BUSINESS AND TRAINING
45
Building better workplaces
In many areas, the labour market is tight and younger workers
specifically are not afraid to job-hop if it means better working
conditions or greater rewards.
By Judy Kneiszel
As an employer, that means you have to up your
game. Here are 10 ways to improve your company’s
culture. Any one of these suggestions could be the
difference between keeping a good employee and
having to post a vacancy again.
interests, whether it is the team they cheer for, a hobby
they pursue after hours, or where their kids go to school.
It is a lot easier for an employee to quit if they think of
the boss as a mean, faceless stranger. On the other
hand, if you recently bonded over the pain of your team’s
heartbreaking overtime loss, they might not want to kick
you while you are down.
1. SHOW SOME APPRECIATION
Paying fair wages is a must if you are going to
attract and keep good employees. Beyond that, show
appreciation for a job well done with a sincere thank
you, a pat on the back, a box of chocolates, biltong, or a
free lunch. Consider bigger rewards when deserved, like
monetary bonuses or extra time off. Employees who feel
valued are more likely to work hard and be committed to
your company.
5. GIVE CLEAR DIRECTION
No one likes feeling uncertain or directionless, especially
on the job. If an employee does not understand what
they are supposed to be doing, they cannot do a good
job, and this leads to frustration, which may lead to them
walking away. Effective communication is the key to a
successful workforce. Explain expectations to employees.
Have clear job descriptions, safety procedures, a chain of
command, and company policies. Provide more than the
adequate training.
2. PROVIDE FEEDBACK
Showing appreciation is important when things go
right, but employees also want to hear from you when
things go wrong or when things are going just OK.
Providing thoughtful, constructive feedback will help an
employee grow and do better in the future, and it will
be appreciated if you go about it the right way. If you
have to be critical, be tactful and have the conversation
in private to help the employee not feel embarrassed in
front of colleagues. Look at it as a teaching opportunity,
not a critique. Be generous with both positive feedback
and positive reinforcement on a daily basis and also in a
more formal annual performance review.
6. PROVIDE INSPIRATION; SET GOALS
Whether you offer a group reward for a certain number
of accident-free days, award an employee-of-the-
month plaque, sponsor sales contests with prizes, or
organise some other incentive programme, these types
of tactics can be fun and effective. If you want to see
results, set goals for people and reward them when
those goals are met.
Continued on page 47 >>
It is important to give both
positive and constructive
feedback, and when
things have gone wrong,
use negative feedback as
a teaching opportunity.
4. GET TO KNOW YOUR EMPLOYEES
If you refer to one of your techs as “the tall one with the
tattoo” and another as “the bald guy”, you’ve got your
work cut out for you. Know every employee’s name.
Talk to them, and get to know something about their
www.plumbingafrica.co.za
3. DON’T MICROMANAGE
Show appreciation, offer feedback, and then back off.
Let people do their jobs. Sometimes this means letting
people make (and learn from) mistakes. Micromanaging
can hurt morale and decrease the productivity of both
the manager and the employee being managed. Learn to
delegate tasks, and trust employees to complete them.
You will be surprised at what people can accomplish if
you give them a little room.
April 2018 Volume 24 I Number 2