressed workweeks, to accommodate the needs of employees with caregiving responsibilities, health issues, or other personal circumstances.

Moreover, organisations can provide a range of benefits and perks, such as wellness programs, employee assistance programs, and professional development opportunities, to support the well-being and career advancement of employees. By recognising and accommodating the diverse needs and preferences of employees, organisations can create a workplace that is inclusive, supportive, and empowering.

Furthermore, organisations can use technology to facilitate communication and collaboration among employees, regardless of their location or work style. By leveraging digital tools and platforms, organisations can create a virtual workspace that is accessible, flexible, and inclusive, allowing employees to work effectively and efficiently from anywhere.

In Summary

In multigenerational workplaces there is a wide diversity of values, preferred communication styles, mental wellbeing issues and preferred methods of working. Differences even stretch to how employees dress for work.

When leaders understand the different characters of each generation, they will more easily discover the strengths of each generation and use these to improve collaboration. To build a cohesive team, managers must create a workplace environment that allows all generations to contribute fully and embrace the qualities of their work colleagues.

Contact us today, and discover how we could help your managers and leaders be more effective in developing multigenerational teams and foster the collaboration that delivers high performance.

7 Ways to Motivate Your Team

Leading via the link between team motivation and engagement

Many studies, surveys, and polls have concluded that employee engagement is key to building a successful business, leading change initiatives, and developing high-performance teams. To motivate your team effectively, it’s essential to foster engagement. In its eighth meta-analysis measuring the effects of employee engagement, Gallup found that:

“Work units in the top quartile in employee engagement outperformed bottom-quartile units by 10% on customer ratings, 22% in profitability, and 21% in productivity. Work units in the top quartile also saw significantly lower turnover (25% in high-turnover organizations, 65% in low-turnover organizations), shrinkage (28%), and absenteeism (37%) and fewer safety incidents (48%), patient safety incidents (41%), and quality defects (41%).”

Given so many positives of employee engagement, it is little wonder that organizations are continually finding ways to increase employee engagement and create a productive work environment.

What is employee engagement?

Employee engagement describes how people are committed to the work they do and the values and mission of the organization for whom they work. They are happy team players who are invested in their colleagues, their team, and their organization, and employees feel motivated to contribute their best.

In other words, they are motivated to turn up, help others, and do the best work they can. However, engagement is not quite the same as motivation, but a complimentary quality – a key ingredient in employee engagement. For example, motivated employees feel that their work is meaningful, while engaged employees are emotionally committed to their work. Good leaders motivate their employees to be engaged.

Setting the Foundation for Success

Setting the foundation for success is crucial for motivating a team. A motivated team is more productive, engaged, and committed to achieving their goals. To set the foundation for success, team leaders should establish clear expectations, provide necessary resources, and foster a positive work environment. This includes setting SMART goals, providing regular feedback, and recognising team achievements. By setting the foundation for success, team leaders can create a motivated team that is equipped to achieve their goals.

How to engage employees with motivational tactics

Many motivational techniques will serve the simultaneous objectives of engaging employees and developing a high-performing team. Here are seven of the techniques used by successful managers and leaders.

1.      Share the big picture to give them feel valued

Share your vision with your employees, helping them to see how they fit into the achievement of that vision by providing tasks that help the team progress toward its goals. This will provide the purpose they need to engage with the big picture. Keeping employees up to date with the latest developments and how their roles contribute to the overall vision can further enhance their sense of purpose.

2.      Motivate individuals to motivate the team

Each member of a team will have individual aspirations, goals and objectives. It is a manager’s responsibility to learn what makes their employees tick, and how to create the environment where the needs of individuals can be activated to improve the team, ensuring each team member feels valued and motivated.

Listen to ideas, learn from their experiences, and recycle into the team environment, showing how individual success can propel the team to greater teamwork. This personal and individual approach will help to incentivise employees with a clear understanding of the power of collaboration.

3.      Give trust

A team leader should give trust to their employees and show that they trust their abilities by handing over responsibility. This responsibility may be given through providing specific tasks that challenge, or by asking an employee to manage a project sub-team, or perhaps requesting that a team member act as chair in a team meeting. There are many opportunities to share responsibilities and give trust each day – these should be used.

4.      Motivate with milestones

Lofty goals often remain unaccomplished because they seem so far away, and unachievable. This serves to demotivate and disengage. Focus instead on smaller, challenging but achievable milestones that will help individuals and teams progress. Reward achievement of each milestone, and reinforce how much nearer it takes the team to its final target, thereby boosting team motivation.

5.      Reward performance based upon feedback

Value performance and attitude by recording, measuring and rewarding feedback from clients, suppliers, colleagues and other stakeholders. Seek to reward the expected behaviors that help to drive teamwork and promote the organization.

6.    Energise the team by exampling expected behaviors for a productive work environment

Employees follow the lead of their managers and the organization’s leaders. An enthusiastic, energetic leader who exudes positivity toward work and the organization’s values and goals is more likely to keep the team motivated and create that energy within his or her team.

7.      Communicate openly

Be transparent about company goals and progress. Hide nothing, so that there are no surprises. Allow people the opportunity to voice concerns and ask questions, and provide honest feedback. Always show respect in the communication process, and include team members in the decision-making process, valuing their contribution and helping them to understand their value to the organization. Additionally, organizing team building activities can further enhance open communication and strengthen team bonds.

Fostering a Positive Work Environment

Fostering a positive work environment is essential for motivating a team. A positive work environment encourages team members to feel valued, motivated, and engaged. To foster a positive work environment, team leaders should promote open communication, encourage teamwork, and provide opportunities for growth and development. This includes creating a healthy work environment, providing flexible schedules, and offering work-life balance.

By fostering a positive work environment, team leaders can create a motivated team that is productive and committed to achieving their goals.

Investing in Team Development

Investing in team development is critical for motivating a team. Team members feel motivated when they are learning and growing in their roles. To invest in team development, team leaders should provide opportunities for training, mentorship, and coaching. This includes providing regular feedback, recognising team achievements, and offering opportunities for advancement.

By investing in team development, team leaders can create a motivated team that is equipped to achieve their goals.

Measuring Success and Adjusting Course

Measuring success and adjusting course is essential for motivating a team. Team leaders should regularly track progress, solicit honest feedback, and make adjustments as needed. This includes setting clear goals, providing regular feedback, and recognising team achievements.

By measuring success and adjusting course, team leaders can create a motivated team that is productive and committed to achieving their goals.

Conclusion

Employee engagement and employee motivation work hand in hand to energise teams in the work they do and the goals of the organization. When team leaders, supervisors and managers employ effective motivation strategies, the team should become a more collaborative and cohesive unit, fixed on the achievement of individual and team goals. This level of engagement could transform a team’s results.

Contact us today, and discover how we could help your managers to redefine their own behaviors and embed the leadership techniques to build high-performing teams.

The Pros and Cons of Employee Empowerment

Research published in the 2011 Journal of Applied Psychology (Antecedents and consequences of psychological and team empowerment: a meta-analytical review – Siebert, S.E.; Wang, G.; Courtright, S.H.) provided a number of pressing reasons for organizations to encourage employee empowerment. Fostering an empowering work environment through a strong company culture can significantly boost morale and initiative among staff, while also enhancing resilience during challenging times.

By understanding that there are two sides of the coin when instigating an employee empowerment strategy, an organization will be better positioned to maximize the advantages and minimize any disadvantages.

What is employee empowerment?

For an organization operating in the fast-paced, modern business environment, passing some responsibilities to employees enables quicker decision-making at a lower level. At lower levels, people generally have a closer and deeper understanding of many of the basic processes and procedures that ‘get the job done’ and help the strategic vision of the organization to be achieved. It would appear to make sense, therefore, to give people more autonomy in their decision-making: in a word, empowerment.

A key aspect of this empowerment is the management philosophy, which emphasizes granting autonomy and support to employees. This philosophy promotes independent decision-making and contrasts sharply with micromanagement, highlighting that a culture of empowerment significantly enhances job performance and employee satisfaction.

Empowerment is viewed by seven in 10 employees as an important element of engagement, and employee engagement produces a range of benefits, including:

• Improved productivity, with 22% higher profitability
• 41% lower absenteeism
• Employees who are 4.6 times more likely to perform at their peak

Because employee empowerment is so highly connected with employee engagement, it is little surprise that many of the advantages of empowerment are directly related to the benefits of employee engagement.

The advantages of employee empowerment

There are several definite advantages of embedding a strategy and culture of employee empowerment. These include:

Employee empowerment is crucial for a company’s success as it leads to increased morale, productivity, and tangible benefits like higher profits and better employee retention rates.

Faster problem solving

First, because empowered employees are so close to issues and problems that require resolution, response times should decrease. Faced with a problem, people who are close to it have a natural affinity for it and a definitive reason to find solutions rapidly – it aids their work, making their time easier and more productive.

Executives are often detached from the shop floor, and lack the depth of knowledge required in the solution-finding process.

Increased morale and productivity

People who are given the autonomy to make their own decisions feel trusted and that their contributions are a direct factor in their company’s success. This is a direct determinant of employee morale. For example, 91% of Google’s employees say that they carry meaningful responsibilities within the organization: for six years running Google has been ranked by Fortune as the best company to work for.

Empowered employees working without continual oversight from a manager or supervisor tend to feel more respected. Artificial obstacles to progress of tasks are removed when employees no longer need their supervisor’s approval to move from one stage to the next. Motivated employees contribute to increased moral and profitability per employee improves accordingly.

Additionally, people own the responsibility given to them, and the manager/employee relationship benefits accordingly.

Greater involvement leads to greater commitment

With the greater involvement engendered by their increased responsibility, engaged employees become more involved in organizational strategy. They begin to look at colleagues and customers differently, and their commitment to the company and its future grows. Satisfied employees lead to satisfied customers. Such commitment also leads to decreased staff turnover and reduced costs of hiring and training.

Lower levels of management stress

When employees are empowered with responsibility, managers become freed to concentrate on strategy and the bigger picture. Instead of becoming enmeshed with day-to-day decision-making, managers can concentrate on strategic objectives, project planning, professional development, and customer-centric activities.

Empowering employees invigorates leadership by removing the stress of day-to-day management responsibilities.

Improved staff retention

Empowerment leads to greater employee satisfaction and improved staff retention in the workplace. The 2013 empirical study ‘Employee Empowerment and Job Satisfaction in the U.S. Federal Bureaucracy: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective’ found that empowerment practices (such as information sharing, access to job-related knowledge and skills, and discretion to change working practice) have a positive and sizeable effect on job satisfaction.

In a study of 19,700 exit interviews, the Saratoga Institute found that job dissatisfaction factors were among the top seven factors for people searching for a new job.

Clearly, people who are more satisfied at work are less likely to want to change jobs – and improving staff retention has an immediate and sizeable impact on the bottom line. The Society for Human Resource Management has calculated that replacing a member of staff costs an average of between six to nine month’s salary in recruitment and training costs. For an employee on a $50,000 salary, this is between $25,000 and $37,500.

According to the Work Institute, more than 41 million employees voluntarily left their jobs in 2018. With the Bureau of Labor Statistics calculating average salary as $48,672, poor staff retention is costing the U.S. economy an incredible $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion per year.

The disadvantages of employee empowerment

Lack of experience increases risk

While the handing down of responsibility promises to improve speed, agility and productivity, a concern is that decisions are now being made by less experienced and less expert personnel. This can increase the number of mistakes made and put reputation at risk.

