The workforce is changing, and depending on what sector your business is in or what part of the country it is located in, you may be feeling the pinch of the growing labor shortage. Recent research from the Boston College Center on Aging and Work indicated what some companies were doing and that was: intensifying recruitment and reorganizing work flow so that they stayed productive with fewer people. In these tougher labor times, organizations will also need to address poor work habits of their current employees to increase retention and to improve quality of service and productivity.
Some Perspective
One of the greatest challenges for your supervisors is in knowing how to deal effectively with employees who have less than desirable work habits. There is even more pressure if the organization is going through change, and you are doing more with fewer people. Typical issues such as absenteeism, dress and grooming habits, and language issues can lead to poor morale for the entire team and become a real management issue.
Do these managers sound familiar to you? -Sheila stays away from dealing with issues such as grooming because they seem too personal in nature. -Jeff treats negative behavior with negative behavior himself. -Rob believes there are just too many larger issues to tackle.
Of course it is. More than you probably know. A chip here, a chip there, and the volume of poor work habits adds up in terms of lost time and money to the organization and the ability to retain employees; however, these issues can be dealt with through appropriate communication so that employee self-esteem can be maintained.
Robert B. Reich, former Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton and now professor of public policy at UC Berkeley, points out in a talent management article that on-the-job-training and on-the-job skill development can help retain your workforce. Your supervisors, managers, and team leaders may not already have the skills they need to help their employees improve their work habits.
A Solution
One of the keys you need in sustaining a competitive advantage is certainly training. Improving Work Habits is a Vital Learning training program for your supervisors to help them clearly and specifically communicate the nature of employee work problems and develop an individual plan for addressing the issue. The program will enable managers to:
- Recognize the difference between job performance and work habits and the skills it takes to bring the situation to a successful resolution.
- Understand that unsatisfactory work habits must be dealt with quickly and effectively before they require disciplinary action.
- Explain clearly and specifically the nature of the issues with work habits by focusing on behaviors rather than attitude.
- Use an action plan and ongoing reviews to help team members improve work habits and demonstrate personal accountability.
The Leadership Essentials Series is designed to meet your training and budgetary needs. Want to learn more about Improving Work Habits or the complete Vital Learning leadership development curriculum? Available in Classroom, Online, or Blended delivery options, the Vital Learning curriculum includes the following essential topics.
- Coaching Job Skills - understanding why coaching is important and how it supports company goals
- Disciplining - understanding how to discipline others to eliminate problem behavior
- Complaints - being able to effectively manage complaints
- Project Management - being able to run projects, both on-time and on-budget Conflict - understanding how to successfully resolve conflict
- Hiring Winning Talent- knowing what to do to consistently hire the right talent
- Providing Feedback - understanding how to establish performance goals and standards and give feedback
- And more...
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