There is work to be done for organizations that want to achieve higher employee engagement: listen instead of talk, communicate bottom-up instead of top-down, align the core values of the organization and those of the employees. There are several ways to make a start with this, according to Matthijs Steeneveld. Especially for you he gave three hints:
- In a more quiet season, it is good to say to an employee: take a day off to think about new opportunities. Talk to colleagues from another department or a coach.
- Try to empower employees in what they do well. Actively hand out compliments and emphasize someone's strengths. And give them space to take on tasks that suit them. Some organizations also work with I-deals. This makes the employment contract much more personal. I-deals are customized agreements between employee and organization. Not to create preferential treatment, but to do justice to each individual, in the interest of the organization. For one person, training is more important, and for another, working hours.
- Many organizations have a set structure for how a year goes. This often includes a performance appraisal, from which a bonus may result. You can also use these moments in a different way. You can turn them into supportive conversations in which you reflect, for example, on the question: what gives you energy? Are there things you want to delegate? Or, what do you want to take a training for? You can also talk about that once a month for 15 minutes - that is much more effective than doing this only once a year.
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