by Michael Holland
Most managers think that employees can only be satisfied by getting more money and that, as managers, they have little control over how much is doled out at annual review time. Wrong! Studies continue to show that once an employee’s basic monetary needs are met, their satisfaction is no longer tied to their paychecks. Instead they are looking for exciting and challenging work, opportunities to learn and grow, the chance to make a difference through their work and the opportunity to work with great people. As a manager you can impact most of these things through your management of the work and the team. Are you talking with each person about what they enjoy doing and what else they’d like to do? Are you offering opportunities for your employees to learn more? Do you provide opportunities for the team to interact and develop positive work relationships? All of these items directly impact an employee’s satisfaction well beyond the paycheck.
Hit your local or virtual book store and order the book First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently
- Do I know what is expected of me at work?
- Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
- At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?
- In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?
- Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?
- Is there someone at work who encourages my development?
- At work, do my opinions seem to count?
- Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important?
- Do I have a best friend at work?
- In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?
- Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?
- This last year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and grow?
