Keeping Employees Happy in Troubled Times
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- Keeping Employees Happy in Troubled Times
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Keeping Employees Happy in Troubled Times
CIOs and IT managers now face some very turbulent times. The ones that will be successful will manage their most critical resources well. CIOs and IT managers need to keep their employees happy or once the recovery starts they will face an exodus of employees who will wait out this down turn.
We have found that are some simple things that CIOs and IT managers can do to steer their way and motivate employees to excel and perform for the enterprise. They are:
- Take a personal interest in employees - Know who they are, are they married, do they have children, what do they do for enjoyment, and what are important dates in their lives (birthdays and anniversaries). If employees feel that you know and care about them they will respond and be valued assets.
- Have fun - If the employee wakes up every morning and dreads going to their job, they will not perform well because they're not happy. Keeping employees happy is the sure way to have loyal employees and employees that are willing to go that extra mile for the enterprise.
- Work around employees' requests for time - If an employee has a sick child or an important event coming up, including a vacations, let them schedule it so that they can go to the doctor with their children or take that vacation even though it may not be best for the IT function.
- Provide scheduled evaluations - If an employee knows what they are doing well and what they need to work on, job performance will improve for stars and weak employees will be weeded out more effectively. That in turn takes the mystery out of why someone is let go and someone is promoted.
- Promote from within - CIOs and IT managers should reward their employees by promoting them and giving them the chance they deserve.
- Issue bonuses and give raises - But giving raises and bonuses management keeps their star employees happy, they will work harder and stay loyal. Everyone needs to be reminded that they're appreciated every now and then.
- Offer benefits - Employees who have health care and sick days available to them do not have to worry what will happen. In a downturn there is much stress and it has been proven that stress is a factor among those in poor health.
- Be supportive, not demanding - When CIOs and IT managers want an employee to do something he should not just tell the employee, he asked them in consultative manner.
- Have an open door policy - Make time for all of your employees and listen to what they have to say.
- Do not play favorites - There is nothing worse than a manager who plays favorites. When a manager gives all the "dirty" work to one employee and let someone else off without doing anything, employees lose respect for the manager and begin to resent them. CIOs and IT managers should delegate their employees' evenly, making sure everyone has their fair share.