The risk of work practices falling into chaos must be tackled by proper training, and by ensuring that supervisors maintain organizational standards. These standards must incorporate an organization’s values and beliefs: care must be taken that employees do not work in accordance with individual values that may be divergent to the corporate mission and vision. Effective employee development is crucial in mitigating these risks by providing the necessary resources, support, and opportunities for professional growth.

Potential for decreased efficiency

When people are given the autonomy to make their own decisions, those decisions cease to be uniform. This lack of coordination can lead to problems down the line.

It is also the case that autonomous employees may decide to work slower on days when they feel distracted or lack the energy to forge ahead. Where some workers are performing more productively than others, without being rewarded for doing so, internal friction can increase. If not dealt with, this can cause confrontation or a spiral to the bottom as all workers decide to work at the pace of the slowest and least productive team member.

Blurred relationships

Empowerment inevitably leads to a flatter, more streamlined management structure. The risk here is that professional relationships become blurred, and boundaries of authority become broken. This might require greater control over employees, not less.

Accountability issues may arise, leading to a blame culture that, if left unchecked, will lead to further discontent and an environment of mistrust. In such a situation, it is likely that employees will decide to take less responsibility for fear of repercussions should things go wrong.

Poor decision-making

If a team lacks the individuals with skills commensurate to the project, tasks and work required, decision-making will be poorer. This will be to the detriment of the organization, as poor solutions lead to decreasing productivity and internal conflict.

Overcoming Barriers to Empower Employees

Empowering employees is a crucial aspect of any organization’s success, but it can be challenging to implement. Several barriers can hinder the empowerment of employees, including lack of trust, inadequate communication, and insufficient training. To overcome these barriers, organizations must create a culture of trust, open communication, and continuous learning.

One way to build trust is to give employees autonomy and ownership of their work. This can be achieved by providing clear expectations and goals, and then giving employees the freedom to decide how to achieve them. Additionally, organisations should encourage open communication by creating a safe and supportive environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their ideas and concerns.

Another barrier to empowerment is inadequate training. Employees need the skills and knowledge to perform their jobs effectively, and organizations must provide them with the necessary training and development opportunities. This can include workshops, mentoring programs, and online courses.

Finally, organizations must recognize and reward empowered employees. This can be done through employee recognition programs, bonuses, and promotions. By recognizing and rewarding empowered employees, organizations can reinforce the behaviors and attitudes that lead to empowerment.

Empowered Employees in Action

Empowered employees are more productive, engaged, and motivated. They are also more likely to take ownership of their work and strive for excellence. Here are a few examples of empowered employees in action:

• A customer service representative who is empowered to make decisions and take action to resolve customer complaints. This employee is able to provide excellent customer service and resolve issues quickly and efficiently.
• A software developer who is empowered to design and develop new products and features. This employee is able to use their creativity and skills to create innovative solutions that meet customer needs.
• A sales representative who is empowered to negotiate prices and terms with customers. This employee is able to build strong relationships with customers and close deals that meet the company’s goals.

In each of these examples, the empowered employee is able to take ownership of their work and make decisions that drive results. They are also able to use their skills and creativity to innovate and improve processes.

How can you improve employee empowerment?

Empowering employees is a cultural issue. Organizations that promote an environment of trust, clear communication, delegation and accountability tend to be good at employee empowerment. Here are five key practices that will help your managers and leaders empower their employees.

1. Share your organisation’s vision

Clear communication of vision is central to embedding a sense of ownership in your workforce. People who understand the vision and how their work contributes to achieving that vision are more likely to feel a part of something rather than just another number on the staff rota.

2. Share more responsibility

Delegating responsibility for work that is designed to improve the capabilities of your employees helps them develop professionally. This will strengthen your team’s ability to work autonomously and lead to lesser need for direct management.

3. Stop micromanaging

People become stifled in their work when they are micromanaged. Instead of managing tasks, delegate the responsibility for them, setting expectations clearly and providing guidance on responsibility. Decisions will be made autonomously but in line with organizational needs.

4. Be open to input

Especially when engaging people in transformational change, being open to ideas and involving people in decision-making helps ensure employees feel empowered and brings out innovative thinking.

5.  Be constructive and recognize good performance

Ensure that you recognize people for their effort and good performance, providing positive and constructive feedback to aid continuous improvement. It’s important to be specific when giving feedback and to highlight how positive behaviours have had a positive impact on colleagues. Positive feedback and recognition encourage people to be more creative problem solvers.

The bottom line

Weighing up the pros and cons of employee empowerment, the potential benefits to individuals, teams and the organization are clear and tangible. The potential drawbacks can be controlled by good management techniques, including:

• Positive leadership
• Coaching, training, recognition, and rewards schemes
• An open and transparent communicative environment

Within a culture of employee empowerment, organizations will develop higher-performing teams that think for themselves, developing innovative solutions as they work toward shared goals – and not a robotic workforce consisting of people who do what their managers tell them and now more.

Emotional intelligence among leaders is also associated with the ability to embed a more empowered workforce, helping people to take the initiative and evaluate their own performance.

In short, if an empowerment strategy is well managed, your people will become partners in your success. They will become a transformative force that will jumpstart change and ensure the goals of your strategic vision are accomplished.

Complete this short Employee Experience Assessment to help identify the key areas you need to focus on as a company.

Giving Feedback To Boost Confidence & Engagement

Giving Feedback Effectively

A 2009 Gallup survey of more than 1,000 US-based employees sought to qualify the impact of feedback on employees. Its findings are insightful:

• When a manager gives little or no feedback, the manager fails to engage 98% of employees.
• Four out of ten employees who receive little or no feedback become actively disengaged.
• Managers who concentrate on strengths when giving feedback are 30 times more likely to engage their employees than those giving no feedback.
• One in ten managers concentrates on weaknesses when providing feedback.

The conclusion drawn by the study is that the tools, techniques, and strategies that a manager uses when delivering feedback have a huge impact on employee engagement.

In this article I’ll discuss why feedback is crucial, the basis of an effective feedback strategy, and one of the key tools that provide a framework for constructive feedback.

Why is feedback so crucial?

Many studies have shown that engaged employees work more productively. They provide impetus toward shared vision, values, and goals. When you energize employees to perform at their peak, the impact on performance at individual and team levels is clear – and this directly benefits your bottom line.

To be engaged in your future vision, an employee needs to feel wanted. They need to know that their contribution is valued, and that they are helping the organization reach its goals.

When a manager provides no feedback, the employee feels ignored. When someone feels ignored, they feel unimportant. Even negative feedback is better than this, but constructive criticism is the most effective as it provides actionable suggestions for improvement while maintaining a positive tone.

Types of Feedback

Feedback can be categorized into different types, each serving a unique purpose. Understanding these types can help you tailor your feedback to the specific situation and recipient.

• Positive Feedback: Positive feedback is used to reinforce good behavior, acknowledge achievements, and boost morale. It’s essential to provide specific examples and context to make the feedback meaningful.
  • For instance, instead of saying, “Great job,” you might say, “Your detailed analysis in the report was outstanding and really helped us make informed decisions.”
• Constructive Feedback: Constructive feedback is used to address areas for improvement, provide guidance, and help employees grow. It’s crucial to focus on behavior rather than personality and provide actionable suggestions.
  • For example, “I noticed that the project deadlines were missed. Let’s discuss how we can better manage time and resources to meet future deadlines.”
• Negative Feedback: Negative feedback is used to address significant issues, correct mistakes, and prevent future problems. It’s essential to deliver negative feedback in a sensitive and supportive manner, focusing on the behavior rather than the person.
  • For example, “Your recent interactions with the team have been quite abrupt, which has caused some tension. Let’s work on improving communication to foster a more collaborative environment.”
• Formative Feedback: Formative feedback is used to guide employees during the learning process, providing them with insights and suggestions to improve their performance.
  • For instance, “During your presentation, you had some great points, but it would be even more effective if you could engage the audience with more eye contact and questions.”
• Summative Feedback: Summative feedback is used to evaluate employee performance at the end of a project or period, providing a summary of their strengths and weaknesses.
  • For example, “Over the past quarter, you’ve shown excellent problem-solving skills and have consistently met your targets. However, there is room for improvement in your time management.”

By understanding and utilizing these different types of feedback, you can provide more targeted and effective employee feedback, ultimately enhancing performance and engagement.

Setting the scene for constructive feedback

For feedback to be given, listened to, and then acted upon, there are some ground rules that must be observed. I call these the ‘tools for the road’.

When you drive the highway, you first need to know your destination. You need to know what you and others can control. For example:

• you are in charge of the car;
• a road traffic accident is out of your sphere of responsibility, though you may have cause to report and help; and
• delays or roadblocks have to be negotiated.

In the workplace this means setting clear expectations for your employees. For example, provide examples of work products that clearly reflect the quality and detail you expect from an individual. When setting clear expectations, it is crucial to communicate these to your direct reports to ensure they understand their responsibilities and the feedback process.

Let your people know explicitly what they control, and provide a continuum for feedback. Remember also that feedback is a two-way street. It is about listening, understanding, and acting.

Preparing to Give Feedback

Preparing to give feedback is crucial to ensure that the conversation is productive and effective. Here are some steps to help you prepare:

• Gather Information: Collect relevant data, observations, and examples to support your feedback. This ensures that your feedback is based on facts and specific instances, making it more credible and actionable.
• Define the Purpose: Clearly define the purpose of the feedback conversation, whether it’s to address an issue, provide guidance, or acknowledge achievements. Knowing the purpose helps you stay focused and ensures that the conversation is meaningful.
• Choose the Right Time and Place: Select a private and comfortable setting where the employee feels safe and open to receiving feedback. Avoid public settings where the employee might feel embarrassed or defensive.
• Prepare Your Thoughts: Organize your thoughts, and consider the employee’s perspective, strengths, and weaknesses. This helps you deliver feedback in a balanced and constructive manner.
• Anticipate Questions and Concerns: Prepare to address potential questions and concerns the employee may have. This shows that you are considerate and ready to support them through the feedback process.

By taking these steps, you can ensure that you give feedback in a way that is respectful, clear, and effective, ultimately fostering a positive and productive work environment.

Techniques for giving and receiving feedback

When providing feedback, it is important to be on point. Feedback must be specific to behaviour.

Providing specific feedback examples can help illustrate the points you are making and ensure that the feedback is clear and actionable.

For example, saying someone is doing a good job may raise a smile, but is a short-lived ‘throw-away’ appraisal. What is that person good at? What is it that they are doing which can be used as best practice, and inform the behaviour of others?

Consider which is the better and more effective feedback of the following:

“You’re working well on these reports. Well done.”

or…

“I see you’ve put in a process to reduce the time it takes to process these reports. That’s great work, and something we could use across the whole company.”

In brief, there are five elements of constructive feedback. It should be:

• Given in a timely fashion
• Clear
• Specific
• Non-judgmental
• Actionable

Making your feedback effective using a simple feedback framework

To make feedback effective (that is to say, something that will leave a positive, engaging impact on the employee) I recommend following the situation-behaviour-impact (SBI) model. This feedback model ensures that you hit the five elements of constructive feedback I highlighted above. For example:

Capture the situation

“In yesterday’s team meeting…”

Describe the behaviour

“…you interrupted constantly.”

