Summer can be one of the most difficult times to manage employees. Many take family vacations—or simply want to doing recreational activities in the warm weather instead of sitting under fluorescent lights staring at computer screens. The summer months can often lead to decreased production and a lack of professionalism. Now that your employees are done with their yearly Disneyland trips, Hawaii, or wherever they have ventured, and summer’s coming to a close, employees can finally get back on track. But at such times, employers need to remember how to manage their focused employees in a way that makes up for the productivity lost in summer. Managers and bosses can use this time to streamline their management styles, ensuring employees are ready to tackle the new season and give 100 percent without distraction.
Regularly provide meaningful, constructive feedback
Nothing helps employees quite as much as honest feedback. Feedback helps employees gauge the quality of their work performance, so they can know if they should improve—and where to do so. If employees don’t receive constructive feedback, it’s hard for them to be sure if they’re producing satisfactory results. It’s easier to stick to the status quo if they don’t think they’re doing anything wrong. As many as 39 percent of employees don’t feel appreciated at work—and constructive feedback can counteract this. A proverbial “pat on the back” helps employees feel that they’re appreciated—and can motivate them to be better performers. Employees are twice as likely to be disengaged if their manager ignores them, but quality feedback can show employees that their manager cares about their performance and appreciates the work they turn in.
Think of your employees as people rather than workers
It’s important to respect the work your employees do, but it doesn’t stop there. Managers should think of their employees are people—not just cogs in the machine. Acknowledge the fact that they have families and social lives, just like you do. Respect the things that make them different, such as personal interests or important life events. Simple steps toward friendship can show employees that you care about them and respect their personal lives. Helping to enrich your employees’ personal lives also involves respectful management of their work time. Don’t expect them to regularly churn out ridiculous amounts of work. A 2014 study of Millennials in the workplace showed that 60 percent say their employers expect them to be accessible outside of office hours, and 70 percent work 20 or more hours outside office hours each week. This is partly due to the accessibility of mobile devices, which helps companies grow, but also blurs the line between work life and home life. As a manager, you have a responsibility to ensure your employees have the opportunity to have a balanced life—do so respectfully.
Foster a superior company culture.
By the year 2020, Millennials will make up 50 percent of the global workforce—and it’ll only increase from there. This huge influx means that companies should prepare for the work environment these employees expect, such as customized lifestyles, or access to important work information from home—or even from mobile phones. Nowadays, workers expect the workplace to conform to their needs. Long gone is the traditional cut-throat, high stress work environment. A healthy company culture can contribute to an enjoyable and productive work environment, while rousing employee engagement. According to a Gallup survey on the state of the American workplace, 50 percent of workers are not engaged at work, meaning they’re not inspired by their role, or that of their manager. A good company culture can combat this, encouraging employees to think outside the box and become truly innovative. Diving back into the daily grind after a fun summer break doesn’t need to be difficult. Asure’s Performance Management System has what you and your business need to be successful, built into a single, efficient system. You can make performance reviews and employee assessment so easy using a completely customizable system, which helps you and your employees get the most out of your work.Sources:https://www.officevibe.com/blog/infographic-employee-feedbackhttp://www.fastcompany.com/3035517/hit-the-ground-running/5-things-you-need-to-know-to-manage-a-flexible-workforcehttps://blog.ringcentral.com/2014/07/millennials-working-beyond-normal-business-hours/https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/managing-tomorrows-people/future-of-work/assets/reshaping-the-workplace.pdfhttp://www.gallup.com/services/176708/state-american-workplace.aspxhttps://www.asuresoftware.com/products/hcm/performance-management/
