The Workplace Coach

The Gallup Organization, a global analytics and advisory company, conducts extensive research on employee engagement and organisational performance. Their findings, based on over 10 million interviews with managers and employees, highlight 12 Elements of Great Managing for engagement and high performance. Consistently, employees worldwide have conveyed a clear message:

“If you do these things for us, we will do what the company needs of us”.

Many employers look to introduce new systems and processes in an effort to increase productivity, however the effectiveness of these initiatives will always depend heavily on the motivation of the people who are using them. That motivation, it turns out, is directly proportional to how many employees can strongly agree that “At work, my opinions seem to count.” This is the Seventh Element of great managing.

The mechanism that connects this element with better business performance appears to be a greater sense of responsibility for, or psychological ownership of, those things over which an individual has some say. No matter how strong the external incentives, they never seem to measure up to the internal drive of advancing something that is at least partially one’s own idea.

When employees feel that their opinions and ideas are valued by their managers, they are more engaged and willing to put in the additional discretionary effort towards advancing the company’s goals. The feeling that they are listened to creates a culture where employees feel safer and more comfortable sharing their thoughts, taking risks and actively participating in their own growth and development.

Here’s how the belief that “my opinions seem to count” contributes to increased productivity:

1. Open communication: When employees feel that their opinions are valued, they are more likely to communicate openly with their managers about their goals, aspirations, and areas for development. Better communication produces better results.

2. Feedback: Managers who actively seek and value employee feedback create opportunities for growth both for themselves and for the team. Constructive feedback given to employees, in a constructive way, helps employees understand their strengths and identify any areas for improvement, guiding their professional development.

3. Empowerment: When employees feel that their opinions matter, they are more likely to take greater ownership of their work and will seek out opportunities to deliver enhanced outcomes. 

4. Creativity: Valuing employee opinions encourages creativity and innovation, where employees feel comfortable sharing new ideas and solutions to challenges. This can lead to continuous improvement and growth for both the individual and the company.

Incorporating employee ideas pays back twice. First, they are working in the business every day so the idea itself is often a good one. Second and equally powerful, is that the idea coming from the employees themselves makes it much more likely that they will be committed to seeing it delivered.

Overall, creating an environment where “my opinion seems to count” is central to empowering employees and it contributes to a stronger culture of engagement, collaboration, and innovation.  High performance teams are made up of empowered employees.

For further information on this topic, or any other related to people management, feel free to reach out.  We’re here to help. 

The Workplace Coach.