Describe the impact

“This forced your colleagues to shut down. Consequently, we weren’t able to discuss their ideas and arrive at a team-based solution to our problem.”

From this specific feedback, you will be able to discuss behaviour, and jointly produce a plan of action that the employee can use to improve his or her performance.

Overcoming Barriers to Giving Feedback

Giving feedback can be challenging, and several barriers can prevent you from providing effective feedback. Here are some common barriers and strategies to overcome them:

• Fear of Conflict: Fear of conflict can prevent you from giving feedback. To overcome this, focus on the issue rather than the person, and use “I” statements to express your concerns. For example, “I noticed that the project deadlines were missed, and I’m concerned about how this affects our overall timeline.”
• Lack of Time: Lack of time can be a significant barrier to giving feedback. To overcome this, prioritise feedback, and allocate specific times for feedback conversations. Scheduling regular check-ins can help ensure that feedback is given consistently and timely.
• Uncertainty about How to Give Feedback: Uncertainty about how to give feedback can prevent you from providing effective feedback. To overcome this, seek training, and practice giving feedback in a safe and supportive environment. Role-playing scenarios with a colleague can be a helpful way to build confidence.
• Fear of Hurting the Employee’s Feelings: Fear of hurting the employee’s feelings can prevent you from giving feedback. To overcome this, focus on the behavior rather than the person, and provide feedback in a sensitive and supportive manner. For example, “I’ve noticed that your recent reports have had some errors. Let’s work together to identify the root cause and find a solution.”
• Cultural or Language Barriers: Cultural or language barriers can prevent you from giving effective feedback. To overcome this, be aware of cultural differences, and use simple language to ensure understanding. It may also be helpful to ask the employee to summarize what they heard to ensure clarity.

By recognising and addressing these barriers, you can provide more effective feedback, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and open communication.

How to receive feedback

As I said earlier, feedback is a two-way street. A good manager encourages his or her people to provide feedback on him or her. Doing so will aid your development as a leader, and further promote engagement. Encouraging your team to provide more feedback can help create a culture of continuous improvement and open communication.

When receiving feedback, you should follow these bullet point rules:

• Listen attentively
• Repeat only what you heard (to clarify)
• Ask for specifics (what you are doing well, what you are doing not so well)
• Show appreciation by saying “thank you”
• Ask if (and when) you can check back

If your people appear distant, disengaged, or disenfranchised, then you may need to brush up on your feedback technique. If you don’t provide effective discussion of performance, you are doing yourself, your employee, and your organisation a severe injustice.

Contact Primeast today to discover how an Emotional Intelligence course will develop and embed effective personal skills in the workplace, for leaders, managers, and employees.

How to Bring Organisational Values to Life

Tips to Embed Required Value-Driven Behaviours

In our previous article, ‘Creating a purpose-driven organization: the importance of values in the development of people processes’, we discussed the crucial nature of values to engage people in an organization’s purpose and vision.

Values are great. So is trust. We need both. But what does it look like? What are some tangible behaviors that we can associate with values – and how can we implement them?

The starting point: Value vs behaviors

Before delving into what an organization and its leaders can do to embed desired behaviors within the culture and working practices of their people, we should first ensure that leaders are aware of the nature of values and behaviors.

Values are abstract concepts that trigger how we feel and act. And values can be pretty fluid, as far as they can mean different things for different people in different contexts. For example, two people may have equally high family values and wish to provide the best for their loved ones. However, one of these people believes this translates as working 70-hour weeks to earn the money to pay for a great standard of living, while the other person believes that it is necessary to spend as much time with family as possible.

It is important to understand how the same values can manifest in different behaviors. For an organization, behaviors can be defined as ‘actionable and measurable’ operating principles – and it’s also important to ensure that an organization’s values deliver consistent behaviors.

How to implement values in a company ─ 8 tips to turn organizational values into tangible behaviors

A company’s values can be the difference between success and failure. They are what makes the company different from other companies and stand out in the marketplace. Therefore, it is important to understand how to implement them in your organization.

Here are eight tips to help you drive tangible behaviors from your values.

Provide real examples and talk through the company’s expectations

Values are not just a set of words on a poster, they are demonstrated through actions and enforced by leadership. This helps to provide examples of what employees should do to align with the organization’s values in any given situation.

Turn values into pioneering stories that inspire

Another way in which values can be implemented in an organization is by using stories that inspire. Stories of how values were implemented in the past and how values were applied to solve problems for customers. But there is more than just telling stories about what has been done before ─ it’s about infusing values into everything from business strategy, marketing campaigns, and customer service interactions.

Focus on changing the behavior of groups, not individuals

People tend to act differently in groups than they do alone. Groups produce conformity, and self-police behaviors of their members ─ and individuals decide how to behave and act based upon the behaviors and actions of those around them.

Make performance management and recruitment a key part of your strategy

Organisations have found success by incorporating their values into their day-to-day work; for example, by promoting employees who embody the values in their work, or by hiring based on value alignment.

Identify your potential first followers and key influencers

Internal influencers are key to helping communicate and drive employee engagement in your values and required behaviors. Influencers have a strong voice and internal network ─ listen to them, tap into their knowledge, and use them to drive the change you require.

Make it a leadership and management responsibility

Too often, the implementation of values and behaviors is an edict passed down from the C-suite to HR. While HR will be involved in this work, it is not an HR program. It should be a continuous and consistent strategy for which leadership and management are personally responsible.

Embed your values into organizational processes

Values must be fully integrated into how you do things. This includes during the entire employment lifecycle ─ recruitment, onboarding, performance reviews, etc. ─ as well as daily operating processes and interactions with key stakeholders (such as service users and providers), and customers.

Turn behaviors into rituals

Recognise and reward those employees who embody your organization’s values in what they do and how they do it. Reward people in real-time, being specific in describing why recognition is being made. People follow culture heroes ─ hold events in which you create these through your recognition programs.

Leverage your values in your business

Fast-forward five years. What will have happened for you to look back and see your current challenges as the greatest gift for your business? How will you embed your values into your organization, and develop the behaviors that set you apart from your competition?

PrimeFocus™ is a simple yet powerful framework that helps individuals and leaders focus on success and deliver prime performance. Our free assessment provides you with a snapshot of the eight conditions that must be in place and aligned to deliver prime performance. It will provide an insight as to where you are on the journey and whether you should consider talking to us about the value that comes from using our full PrimeFocus™ Organisational Assessment.

To find out more about how we work with you to measure and embed the values you need to achieve your goals, read more here.

How Intrapreneurism is Becoming Crucial for Talent Management

A change in attitudes is taking place in businesses around the world and across industries at present, with a group of self-motivated, proactive and action-oriented people coming to the fore to lead their companies in innovative new directions.

The rise of the ‘intrapreneur’ is not exactly a new phenomena, with the term having been coined by Gifford Pinchot in his 1978 paper Intra-Corporate Entrepreneurship. It is, however, a development that the modern business leader should be paying close attention to, due to the growing need for innovative new ideas and products to help corporations stand out in a crowded marketplace. And never more so in the current times, where supply chains are being tested, new ways of working are being adopted and strategic shifts between the business as usual and the long term vision are having to be navigated by leaders.

The question of recruiting and retaining your intrapreneurs is probably one of the most important priorities for Talent Managers globally

An intrapreneur is an individual who today is defined as: “A person within a large corporation who takes direct responsibility for turning an idea into a profitable finished product through assertive risk-taking and innovation.”

They are therefore the type of employee that leaders must ensure they keep hold of, but in the fast-paced world of business, if these innovative risk-takers do not get the support they need then they may take their ideas elsewhere, and while not every intrapreneurial endeavour will prove a success, those that do can provide a significant boost to a business.

A new generation of professionals that want to make a difference

The introduction of the millennial generation to today’s workforce has precipitated a far-reaching change in many business cultures, not least of which has been the impact of this group’s drive to make a difference.

Millennials are often portrayed as a restless group, quick to move on if they feel their current job fails to fulfil their expectations or meet up to their ideals. However, when businesses take the time to engage with their staff more closely and allow these individuals to make an impact, then great things can happen.

How can we nurture intrepreneurs?

Providing intrapreneurs – not necessarily just of the millennial generation, but of any age – with the tools to make their vision of a better business or product a reality is therefore an essential part of this process.

A key element of ensuring that intrapreneurism is allowed to flourish within a business is therefore having the courage to embrace change and the foresight to invest in one’s staff, be this through training, coaching or simply by giving them the platform to try out their ideas.

Failure to invest in talent is a failure to invest in your business

Company leaders, now more than ever, need to be aware of the pitfalls of a failure to support the intrapreneurs within their midst, as this is a group that given the right environment to flourish can deliver lasting benefits and change.

By focusing on uncovering the individual talents of staff and creating a culture that embeds innovation into the very fabric of a business, leaders are liberating their employees to think outside of their daily responsibilities and to provide a framework for growth.

Furthermore, making a meaningful contribution to how a business operates and progresses is a strong attractor for many of the best and brightest.

It is therefore in the interest of company leaders to invest in talent liberation and in supporting intrapreneurial practices, as these are all elements of creating an inclusive and dynamic place to work. Indeed, when an employee knows it is okay to indulge in their creative side you will see excitement growing with new ideas and the energy to put them into motion.

However, if intrapreneurs feel they are not being appreciated for their hard work and drive to make changes, then this is a situation when companies can miss out and lose these individuals to their rivals.

Conservative or risk-averse leaders may therefore struggle to recognize the distinct advantages of supporting this type of work, but if they do not, then they could be losing valuable and potentially industry-changing innovations to others in their field – a situation that does not bode well for future prosperity.

Ensuring the very highest-ranking members of the business (right up to board level and the CEO) are promoting a culture where ideas from everyone within the business are given an equal hearing must be a priority for those wishing to get the very best out of their teams. Delivering an engaged and productive workforce is therefore key to this.

Align talent to vision to deliver the best results

On this topic, leaders should not underestimate the importance of aligning the talents and attitudes of the company’s key innovators to the overriding vision and goals of the business.

Leaders need to realise that they cannot make things happen directly, but instead rely upon those around them to deliver their vision for the company and to make it a reality. It is therefore important for all members of a business to be pulling in the same direction and this is where the intrapreneur can truly make a difference.

Realising this can result in a paradigm shift in the way that businesses operate, with the purpose of the business placed at the very core of all its activities.

Ultimately, companies that wish to excel in the field of intrapreneurism must not be afraid to tolerate failure and to embrace change. Indeed, only by doing so can the conditions to foster intrapreneurial endeavours be properly created.

By investing successfully in the talents of staff and by promoting the creation of more intrapreneurial teams within a business, companies can not only garner improved engagement from individuals keen to make a difference in their career, they also position themselves to be innovators in their field and to attract the very best.

To find out more about developing the leadership that champions innovation and intrapreneurial practices, get in touch.

Understanding your Purpose

Why purpose matters

Without purpose there is nothing. It’s our reason for being, for getting up in the morning and for going to work every day. And it matters now more than ever during these challenging times. As leaders struggle to navigate the current uncertainty, it is important to support your employees and embrace the opportunity to emerge from the crisis, confident that you are clear on your own and your organization’s purpose because your purpose informs your behavior and how you behave during and post the pandemic will directly influence the internal and external perception of your organization. This is an opportunity to emerge stronger, as we work together to overcome the challenges we face.

