When it comes to engaging employees and enhancing productivity, is there anything more motivating than money? Dan Ariely, Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University, thinks there is. He believes that money is actually a poor motivator, and that simple compliments are much more powerful than we realize. Watch the brief video below to learn more about his theory. And feel free to share your own opinions in the Comments section below!
I think we’d all like to work in a civil environment – the kind of place where people demonstrate consideration, appreciation, courtesy, and kindness. In a civil workplace, you feel respected and appreciated. You feel safe to share your ideas, and you know that your opinions matter.
And now research has uncovered another reason why workplace civility is important! Several studies have shown that it has a significant impact on employee productivity. When people are treated civilly, they’re more creative, engaged, and enthusiastic about their work. And they’re more likely to meet (and exceed) expectations. In contrast, when people are not treated civilly at work, they tend to focus on these negative encounters. As a result, the quality and quantity of their work suffers.
So be good to your coworkers and the people you manage. Not only will it make everyone feel happier and more satisfied with their work, but it will also make the entire organization more productive and successful!
Porath, C. (2016, November 23). Civility at work helps everyone get ahead. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/civility-at-work-helps-everyone-get-ahead-1479917555
Most of us have heard of the “the Golden Rule.” It’s a basic principle that’s usually worded something like this: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Or, as my Mom used to say, “Treat other people like you want to be treated.”) It’s a good concept. It’s all about having empathy for others. But according to psychologist Peter Langton, it’s the wrong approach to take at the office.
In an office setting, you’re interacting with a wide variety of people who often have different skills, personalities, working styles, and world views. So it’s very possible that your coworkers may not appreciate being treated the same way that you like being treated.
I once had a boss who was a huge sports fan, and there was nothing he liked better than a sports analogy. During every conversation, he would work in a story about his former football coach and the things that he had learned while being a member of the team. He would often get really emotional while telling these stories. It was clear that he loved this stuff. But the rest of the office didn’t share his passion and his sports analogies didn’t tend to go over very well. Instead of being inspired by his sports stories, I think most people felt a little uncomfortable and confused.
So if you shouldn’t follow the Golden Rule, how should you behave? Langton suggests that you start by doing the following:
Once you’ve done those two things, you’ll be able to benefit from the varied strengths and skills that your coworkers have to offer. You’ll be able to support your coworkers, and you’ll know who to talk to when you need help. You’ll also be able to do the most important thing – treat other people like they want to be treated.
Langton, P. (2016). The golden rule is wrong. Talent Development, 70(7), 72-73.
Some groups of people just work so well together. They share ideas, listen to each other, and contribute whenever they can. They’re welcoming, creative, empowering, and productive. They make any project seem like it can be easily managed – no matter how challenging it might be!
High-performing teams come in all different varieties. Yet, they do tend to have certain characteristics in common, including the following:
So if you’re forming a new team, these are definitely qualities to encourage and aspire towards! It can also be helpful to create a “team charter” at the beginning of a project. It’s a document that outlines basic things like the purpose of the team, how often the team will meet, and the desired end result of their efforts.
Wiese, C., & Ricci, R. (2012, July 22). 10 characteristics of high-performing teams. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-wiese/10-characteristics-of-hig_b_1536155.html
Most employees spend a big chunk of their lives at the office. So, of course, you want the office to be a happy place! Happy employees are more engaged, creative, and productive. They’re content in their work and unlikely to seek a new position at another company.
So how can leaders create a happy work environment? Here are five suggestions:
Lawrence, D. (2016). Don’t worry, be happy. Talent Development, 70(7), 60-64.
What makes employees feel happy and engaged? Cool perks like free lunches and company parties can give people a boost. But research indicates that one of the biggest contributors to employee happiness is transparency. People feel positive, invested, and engaged when information is shared openly and freely.
Too often, company leaders keep information secret. There’s the belief that employees don’t need to know about issues or challenges until they directly impact them in some way. But secrecy can result in feelings of distrust, false rumors, and misunderstandings. Being transparent is an easy way to prevent this from occuring.
And transparency doesn’t just mean sharing information! When leaders stand up in front of a meeting and make announcements, this is certainly helpful and informative. But true transparency involves two-way conversations. Employees need to be able to ask questions and have their questions answered fully and honestly.
Kruse, K. (2013, December 2). Transparency eats culture for lunch. Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/12/02/transparency-eats-culture-for-lunch/#7fe4af1e3cae
It’s great to have engaged employees. Engaged employees are happy, enthusiastic about their work, and highly productive. But how can you help your employees to feel more engaged at work? Well according to Emma Seppälä, Associate Director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, managers need to provide their employees with three things:
Seppälä, E. (2016, February 29). To motivate employees, do 3 things well. Huffington Post. Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/emma-seppala-phd/to-motivate-employees-do-_b_9258800.html
A recent research study revealed something that actually seems pretty common sense:
And that makes sense. If you enjoy what you do during the week and you’re happy at work, the weekend becomes less important.
But here’s the part that’s more surprising. You would expect that the prospect of getting to spend time with family and friends over the weekend would make you feel happy and excited. And to a certain extent, it does – but not that much. Researchers found that people who had plans to spend time with loved ones did feel a little more happy and excited about their weekends than people who didn’t have similar plans. But still, the factor that had the most significant impact on peoples’ level of weekend excitement was how they felt about their jobs. That’s how important our work is to us, and that’s how powerful an effect it has.
So what makes people happy at work? Research suggests that two things are vitally important:
So leaders, take note! Workplace happiness is important. It has a powerful impact on employees’ lives – and not just while they’re at work. So pay attention to the mood around your office. And if it seems like morale is low, try to take steps to improve it. You can make your employees more happy and satisfied by helping to create a work environment that’s open, safe, and supportive.
McGregor, J. (2015, July 24). How our workplace environment affects our weekend mood. The Washington Post. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-leadership/wp/2015/07/24/how-our-workplace-environment-affects-our-weekend-mood/
Do you want your team to be effective and productive? Experts suggest that it may not be as complex as you might think. In fact, it may involve just two basic steps:
And that’s it! Provide people with the skills they need and recognize the good work that they do. By following these two simple steps, you can help your team become empowered, innovative, and successful.
Sturt, D., & Nordstrom, T. (2016, January 22). Want to be a successful 21st century workplace? Start here. Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidsturt/2016/01/22/want-to-be-a-successful-21st-century-workplace-start-here/#75e2464c186e
At work, you need both leaders and followers. Although leaders often get more attention and praise, followers are just as essential. Leaders can’t exist without followers and organizations can’t run without them.
This point is made in a very entertaining way in a TED talk by Derek Sivers. He dissects a short video of a “shirtless dancing guy” and makes some very salient points about the importance (and bravery) of followers. Enjoy!
