Onsite Insites by SatisFacts Research 2014 - 4th Quarter | Page 7

Leaders must show that they value employees. Employee engagement is a direct reflection of how employees feel about their relationship with the boss. Employees look at whether organizations and their leader walk the talk when they proclaim that, “Our employees are our most valuable asset.” Leaders should provide challenging and meaningful work with opportunities for career advancement. Most people want to do new things in their job. Good leaders challenge employees; but at the same time, they must instill the confidence that the challenges can be met. Leaders must communicate a clear vision. People want to understand the vision that senior leadership has for the organization, and the goals that leaders or departmental heads have for the division, unit, or team. Success in life and organizations is, to a great extent, determined by how clear individuals are about their goals and what they really want to achieve. Leaders clarify their expectations about employees and provide feedback on their functioning in the organization. Good leaders establish processes and procedures that help people master important tasks and facilitate goal achievement. Surveys show that, over and over, employees feel that they receive immediate feedback when their performance is poor, or below expectations. These same employees also report that praise and recognition for strong performance is much less common. Exceptional leaders give recognition, and they do so a lot; they coach and convey. People want to know that their input matters and that they are contributing to the organization’s success in a meaningful way. Good leaders help people see and feel how they are contributing to the organization’s success and future. Employees value control over the flow and pace of their jobs and leaders can create opportunities for employees to exercise this control. A feeling of “being in on things,” and of being given opportunities to participate in decision making often reduces stress; it also creates trust and a culture where people want to take ownership of problems and their solutions. Studies show that, when employees work in teams and have the trust and cooperation of their team members, they outperform individuals and teams which lack good relationships. Great leaders are team builders; they create an environment that fosters trust and collaboration. People want to be proud of their jobs, their performance, and their organization. Leaders should strive to maintain acompany’s reputation and demonstrate high ethical standards. Good leaders help create confidence in a company by being exemplars of high ethical and performance standards.