This interactive session was first delivered by Sarah Cave at the Women in Nuclear Annual Conference 2018, helping participants understand their values and purpose. As a result employees will achieve greater self-awareness, self-fulfilment and, as a result, be more present, more engaged and aligned with your organization’s purpose.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou American poet, memoirist and civil rights activist

Sarah Cave, Head of Leadership at Primeast, facilitates this free virtual workshop

Play the interactive video during which Sarah Cave will guide you through the session as she helps you explore your values and understand your purpose. You will need the report from your PVA assessment to refer to during the session

A New Approach to Culture Transformation

Culture transformation has never been an overnight fix. Building an organizational culture where goals can be achieved and people can thrive is now more complex than it has ever been.

As our understanding of corporate culture has evolved so too has our response to developing thriving cultures within organizations. Since the publication of John R Childress’s ‘Culture Rules!’ in 2017 where he introduced the concept of culture as a business system, we’ve seen the development of the concept of Culture 4.0 (Source: CulturSys, Inc.) which has radically shaped the current thinking on organizational culture and its critical components.

However if the last eighteen months has taught us anything it is that the world has changed and it will only continue to do so. Just as we’ve seen the acceleration of Industry 4.0 as a result of recent leaps in technology, and the subsequent disruption and transformation during a time of extreme volatility, do we need to rethink the nature of culture with a post-pandemic lens?

Are we heading towards a Culture 5.0? And if so, what does this mean for leaders?

A number of critical factors have had a major impact on cultural perspectives:

The impact of the pandemic

The experience of the last year has caused many of us to re-evaluate, to question our own needs, wants, values and attitudes towards work and what we expect from the precious hours we commit to our professional endeavours.

The trend towards hybrid working has been a direct output of the pandemic and the significant changes to ways of working. As if talent attraction and management wasn’t already enough of a challenge, organizations looking to recruit much needed talent for the future with new skills and thinking, now need to compete with the remote working trend which has unlocked talent from the traditional geographical borders. Surveys conducted show a shift in values and expectations as a result of Covid19 (the Barrett Values Survey) – highlighting the need for communication, strong working relationships and an awareness of values – all critical elements in organizational culture design. Whilst much has been said about the cultural ecosystem, our experience over the last year has demonstrated that none of us can exist in isolation, that all things are connected and we are as much the consequence of external factors as our cultural legacies.

As with all business decisions and strategic intent we must understand context.

New ways of working

The trend in hybrid and remote working has added another layer of complexity to the culture challenge. The old ecosystem has changed. A host of new terminology has entered our lexicon over the last 15 months – zoom fatigue, you’re on mute, social distancing, flattening the curve, the new normal, the big reset….and we must adjust. Response and reaction to new ways of working has been diverse with some embracing the opportunity for greater productivity and freedom whilst others have suffered from the lack of social interaction. As organizations wrestle with the challenges of adapting to a new set of expectations, restrictions and responses, we must all be aware of the potential impact on culture.

There is however perhaps a sliver of silver lining to the cloud of cultural resetting in that by its nature culture has always been complex and not something that can be changed overnight. In the same way that it takes longer to break a habit than it does to form one perhaps all is not lost. Having said that some organizations suffer for years from a legacy culture and no matter how many new leaders are brought in, it doesn’t change without some concerted intervention. It can sometimes be the case that ‘culture is the disease you get if you stay here long enough’.

Population structure

As we look to the future, younger generations, from millennials to generation Zs feature highly when considering the next generation of leaders. As organizations consider succession planning and the drive to develop and recruit the new skills needed in this current age of digital transformation, they must be aware of the expectations, aspirations and influencing factors when selecting their employer of choice. Evidence shows that this generation is increasingly influenced by the social factors which affect where and how they live as much as their thirst for personal and professional development, the need to contribute to something meaningful and a duty of care towards future society and the environment.

Compound that with the younger generation of employees, particularly in the UK, struggling to buy their first home and potentially renting in inner city locations where cars aren’t required, commuting is reduced and accommodation is replacing the traditional office stock, there is evidence of a geographic merging of home and workspace which results in this generation increasingly seeking a familial network in the places where they work. Where jobs are no longer for life and the growth of the gig economy, potential employees are increasingly drawn to organizational cultures which satisfy these complex expectations.

What can we learn from this?

When it comes to organizational transformation, we have to talk about leadership. And of course, culture is not exclusively the responsibility of just the leaders – we all must play our part, but leaders are a critical influence. Said Business School state that the key capabilities for leaders in today’s new age of industry (Leadership 4.0) are:

1. Lead into uncertainty
2. Develop the narrative
3. Enable a sense of purpose

Whilst there are many approaches and processes which leaders can follow when working on transforming their culture, experience can often count for everything. And the good news is, you don’t have to do it alone. We’ll bring the experience, a collaborative approach and we’ll help not just your leaders but the wider organization to help you get to where you need to be. And we’ll do it with you, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, helping you and your teams to ‘make it happen’.

How we can support you with culture transformation

At Primeast we’ve been working with and alongside organizations for 30 years, as they seek to transform their cultures. During the process, which can take time to shake off legacy behaviors and which requires the engagement of every individual within the organization, we employ a number of tools and approaches depending on the specific challenges and stages of the journey.

Our approach has been adapted over time and reflects the demands of the culture as a business system with the added layer of context; a culture 5.0 approach that incorporates the needs, wants and impact of external factors and contributors.

Working with and alongside our clients, as they embark on their journey towards culture transformation we employ a range of tools and methods from bespoke surveys to values assessments which enables a full understanding of the challenges and opportunities and which includes the external context which might be influencing organizational culture. We then work collaboratively to identify the gaps between current and desired destination and we then design the programs, interventions, facilitated workshops which build alignment, engagement and the skills and thinking at all levels to accelerate culture transformation. Events are created and designed to achieve the specific need identified to make the change happen. Because, while leaders lead on culture transformation it is often those working at the management and operational levels who have the greatest impact on making the culture stick. This is why it is important to equip people with the skills, knowledge and conditions to be able to mobilise cultural transformation.

Supporting organizations in making change happen requires a comprehensive approach and process which encompasses all contributing elements. To find out more about how we can support you on your culture transformation journey, get in touch and speak to a member of the team todayy

Whilst we might choose to design bespoke surveys, there are a number of tools we might use during a culture transformation program. One of these is the Barrett Values Model, a renowned and proven suite of assessments, because values influence behaviors which create cultures. Find out more about the Barrett Values model and complete the self assessment as an introduction to the concept of values assessments or speak to the team to discuss how we might work with you to create your desired culture.

Values-Based Leadership & Finding Your Why

The Power of Purpose in Values Based Leadership

When you read Simon Sinek, ‘Find your why’’ becomes a rallying call to leaders and organizations that want to inspire the key attributes of alignment. These include trust, a shared vision, greater collaboration, focus, motivation, transparency, harmony, and much more. This is where core values-based leadership comes into play, aligning actions and decisions with personal values to foster a strong organisational culture. Leaders who embrace this approach are more likely to feel aligned with their purpose enhancing resilience during challenges and inspiration during opportunities.

Sinek’s theory of the Golden Circle encompasses three rings:

• • What: The outer ring – what you do or what you make. Everyone knows what they do.
  • How: The middle ring – how you do what you do. Some people know this
  • Why: The heart of the framework – describes why you do what you do. Very few know this.

Think about it. You know that your organization makes widgets. You have a good idea how these widgets are made. Now, do you know why your organization makes widgets?

What is Values-Based Leadership?

Values-based leadership is a powerful approach that enables leaders to align their actions with their core values, resulting in a positive impact on organisational culture and performance. It involves establishing a set of guiding principles that reflect the core values and beliefs of the organisation, which serve as a framework for decision-making and shape the behavior of employees.

By leading by example and embodying the principles they espouse, values-based leaders create a culture of trust, transparency, and authenticity, driving employee engagement, motivation, and productivity.

Values-based leadership impact on organizational culture

Values-based leadership has a significant impact on organizational culture, fostering a culture of trust, transparency, and authenticity. When leaders act in accordance with their core values, they demonstrate authenticity and integrity that employees can respect and trust. This leads to increased employee engagement and loyalty, as well as a more positive workplace culture.

Values-based leadership drives innovation and creativity by encouraging employees to think creatively and take risks, leading to a competitive advantage and increased success over the long term.

Leading by Example

Leading by example is a crucial aspect of values-based leadership. Leaders must be willing to hold themselves and others accountable for adhering to the guiding principles they have established. This involves being transparent, approachable, and open to feedback, as well as being willing to make tough decisions that align with the organization’s mission and values.

By leading by example, values-based leaders create a culture of accountability, responsibility, and integrity, inspiring employees to do the same.

Benefits of Values-Based Leadership

The benefits of values-based leadership are numerous. It fosters a culture of trust and transparency, driving employee engagement, motivation, and productivity. Values-based leadership also drives innovation and creativity, leading to a competitive advantage and increased success over the long term. It enables leaders to make authentic decisions that align with their personal values, leading to greater alignment and a sense of purpose.

By implementing values-based leadership, organisations can create a positive and supportive work culture, driving business success and sustainability.

Creating a Values-Driven Organization

Creating a values-driven organization requires a clear and consistent approach. Leaders must start by identifying their core values and communicating them clearly to employees. They must then provide opportunities for employees to share their thoughts and feedback on the values, and provide training and development opportunities to help employees understand and apply the values in practice.

By embedding values-based leadership into the organization’s culture, leaders can create a culture of trust, transparency, and authenticity, driving business success and sustainability.

To understand the challenges your organization faces, and the opportunities for change, complete the Primeast PrimeFocus™ assessment.

The importance of discovering your core values

What you do is probably not unique. If you differentiate your organization, or yourself, on what you do, it won’t be much different to a million other companies and people. You make widgets. So do companies all over the world. You lead a team. So do millions of others.

What you do is grey. It melts into the background. Very rarely will your job title excite and enthuse someone to hear more. “I’m a managing director,” does not make a crowd fall over themselves to learn more.

The same can be said about your ‘how’. Describing how you do something may be interesting, but it’s unlikely to be awe-inspiring. The manufacturing process is pretty much the same if you make clothes or shoes or cars – it’s a production line on which people work machines to turn raw materials into finished goods. Have you fallen asleep yet?

There are notable exceptions, of course. You could be a deep-sea diver whose next job is to travel into space to explore why the moon is rusting.

What makes you stand out is your why. Your purpose in life. The values that prompt you to do what you do and how you do it. Now that’s a story that people want to hear. When Simon Sinek says ‘Find your why’, he makes a big point.

Why you must discover your why for organizational culture and performance

‘Why?’ is the question that many find hard to answer. It’s there, but it is abstract. It’s a collection of ideas, thoughts, values, and beliefs that a values-based leader embodies. Yet it is there. It connects who you are to what you do. It has huge power, too. It is what makes you unique and creates loyal employees, customers, partners, and other stakeholders.

The difficulty in explaining your why is its intangible nature. You can’t see it or touch it. When you discover your why as an individual, it will help you decide on the type of organisation you want to work for and the type of work you want to do. Genuine humility plays a crucial role in this discovery, allowing you to remain grounded and empathetic.

For organisations, being able to describe your why will help you identify the problems you want to solve, who you want to solve them for, and attract talent that aligns with your purpose.

Exploring your why

The question now is, how do you find your why through self reflection?

The starting point is to explore the reason you get up in the morning, the reason you go to work, the reason you do what you do. What is your story? It is that that will engage, excite, and inspire. Implement values-based leadership to ensure that your actions are aligned with your core values, helping you navigate challenges effectively.

This may sound an easy exercise, but only when you begin the discovery process will you learn how difficult finding your why can be. A partner is often essential. They will help you to identify the thread that connects your stories together, the experiences that have had most impact on you, and why your tangibles help you realise the intangible nature of your purpose.

Understanding your why will allow you to clarify your direction. It will give everything you do its purpose. It’s the reason why people are loyal to their manager and their employer. It’s the reason why customers don’t source their products based on price.

Start your journey to finding your why by completing this short Personal Values Assessment. Once you have your results, you can dive deeper with the ‘Understanding your Purpose’ free virtual workshop by Sarah Cave. Client Partner & Primeast Director, Sarah is an accredited coach and certified practitioner of the Leadership Circle™.

What Motivates a Leader to Succeed?

How can leaders maintain themselves to stay motivated?

We’ve all felt it – the sudden lack of interest, the waning enthusiasm. The feeling that comes with not feeling like you’re in control of your own work anymore. When this happens, it’s important to find meaning in your work.

For leaders and their employees, it’s difficult to be passionate about something without it having an overarching purpose or meaning. Otherwise, you may end up getting discouraged and feel like you are wasting your time.

Indeed, motivation – the driving force behind high-performing teams – can often be cultivated through finding and understanding one’s purpose, and understanding how it aligns with the organization’s purpose.

This gives true meaning and value to the contribution that individuals and the team make.

What motivates leaders? Making work meaningful for yourself and your team

To be a motivated leader, you must find your own purpose and identify how it matches your organization’s purpose.

If you want people to be engaged and feel like their work is meaningful, it’s important that your team is aligned with your organization’s purpose.

While it seems simple, there are challenges in aligning your own and your team’s purpose with the organization’s purpose. Some employees may not understand or know what their company’s current objectives are or why they exist at all; this leads them to be confused about how they should act in each situation.

Therefore, a fundamental responsibility of leadership is to articulate the organization’s purpose and engage your team with it.

A sense of purpose creates a better future for the organization and its talent.

What motivates individuals to become successful leaders?

Purposeful leadership starts with a focus on why we do what we do, and not what we do, to make sure employees know what they are striving for. It is about creating a sense of meaning and significance that is greater than just earning a salary or just advancing your career.

Purposeful leaders find ways to align the work that their team is doing with the organization’s purpose. They will go out of the way to hire the right people who share organizational values, cultivate an inclusive culture, and create opportunities for all employees to contribute and develop skills.

When you engage your team with the organization’s purpose, they will demonstrate four critical behaviors:

• They show up for work every day with a sense of excitement and optimism
• They want to stay with the organization
• They are engaged with their work and are more innovative in their approach to it
• They want to help the organization to make a positive impact on the world
• They take ownership and accept accountability – they start to lead

In short, leading with purpose is the key to unlocking the potential of an organization.

Purpose creates resilience through change

The world is in a constant state of flux, and organizations must develop a culture of change to remain relevant and competitive. Success requires a clear vision and understanding of why change will benefit the organization. To support this understanding, leaders need to create a sense of purpose for their teams, for purpose now matters more than ever.

When employees feel that their work has meaning and that they’re contributing to something larger than themselves, it becomes easier to cope with change and setbacks. Without a sense of purpose, it can be hard to create resilience in the face of change.

A strong sense of purpose helps a leader to focus on the right things in service of the organization’s purpose, and to share this with their teams as they prioritize tasks to support the change required.

A leader is only as good as their team

As Clive Wilson discusses in his book ‘Designing the Purposeful Organization: How to Inspire Business Performance Beyond Boundaries’, it is important for leaders to know how to align their team with the organization’s purpose, to move beyond the limits of transactional performance (“Pay me x and I will deliver y”) towards purpose-focused performance that releases innovation, talent, and engagement. You see, a leader will only ever be as good as their team.

The hallmark of a great leader is someone who, in addition to their technical expertise, can develop and sustain the morale of their team. This means that they should be able to motivate employees and retain talent, as well as provide an environment that fosters innovation and performance. They create teams that work hard even when they are not present in person or when they are not overseeing daily tasks. The key to all this is purpose.

At Primeast, we work with organizations to help identify their guiding and compelling purpose, and then to undertake the process to articulate and engage people with this. This leads to an understanding of the values required which inform the behaviors needed to be able to act in service of the purpose.

To read more about how we use PrimeFocus™ when partnering with organizations as strategic and organizational consultants, read more here and listen to Clive Wilson discussing the importance of purpose within an organization.

Read more about the inspiring work Clive Wilson undertook with the Bedford College Group helping to define a compelling purpose to build engagement and motivation. The work is being followed with a program of culture-based skills and mindset development workshops to help build alignment and embed desired behaviors as part of the culture transformation program.

If you’re looking to re-set your organization’s purpose and vision as part of a change management or organizational transformation program, and to design a roadmap for the future, speak to a member of our team today. Helping you develop your leaders and teams to ensure they are equipped to achieve their goals.

Developing Leadership from Employee Value Propositions

What is an Employee Value Proposition?

An Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is a statement that defines the unique benefits, rewards, and values that an employer offers to its employees in return for their skills, experience, and commitment. It is a promise that outlines what an employee can expect from working for an organization, including opportunities for growth, development, and well-being.

A strong EVP is essential for attracting and retaining top talent, as it sets an organization apart from its competitors and provides a clear understanding of what it means to work for the company.

Learning Organizational Leadership from Employee Value Proposition Examples

It’s no secret that energized employees perform at their peak, and employees who feel disengaged can be a destructive element that no employer wants. As part of engagement strategy, organizations are finding that a strong and sustainable employee value proposition is invaluable. Here I look at two different employee value proposition examples before describing the steps to creating an organizational environment that emulates the best employee value proposition examples.

Why a Strong Employee Value Proposition is Important

A strong Employee Value Proposition (EVP) offers numerous benefits to an organisation, including:

• Attracting and retaining top talent: A clear and compelling EVP helps to differentiate an organization from its competitors and attracts the best candidates.
• Improved employee engagement: When employees understand the value they bring to an organization and what they can expect in return, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated.
• Increased productivity: A strong EVP can lead to increased productivity, as employees are more focused on their work and more committed to the organization.
• Reduced turnover: A well-defined EVP can help to reduce turnover, as employees are more likely to stay with an organization that offers them a clear understanding of what they can expect.

Key Components of an Employee Value Proposition

A strong Employee Value Proposition (EVP) typically includes several key components, including:

• Compensation and benefits: A clear understanding of what an employee can expect in terms of salary, benefits, and rewards.
• Career development: Opportunities for growth, development, and advancement within the organization.
• Work-life balance: A commitment to supporting employees’ personal and professional well-being.
• Company culture: A clear understanding of the organization’s values, mission, and culture.
• Recognition and rewards: A system for recognizing and rewarding employees’ contributions and achievements.

By including these key components, an organization can create a strong EVP that attracts and retains top talent, improves employee engagement, and drives business success.

Employee value proposition examples in action

An effective employee value proposition will act as a magnet to the best talent, and help retain them. If your company is finding it difficult to hire top people, or is losing its best people to competitors, it could be that you need to look inward and reassess your employee value proposition.

When TNT Express found itself losing out in the talent employment race, it did exactly this. It canvassed employees and asked why they felt disengaged. From these results senior management on-boarded middle management to align these employee wishes with the organization’s strategy, culture, and investment in human capital management. It is crucial to address the needs of both potential and current employees to create a compelling EVP. In its study, the factors identified as important to employees included:

• Health benefits
• Vacation benefits
• Manager quality
• Communication
• Respect

Among almost all employee groups surveyed, compensation came some distance behind other factors identified as important. TNT referenced its developing employee value proposition to three of these elements that most aligned with its strategy. Prime of these was the quality of its leaders and the methods and depths of communication within the company.

Netflix created an open and inviting culture as its employee value proposition (EVP), as perhaps you would expect. It emphasizes that it values diversity in the workforce, and empowers employees with freedom and responsibility. It doesn’t have a vacation policy. Nor does it dictate on clothing, and its policy on expenses is simple: “Act in Netflix’s best interests.”

The company also encourages its people to consider the long-term view, with a strategy that engages employees in their own career development.

How can you profit from employee value proposition examples?

Excellent and sustainable employee value propositions do not come about by accident. High annual employee turnover can lead to significant financial losses, making it crucial to develop an effective EVP. Both TNT and Netflix took deliberate action to create a uniqueness of company brand that appeals to top talent and then retained them. Here are four steps to create your organisation’s unique EVP:

1.     Think Strategically

Whether purposefully or not, your organization does have an EVP, even if it has not been formalized or strategized. In order to create a progressive EVP, think strategically and involve employees in discussions, as TNT did:

• Instigate employee surveys
• Align the EVP with organizational values
• Communicate with employees

2.     Integrate the EVP strategy with leadership and rewards

With the EVP formalized, create a set of objectives to deliver on the promise of the EVP. A compelling EVP can significantly decrease annual employee turnover by attracting the right talent and retaining employees. The elements in the EVP will identify with employee competencies, human capital management practices, career path progression, and compensation.

3.     Communicate the EVP and deliver the internal brand

At this step, the own employee value proposition (EVP) is fully aligned on a companywide basis, and it is now time for strong leadership to engage employees in an environment of mutual trust. It’s now time to discuss strategy in an open and transparent communication style, engaging employees in the process of creating and delivering an internal brand aimed at retaining top talent.

4.     Remain unique in the competitive marketplace

Even within organizations, different segments will have different needs and these can now be defined at micro-levels. Use this increased knowledge to be unique in the marketplace and gain an advantage over competitors.

To benefit from an EVP, take a page out of the TNT and Netflix books and:

• Understand your people;
• Define the value-added rewards based upon this knowledge;
• Deliver those rewards; and
• Communicate continuously

Contact Primeast today to discuss our Management Development Series, including our Energy Leadership Program, which helps develop high-performing managers into inspirational leaders.

EVP Development: Creating Leadership from Employee Value Propositions

What is an Employee Value Proposition?

An Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is a statement that defines the unique benefits, rewards, and values that an employer offers to its employees in return for their skills, experience, and commitment. It is a promise that outlines what an employee can expect from working for an organisation, including opportunities for growth, development, and well-being.

A strong EVP is essential for attracting and retaining top talent, as it sets an organization apart from its competitors and provides a clear understanding of what it means to work for the company.

Learning Organisational Leadership from Employee Value Proposition Examples

It’s no secret that energised employees perform at their peak, and employees who feel disengaged can be a destructive element that no employer wants. As part of engagement strategy, organisations are finding that a strong and sustainable employee value proposition is invaluable. Here I look at two different employee value proposition examples before describing the steps to creating an organisational environment that emulates the best employee value proposition examples.

Why a Strong Employee Value Proposition is Important

A strong Employee Value Proposition (EVP) offers numerous benefits to an organisation, including:

• Attracting and retaining top talent: A clear and compelling EVP helps to differentiate an organisation from its competitors and attracts the best candidates.
• Improved employee engagement: When employees understand the value they bring to an organisation and what they can expect in return, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated.
• Increased productivity: A strong EVP can lead to increased productivity, as employees are more focused on their work and more committed to the organisation.
• Reduced turnover: A well-defined EVP can help to reduce turnover, as employees are more likely to stay with an organisation that offers them a clear understanding of what they can expect.

Key Components of an Employee Value Proposition

A strong Employee Value Proposition (EVP) typically includes several key components, including:

• Compensation and benefits: A clear understanding of what an employee can expect in terms of salary, benefits, and rewards.
• Career development: Opportunities for growth, development, and advancement within the organization.
• Work-life balance: A commitment to supporting employees’ personal and professional well-being.
• Company culture: A clear understanding of the organisation’s values, mission, and culture.
• Recognition and rewards: A system for recognising and rewarding employees’ contributions and achievements.

By including these key components, an organisation can create a strong EVP that attracts and retains top talent, improves employee engagement, and drives business success.

Employee value proposition examples in action

An effective employee value proposition will act as a magnet to the best talent, and help retain them. If your company is finding it difficult to hire top people, or is losing its best people to competitors, it could be that you need to look inward and reassess your employee value proposition.

When TNT Express found itself losing out in the talent employment race, it did exactly this. It canvassed employees and asked why they felt disengaged. From these results senior management on-boarded middle management to align these employee wishes with the organisation’s strategy, culture, and investment in human capital management. It is crucial to address the needs of both potential and current employees to create a compelling EVP. In its study, the factors identified as important to employees included:

• Health benefits
• Vacation benefits
• Manager quality
• Communication
• Respect

Among almost all employee groups surveyed, compensation came some distance behind other factors identified as important. TNT referenced its developing employee value proposition to three of these elements that most aligned with its strategy. Prime of these was the quality of its leaders and the methods and depths of communication within the company.

Netflix created an open and inviting culture as its employee value proposition (EVP), as perhaps you would expect. It emphasizes that it values diversity in the workforce, and empowers employees with freedom and responsibility. It doesn’t have a vacation policy. Nor does it dictate on clothing, and its policy on expenses is simple: “Act in Netflix’s best interests.”

The company also encourages its people to consider the long-term view, with a strategy that engages employees in their own career development.

How can you profit from employee value proposition examples?

Excellent and sustainable employee value propositions do not come about by accident. High annual employee turnover can lead to significant financial losses, making it crucial to develop an effective EVP. Both TNT and Netflix took deliberate action to create a uniqueness of company brand that appeals to top talent and then retained them. Here are four steps to create your organisation’s unique EVP:

1.     Think Strategically

Whether purposefully or not, your organisation does have an EVP, even if it has not been formalized or strategized. In order to create a progressive EVP, think strategically and involve employees in discussions, as TNT did:

• Instigate employee surveys
• Align the EVP with organisational values
• Communicate with employees

2.     Integrate the EVP strategy with leadership and rewards

With the EVP formalized, create a set of objectives to deliver on the promise of the EVP. A compelling EVP can significantly decrease annual employee turnover by attracting the right talent and retaining employees. The elements in the EVP will identify with employee competencies, human capital management practices, career path progression, and compensation.

3.     Communicate the EVP and deliver the internal brand

At this step, the own employee value proposition (EVP) is fully aligned on a companywide basis, and it is now time for strong leadership to engage employees in an environment of mutual trust. It’s now time to discuss strategy in an open and transparent communication style, engaging employees in the process of creating and delivering an internal brand aimed at retaining top talent.

4.     Remain unique in the competitive marketplace

Even within organisations, different segments will have different needs and these can now be defined at micro-levels. Use this increased knowledge to be unique in the marketplace and gain an advantage over competitors.

To benefit from an EVP, take a page out of the TNT and Netflix books and:

• Understand your people;
• Define the value-added rewards based upon this knowledge;
• Deliver those rewards; and
• Communicate continuously

Contact Primeast today to discuss our Management Development Series, including our Energy Leadership Program, which helps develop high-performing managers into inspirational leaders.

Negative Impact of Technology on Communication

Why are we more connected, yet many feel disconnected?

There is no doubt that the COVID-19-induced recession would have been far worse had it not been for technology. Our ability to communicate and collaborate in real-time allowed millions of workers to stay at home and remain productive. Video technology enabled people to connect socially, even though they were apart. We may never know the extent to which communication technology helps to avoid mental health issues caused by enforced isolation.

However, there is a dark side of technology, too. It is rarely discussed or considered. The negative consequences of technology, such as addiction, privacy violations, and a deterioration in social interactions, pose significant challenges. Yet organisations must answer the big question that this dark side poses. Is technology destroying communication in the workplace? Moreover, how can you ensure it doesn’t?

The Shift to Digital Communication

The shift to digital communication has revolutionised the way we interact in the workplace. With the rise of communication technologies, digital communication has become the norm, often overshadowing face-to-face communication. This transformation brings undeniable advantages, such as increased convenience and accessibility. Employees can now connect with colleagues across the globe in an instant, breaking down geographical barriers and fostering a more inclusive work environment.

However, this shift also comes with significant negative impacts. One of the most profound drawbacks is the absence of nonverbal cues. In face-to-face communication, body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice play crucial roles in conveying messages accurately. Without these cues, digital communication can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations. A simple email or instant message can be read in multiple ways, often leading to confusion and sometimes conflict. As we continue to embrace the digital world, it’s essential to recognise and address these challenges to maintain effective communication in the workplace.

Why communication is important in the workplace

Let’s first look at why effective communication is so important in the workplace.

Good communication is crucial to sharing information

If communication skills are not utilised effectively, your people won’t know what they are doing or why they are doing it. The collaboration will be crushed. Innovation will grind to a halt. Obvious, isn’t it? Yet, Dynamic Signal found that almost three quarters of employees feel that they are missing out on company information and news.

Communication shapes attitudes

The better informed you are, the better your attitude is likely to be. Misinformed – or uninformed – employees are distrustful of their employer, which can negatively impact human relationships within the workplace. They spread gossip and increase resistance to change. Lexicon found that 80% of Americans say that communication with employees is key to developing trust with their employees.

Good communication motivates employees

Clarity of purpose engages employees in vision and mission and motivates them to go the extra mile. According to a survey by JobsInME, 85% of employees said they’re most motivated when management offers regular updates on company news. Equally damaging, Deloitte’s 2017 Global Human Capital Trends report found that only 23% of executives say their companies are excellent at aligning employees’ goals with their organisation’s purpose.

Communication is critical to the governance of behavior

Employees must comply with an organisation’s policies and procedures. Without these communicated effectively, an organisation risks spiraling into pseudo-anarchism – especially the flatter hierarchies prevalent in today’s organisational structures. The negative effects of ineffective communication, such as diminished social skills and empathy, can exacerbate these issues. Salesforce found that 86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures.

Communication is key to employees working effectively

Clear and concise instructions enable employees to carry out tasks efficiently. Miscommunication leads to tasks taking longer to do and being done below the standards expected. Yet an Interact Survey reported in the Harvard Business Review found that 57% of employees report not being given clear directions, and 69% of managers are not comfortable communicating with the employees in general.

Get your communication strategy right, and your organisation will benefit from:

• Fewer misunderstandings
• Improved collaboration
• Higher staff morale and motivation
• More highly engaged employees
• Lower employee turnover
• Improved productivity
• Better results

The Importance of Face-to-Face Communication

Despite the convenience of digital communication, face-to-face communication remains essential for building strong relationships and conveying emotions effectively. When we interact in person, we can pick up on nonverbal cues such as body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions. These cues provide valuable context that helps us understand the other person’s emotions and intentions more accurately.

Face-to-face communication also plays a critical role in conflict resolution and negotiation. In-person interactions allow us to read each other’s nonverbal signals and respond appropriately, facilitating more effective and empathetic communication. This level of understanding is often lost in digital communication, where messages can be easily misconstrued. By prioritising face-to-face interactions, organisations can foster a more connected and emotionally intelligent workforce.

The communication journey seen through technological change

Once upon a time, many centuries ago, all communication was verbal and face-to-face. Then humans learned to write, and within just a few centuries we were able to send letters oversea and thousands of miles away. With luck, we would receive news within a couple of weeks. Today we talk instantly, in real time, via video link.

Business has followed a similar path. First, we had memos. Along came the telephone. Then faxes. Emails soon followed – and have stuck. As well as email communication, employees use instant messengers, video conferencing technology, and project management tools that integrate with all your other technology. The world of work has never had such ability to communicate internally and externally.

We are super connected. You only need to look at a few email statistics to see just how connected we are:

• 293.6 billion emails were processed every day in 2019
• There are 3.9 billion email users worldwide, with more than 5.5 billion active email accounts
• The average office worker receives 121 emails per day
• In 2019, there are nearly 4 billion email users worldwide

Mobile technology has further transformed modern communication, impacting social interactions and community dynamics. While it offers new forms of community, it also raises concerns about isolation.

And yet, despite all this connectivity, the stats we shared earlier indicate that our workplace communication is failing.

What’s going wrong?

Technology has revolutionised the way we do business and the way we communicate in the workplace. But not all these changes have been positive.

Greater connectivity means that many people never switch off from work. This can cause stress in both personal and professional lives, and causes damaging work/life balance issues that eventually affect a person’s ability to do their work effectively. Additionally, the negative impact of technology on communication skills is evident. Reduced eye contact, avoidance of in-person conversations, and a lack of emotional depth in virtual interactions collectively contribute to weakened social connections and communication skills. Here are five more ways in which the use of technology can damage communication in the workplace.

1. Technology dehumanises communication

It is easier for people to take on false personas when they are not communicating face-to-face, highlighting the dehumanising effects of technology on communication. Emailing, texting and instant messaging give the user a certain amount of anonymity, and behaviors can change. This is especially recognisable with social media use.

2. Misconstrued messages

80% of message is conveyed by nonverbal communication (body language). Even when we are not sure of the meaning of the words used, it is usually possible to understand the message by contextualising with nonverbal communication and the verbalised words around it.

In addition, when communicating in writing – especially when we are unsure of our audience – it is more likely that we will write things that are misunderstood culturally. This is becoming more common within remote and geographically dispersed teams. There are nuances in how people are addressed and how tone is conveyed. Even among English speaking countries, differences in language can cause confusion (in England, for example, chips are crisps, and fries are chips).

3. Communication by technology can be thoughtless

Emails, instant messages, and other communications can be easily forwarded. A difficult message is not reframed for the individual or team to who it is sent. Such messages can damage trust and create emotional responses that are out of character from the recipient.

4. Technology has eliminated privacy

What is done cannot be undone. An email, video or message on a project management application is there to be retrieved when needed. An emotional response via email may receive a wider audience than intended. No longer are there quiet conversations between conflicted parties which lead to mutual understanding with privacy ensured.

5. Communication technology can cause social isolation

Organisations are utilising internal social networks more extensively. These enable connectivity and sharing of information, best practices, and ‘outside work’ topics. Connected people collaborate better, right?

Being connected by technology does not give the same warm feeling as being connected personally. The connections are shallower and less meaningful. Despite the super connectivity today, a study by the Cigna Health Insurance Company found that loneliness among Americans is at epidemic proportions. We are only just starting to understand the positive and negative effects of the social connection that technology affords us. While it facilitates connections across distances, it also leads to reduced emotional depth and face-to-face interactions. But we don’t need studies to tell us what so many of us already know. The COVID-19 lockdown has brought home our basic human need to be with other people.

The Impact on Teamwork and Collaboration

The shift to digital communication has significantly impacted teamwork and collaboration in the workplace. On one hand, digital communication tools like instant messaging, video conferencing, and project management software have made it easier for teams to collaborate, regardless of their physical location. These tools enable real-time communication and information sharing, which can enhance productivity and innovation.

However, the reliance on digital communication can also lead to challenges. Without face-to-face interactions, team members may miss out on important nonverbal cues, leading to misunderstandings and conflicts. The lack of physical presence can also result in a sense of detachment, reducing accountability and responsibility among team members. When individuals are not physically present, they may feel less invested in the project, which can negatively impact team cohesion and overall performance.

To mitigate these issues, it’s crucial for organisations to strike a balance between digital and face-to-face communication. Encouraging regular in-person meetings and fostering a culture of open communication can help teams maintain strong connections and work more effectively together.

Enhancing the positives of technology and eliminating the negatives

Advancing technology is enabling organisations to hire the best talent no matter where it is located. It is empowering greater collaboration than we ever thought possible. People can now work together, on a single connected network in real time. Without the communication technology that we have, the economic damage caused by COVID-19 would have been many times greater.

However, organisations must also understand that technology in communication can have damaging effects. Used without high regard to the message being conveyed and the recipient for which it is intended, that message can be misinterpreted and therefore damaging to individuals, teams, and even the organisation.

Over-reliance on technology can lead to people feeling isolated, and this can lead to mental health issues that could otherwise be avoided. There are also privacy issues surrounding online communications, and the issue of how much time we spend receiving, reading, deciphering, and answering communications to us.

To take advantage of all the benefits that technology in communication offers, it is crucial to ensure that organisations implement policies and guidelines for how technology should be used to communicate. Such policies might include:

• Guidelines that limit the use of email and templates for emails
• Policies for video conference calls, how they are structured and carried out
• Providing time and means for social connections
• Training people to use technology effectively when communicating, including in cultural aspects
• Providing approved and disapproved language

Technology has the potential to advance and enhance business and the human experience. It is in the hands of business leaders to ensure that this potential is reached – organisational sustainability depends upon it.

Wrapping Up

The shift to digital communication has had a profound impact on human communication in the workplace. While digital communication offers numerous advantages, such as convenience and accessibility, it also presents challenges, including the lack of nonverbal cues and the potential for miscommunication. Face-to-face communication remains essential for building strong relationships, conveying emotions effectively, and facilitating teamwork and collaboration.

As we navigate the digital world, it is crucial to find a balance between digital and face-to-face communication. By doing so, we can ensure that we are communicating effectively, building strong relationships, and fostering a connected and productive work environment. Embracing both forms of communication will help us harness the benefits of technology while preserving the essential elements of human interaction.

7 Steps to an Effective Internal Communications Plan Template

In a world threatened by information overload, organisational leaders have a responsibility for cutting through the fog and presenting a clear picture of vision, values, and strategy. In return, employees must be encouraged to offer feedback willingly and without fear.

Creating a two-way street of open and honest communication within the organisation requires a strategic view. The following internal communications plan template will help your organisation create an internal communication framework by outlining goals, establishing communication protocols, and incorporating employee engagement to ensure effectiveness.

Why your Workplace will be More Effective With an Internal Communications Plan

Effective in-house communications begin at the senior level and filter down. Employee communication strategies are the employee empowerment tools of inspirational leaders. As we’ve outlined previously:

• Leaders with the ability to listen, communicate, and influence will empower employees to make decisions which help to achieve both individual and company goals
• A more open and inspiring leader will encourage ideation. Creativity and new working practices will flow through to the shop floor, and best practices can be shared to encourage organisation wide improvement

An internal communications plan template will enable the leader to:

• Deliver more effective messages to employees
• Create value added two-way communication
• Reach out to geographically dispersed employees
• Monitor the effectiveness of the communicative process

Understanding the Importance of Internal Communications

Why Internal Communications Matter

Internal communications play a vital role in the success of any organisation. It is the backbone of a company’s culture, productivity, and employee engagement. Effective internal communications help to ensure that employees are informed, aligned, and motivated to achieve the company’s goals and objectives. A well-planned internal communications strategy can improve employee productivity, retention, and overall job satisfaction.

Internal communications matter because they:

• Foster a sense of community and belonging among employees
• Encourage collaboration and teamwork
• Provide a platform for employees to share their ideas and feedback
• Help to build trust and credibility between employees and management
• Support the achievement of business objectives
• Enhance employee engagement and motivation
• Improve communication and reduce misunderstandings

By prioritising internal communications, organisations can create a more cohesive and productive work environment, ultimately driving success and growth.

Defining Your Internal Communications Strategy

What is a Strategic Internal Communications Plan?

A strategic internal communications plan is a document that outlines the goals, objectives, and strategies for internal communications within an organisation. It serves as a roadmap that guides the internal communications team in creating and implementing effective communication strategies that support the company’s overall business objectives.

A strategic internal communications plan should include:

• A clear definition of the company’s internal communications goals and objectives
• An analysis of the current internal communications landscape
• Identification of key stakeholders and their communication preferences
• A description of the communication channels and tactics to be used
• A plan for measuring and evaluating the effectiveness of internal communications
• A budget and resource allocation plan

By developing a comprehensive internal communications strategy, organisations can ensure that their communication efforts are aligned with their business objectives and effectively reach their employees.

Identify Current Communication Challenges

Assessing your current internal communications situation is an essential step in creating a strategic internal communications plan. This involves identifying the current communication challenges and opportunities within the organisation.

To assess your current situation, consider the following:

• What are the current internal communications channels and tactics being used?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the current internal communications strategy?
• What are the key communication challenges facing the organisation?
• What are the communication preferences of key stakeholders?
• What are the business objectives that internal communications need to support?

By understanding your current internal communications situation, you can identify areas for improvement and develop a strategic plan that addresses the unique needs and challenges of your organisation. This assessment will provide a solid foundation for creating an effective internal communications strategy that enhances employee engagement and supports the achievement of business objectives.

How to align the goals of internal communication

Many businesses fail to deliver on their stated values and vision because they fail to communicate them. In-house communications are found to be lacking in design and focus, even if external communications are excellent. By instigating an internal communication planning process, an organisation will more effectively ensure that all employees are pulling together.

Here are 7 steps to create an effective internal communications plan template:

1.     Define the culture

Define the organisational goals, values, and vision through well-defined internal communication strategies. Require senior executives to live and breathe them, acting as examples of expected performance and working practices. If this step isn’t executed by the top level executives, those below them will see no reasons to engage.

2.     Define the audience

Put consistent audience targeting processes in place to identify key employee groups. Employee personas, informed by employee communication data from engagement surveys, channel audits, and employee feedback, will help to develop effective communications and can be used to plan business strategy and release relevant news.

3.     Define appropriate messaging channels

Decide the best channel to connect with each unique persona, ensuring that key messages are tailored to specific audiences. Develop a process that interconnects these at the center. This enables easy management of the internal communication plan template, and might feed into workplace calendars, intranet, social media, and news channels.

4.     Encourage feedback

Support employees to become involved in the employee communications process, making it easy for individuals and teams to offer feedback and creative ideas. This process will include open team meetings, intranet, and other engagement tools. This requires some mediation allowing those who would be afraid to speak up in front of others to have an equal opportunity to speak as those who offer opinions freely.

This process of engagement in internal communications encourages self-confidence, creativity, and ideation.

5.     Establish management control and measurement of effectiveness

Internal communications strategies happen when you design a system of measuring the effectiveness of internal communication to enable continuous improvement. Metrics will depend upon the strategic vision of the organisation, but will necessarily include the adoption of expected behaviours in line with the corporate culture.

6.     Coach employees in digital communication

Increase effectiveness of the internal communication plan template by ensuring staff are adept at using internal communications channels as part of a smart internal communications strategy.

7.     Recognise performance

Put in place a strong internal communications strategy that includes a process of recognition, rewarding individual and team performance to enhance the corporate culture. Congratulate hard work, innovation, and teamwork in action not just in concept.

An effective internal communications plan template requires a combination of systems, processes, and leadership. Of these, leadership is the key ingredient: without effective leadership, workplace communications will inevitably break down.

Producing a valuable internal communications strategy takes time, resource, and effort. Leaders will need to be coached in effective communications and benefit from high emotional intelligence, freeing themselves to opening performance enhancing communication channels between them and their employees.

Contact Primeast today to discover how an Emotional Intelligence course will develop and embed effective personal skills in the workplace, for leaders, managers, and employees.

Giving Feedback To Boost Confidence & Engagement

Giving Feedback Effectively

A 2009 Gallup survey of more than 1,000 US-based employees sought to qualify the impact of feedback on employees. Its findings are insightful:

• When a manager gives little or no feedback, the manager fails to engage 98% of employees.
• Four out of ten employees who receive little or no feedback become actively disengaged.
• Managers who concentrate on strengths when giving feedback are 30 times more likely to engage their employees than those giving no feedback.
• One in ten managers concentrates on weaknesses when providing feedback.

The conclusion drawn by the study is that the tools, techniques, and strategies that a manager uses when delivering feedback have a huge impact on employee engagement.

In this article I’ll discuss why feedback is crucial, the basis of an effective feedback strategy, and one of the key tools that provide a framework for constructive feedback.

Why is feedback so crucial?

Many studies have shown that engaged employees work more productively. They provide impetus toward shared vision, values, and goals. When you energise employees to perform at their peak, the impact on performance at individual and team levels is clear – and this directly benefits your bottom line.

To be engaged in your future vision, an employee needs to feel wanted. They need to know that their contribution is valued, and that they are helping the organisation reach its goals.

When a manager provides no feedback, the employee feels ignored. When someone feels ignored, they feel unimportant. Even negative feedback is better than this, but constructive criticism is the most effective as it provides actionable suggestions for improvement while maintaining a positive tone.

Types of Feedback

Feedback can be categorised into different types, each serving a unique purpose. Understanding these types can help you tailor your feedback to the specific situation and recipient.

• Positive Feedback: Positive feedback is used to reinforce good behavior, acknowledge achievements, and boost morale. It’s essential to provide specific examples and context to make the feedback meaningful.
  • For instance, instead of saying, “Great job,” you might say, “Your detailed analysis in the report was outstanding and really helped us make informed decisions.”
• Constructive Feedback: Constructive feedback is used to address areas for improvement, provide guidance, and help employees grow. It’s crucial to focus on behavior rather than personality and provide actionable suggestions.
  • For example, “I noticed that the project deadlines were missed. Let’s discuss how we can better manage time and resources to meet future deadlines.”
• Negative Feedback: Negative feedback is used to address significant issues, correct mistakes, and prevent future problems. It’s essential to deliver negative feedback in a sensitive and supportive manner, focusing on the behavior rather than the person.
  • For example, “Your recent interactions with the team have been quite abrupt, which has caused some tension. Let’s work on improving communication to foster a more collaborative environment.”
• Formative Feedback: Formative feedback is used to guide employees during the learning process, providing them with insights and suggestions to improve their performance.
  • For instance, “During your presentation, you had some great points, but it would be even more effective if you could engage the audience with more eye contact and questions.”
• Summative Feedback: Summative feedback is used to evaluate employee performance at the end of a project or period, providing a summary of their strengths and weaknesses.
  • For example, “Over the past quarter, you’ve shown excellent problem-solving skills and have consistently met your targets. However, there is room for improvement in your time management.”

By understanding and utilising these different types of feedback, you can provide more targeted and effective employee feedback, ultimately enhancing performance and engagement.

Setting the scene for constructive feedback

For feedback to be given, listened to, and then acted upon, there are some ground rules that must be observed. I call these the ‘tools for the road’.

When you drive the highway, you first need to know your destination. You need to know what you and others can control. For example:

• you are in charge of the car;
• a road traffic accident is out of your sphere of responsibility, though you may have cause to report and help; and
• delays or roadblocks have to be negotiated.

In the workplace this means setting clear expectations for your employees. For example, provide examples of work products that clearly reflect the quality and detail you expect from an individual. When setting clear expectations, it is crucial to communicate these to your direct reports to ensure they understand their responsibilities and the feedback process.

Let your people know explicitly what they control, and provide a continuum for feedback. Remember also that feedback is a two-way street. It is about listening, understanding, and acting.

Preparing to Give Feedback

Preparing to give feedback is crucial to ensure that the conversation is productive and effective. Here are some steps to help you prepare:

• Gather Information: Collect relevant data, observations, and examples to support your feedback. This ensures that your feedback is based on facts and specific instances, making it more credible and actionable.
• Define the Purpose: Clearly define the purpose of the feedback conversation, whether it’s to address an issue, provide guidance, or acknowledge achievements. Knowing the purpose helps you stay focused and ensures that the conversation is meaningful.
• Choose the Right Time and Place: Select a private and comfortable setting where the employee feels safe and open to receiving feedback. Avoid public settings where the employee might feel embarrassed or defensive.
• Prepare Your Thoughts: Organise your thoughts, and consider the employee’s perspective, strengths, and weaknesses. This helps you deliver feedback in a balanced and constructive manner.
• Anticipate Questions and Concerns: Prepare to address potential questions and concerns the employee may have. This shows that you are considerate and ready to support them through the feedback process.

By taking these steps, you can ensure that you give feedback in a way that is respectful, clear, and effective, ultimately fostering a positive and productive work environment.

Techniques for giving and receiving feedback

When providing feedback, it is important to be on point. Feedback must be specific to behaviour.

Providing specific feedback examples can help illustrate the points you are making and ensure that the feedback is clear and actionable.

For example, saying someone is doing a good job may raise a smile, but is a short-lived ‘throw-away’ appraisal. What is that person good at? What is it that they are doing which can be used as best practice, and inform the behaviour of others?

Consider which is the better and more effective feedback of the following:

“You’re working well on these reports. Well done.”

or…

“I see you’ve put in a process to reduce the time it takes to process these reports. That’s great work, and something we could use across the whole company.”

In brief, there are five elements of constructive feedback. It should be:

• Given in a timely fashion
• Clear
• Specific
• Non-judgmental
• Actionable

Making your feedback effective using a simple feedback framework

To make feedback effective (that is to say, something that will leave a positive, engaging impact on the employee) I recommend following the situation-behaviour-impact (SBI) model. This feedback model ensures that you hit the five elements of constructive feedback I highlighted above. For example:

Capture the situation

“In yesterday’s team meeting…”

Describe the behaviour

“…you interrupted constantly.”

Describe the impact

“This forced your colleagues to shut down. Consequently, we weren’t able to discuss their ideas and arrive at a team-based solution to our problem.”

From this specific feedback, you will be able to discuss behaviour, and jointly produce a plan of action that the employee can use to improve his or her performance.

Overcoming Barriers to Giving Feedback

Giving feedback can be challenging, and several barriers can prevent you from providing effective feedback. Here are some common barriers and strategies to overcome them:

• Fear of Conflict: Fear of conflict can prevent you from giving feedback. To overcome this, focus on the issue rather than the person, and use “I” statements to express your concerns. For example, “I noticed that the project deadlines were missed, and I’m concerned about how this affects our overall timeline.”
• Lack of Time: Lack of time can be a significant barrier to giving feedback. To overcome this, prioritise feedback, and allocate specific times for feedback conversations. Scheduling regular check-ins can help ensure that feedback is given consistently and timely.
• Uncertainty about How to Give Feedback: Uncertainty about how to give feedback can prevent you from providing effective feedback. To overcome this, seek training, and practice giving feedback in a safe and supportive environment. Role-playing scenarios with a colleague can be a helpful way to build confidence.
• Fear of Hurting the Employee’s Feelings: Fear of hurting the employee’s feelings can prevent you from giving feedback. To overcome this, focus on the behavior rather than the person, and provide feedback in a sensitive and supportive manner. For example, “I’ve noticed that your recent reports have had some errors. Let’s work together to identify the root cause and find a solution.”
• Cultural or Language Barriers: Cultural or language barriers can prevent you from giving effective feedback. To overcome this, be aware of cultural differences, and use simple language to ensure understanding. It may also be helpful to ask the employee to summarise what they heard to ensure clarity.

By recognising and addressing these barriers, you can provide more effective feedback, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and open communication.

How to receive feedback

As I said earlier, feedback is a two-way street. A good manager encourages his or her people to provide feedback on him or her. Doing so will aid your development as a leader, and further promote engagement. Encouraging your team to provide more feedback can help create a culture of continuous improvement and open communication.

When receiving feedback, you should follow these bullet point rules:

• Listen attentively
• Repeat only what you heard (to clarify)
• Ask for specifics (what you are doing well, what you are doing not so well)
• Show appreciation by saying “thank you”
• Ask if (and when) you can check back

If your people appear distant, disengaged, or disenfranchised, then you may need to brush up on your feedback technique. If you don’t provide effective discussion of performance, you are doing yourself, your employee, and your organisation a severe injustice.

Contact Primeast today to discover how an Emotional Intelligence course will develop and embed effective personal skills in the workplace, for leaders, managers, and employees.

7 Ways to Motivate Your Team

Leading via the link between team motivation and engagement

Many studies, surveys, and polls have concluded that employee engagement is key to building a successful business, leading change initiatives, and developing high-performance teams. To motivate your team effectively, it’s essential to foster engagement. In its eighth meta-analysis measuring the effects of employee engagement, Gallup found that:

“Work units in the top quartile in employee engagement outperformed bottom-quartile units by 10% on customer ratings, 22% in profitability, and 21% in productivity. Work units in the top quartile also saw significantly lower turnover (25% in high-turnover organisations, 65% in low-turnover organisations), shrinkage (28%), and absenteeism (37%) and fewer safety incidents (48%), patient safety incidents (41%), and quality defects (41%).”

Given so many positives of employee engagement, it is little wonder that organisations are continually finding ways to increase employee engagement and create a productive work environment.

What is employee engagement?

Employee engagement describes how people are committed to the work they do and the values and mission of the organisation for whom they work. They are happy team players who are invested in their colleagues, their team, and their organisation, and employees feel motivated to contribute their best.

In other words, they are motivated to turn up, help others, and do the best work they can. However, engagement is not quite the same as motivation, but a complimentary quality – a key ingredient in employee engagement. For example, motivated employees feel that their work is meaningful, while engaged employees are emotionally committed to their work. Good leaders motivate their employees to be engaged.

Setting the Foundation for Success

Setting the foundation for success is crucial for motivating a team. A motivated team is more productive, engaged, and committed to achieving their goals. To set the foundation for success, team leaders should establish clear expectations, provide necessary resources, and foster a positive work environment. This includes setting SMART goals, providing regular feedback, and recognising team achievements. By setting the foundation for success, team leaders can create a motivated team that is equipped to achieve their goals.

How to engage employees with motivational tactics

Many motivational techniques will serve the simultaneous objectives of engaging employees and developing a high-performing team. Here are seven of the techniques used by successful managers and leaders.

1.      Share the big picture to give them feel valued

Share your vision with your employees, helping them to see how they fit into the achievement of that vision by providing tasks that help the team progress toward its goals. This will provide the purpose they need to engage with the big picture. Keeping employees up to date with the latest developments and how their roles contribute to the overall vision can further enhance their sense of purpose.

2.      Motivate individuals to motivate the team

Each member of a team will have individual aspirations, goals and objectives. It is a manager’s responsibility to learn what makes their employees tick, and how to create the environment where the needs of individuals can be activated to improve the team, ensuring each team member feels valued and motivated.

Listen to ideas, learn from their experiences, and recycle into the team environment, showing how individual success can propel the team to greater teamwork. This personal and individual approach will help to incentivise employees with a clear understanding of the power of collaboration.

3.      Give trust

A team leader should give trust to their employees and show that they trust their abilities by handing over responsibility. This responsibility may be given through providing specific tasks that challenge, or by asking an employee to manage a project sub-team, or perhaps requesting that a team member act as chair in a team meeting. There are many opportunities to share responsibilities and give trust each day – these should be used.

4.      Motivate with milestones

Lofty goals often remain unaccomplished because they seem so far away, and unachievable. This serves to demotivate and disengage. Focus instead on smaller, challenging but achievable milestones that will help individuals and teams progress. Reward achievement of each milestone, and reinforce how much nearer it takes the team to its final target, thereby boosting team motivation.

5.      Reward performance based upon feedback

Value performance and attitude by recording, measuring and rewarding feedback from clients, suppliers, colleagues and other stakeholders. Seek to reward the expected behaviours that help to drive teamwork and promote the organisation.

6.    Energise the team by exampling expected behaviours for a productive work environment

Employees follow the lead of their managers and the organisation’s leaders. An enthusiastic, energetic leader who exudes positivity toward work and the organisation’s values and goals is more likely to keep the team motivated and create that energy within his or her team.

7.      Communicate openly

Be transparent about company goals and progress. Hide nothing, so that there are no surprises. Allow people the opportunity to voice concerns and ask questions, and provide honest feedback. Always show respect in the communication process, and include team members in the decision-making process, valuing their contribution and helping them to understand their value to the organisation. Additionally, organising team building activities can further enhance open communication and strengthen team bonds.

Fostering a Positive Work Environment

Fostering a positive work environment is essential for motivating a team. A positive work environment encourages team members to feel valued, motivated, and engaged. To foster a positive work environment, team leaders should promote open communication, encourage teamwork, and provide opportunities for growth and development. This includes creating a healthy work environment, providing flexible schedules, and offering work-life balance.

By fostering a positive work environment, team leaders can create a motivated team that is productive and committed to achieving their goals.

Investing in Team Development

Investing in team development is critical for motivating a team. Team members feel motivated when they are learning and growing in their roles. To invest in team development, team leaders should provide opportunities for training, mentorship, and coaching. This includes providing regular feedback, recognising team achievements, and offering opportunities for advancement.

By investing in team development, team leaders can create a motivated team that is equipped to achieve their goals.

Measuring Success and Adjusting Course

Measuring success and adjusting course is essential for motivating a team. Team leaders should regularly track progress, solicit honest feedback, and make adjustments as needed. This includes setting clear goals, providing regular feedback, and recognising team achievements.

By measuring success and adjusting course, team leaders can create a motivated team that is productive and committed to achieving their goals.

Conclusion

Employee engagement and employee motivation work hand in hand to energise teams in the work they do and the goals of the organisation. When team leaders, supervisors and managers employ effective motivation strategies, the team should become a more collaborative and cohesive unit, fixed on the achievement of individual and team goals. This level of engagement could transform a team’s results.

Contact us today, and discover how we could help your managers to redefine their own behaviours and embed the leadership techniques to build high-performing teams.