Communication Is Not Just a Buzz Word
Poor communication practices can lead to the biggest downfalls.
Is there really much more to say on that topic? Well, for communication's sake, I suppose there is.
Think of your most successful projects.
I can almost guarantee that each of them were on a team of people that were working towards a common goal for a variety of reasons (a bonus, a good grade, a steady paycheck, accolades, etc). You were probably surrounded by a group of people that were responsible, accountable, and communicative. When they spoke, you trusted the words that came out of their mouths.
Think of your least successful projects.
I am almost positive that each of them were on a team of people that were not focused, didn't care, wanted to avoid the work for a variety of reasons (hated the job, didn't care about the class, felt they weren't paid enough, no reward, etc). You were probably surrounded by a group of people that were hard to track down, always missed their deadlines, pawned things off on other things, and weren't communicative. There also might be a lot of distrust on the team.
Work Environments Matter
You could have the greatest employee on your hand that is capable, willing, and able to get the job done. If they are surrounded by a group of people that have no interest, you'll lose that employee (and this is regardless of age). Communication is the key to this. By giving your employees the necessary tools to communicate and encouraging them to use these tools by not only being excited about them, but using them yourself, is vital.
Morale is an Easy Thing to Miss
When coworkers are bickering more and more, or when projects start to slip, these are signs of an unhappy staff. You can do all kinds of things to make your staff happy - free coffee, time off, bonuses, acknowledgment - but those are all band aids to a bigger problem. If processes were streamlined, if deadlines were met, if accomplishments were praised and noticed these would be things that make people happy on a day to day basis.
One of the easiest things to do, might be to respond in a timely matter to employee emails. Even if it's a simple, "Thanks, I'll get back to you on this" at least the issue has been acknowledged.
Another tip could be to show interest in a particular method your employee/team member is using to accomplish a task. Maybe they keep a to do list on their desk for the week, or they are always smiling while on the phone with customers, these little things are worth noticing and mentioning.
A huge thing to remember, is if you are not pleased with something, don't ignore that either. Quick constructive feedback is better than bottling it up and unleashing months later with a number of problems. The employee is not a mind reader for your happiness or your unhappiness. Communicate effectively and in a timely manner.
Remember, you and your employees or team members are out for the common goal of making the company be all it can be.
Is there really much more to say on that topic? Well, for communication's sake, I suppose there is.
Think of your most successful projects.
I can almost guarantee that each of them were on a team of people that were working towards a common goal for a variety of reasons (a bonus, a good grade, a steady paycheck, accolades, etc). You were probably surrounded by a group of people that were responsible, accountable, and communicative. When they spoke, you trusted the words that came out of their mouths.
Think of your least successful projects.
I am almost positive that each of them were on a team of people that were not focused, didn't care, wanted to avoid the work for a variety of reasons (hated the job, didn't care about the class, felt they weren't paid enough, no reward, etc). You were probably surrounded by a group of people that were hard to track down, always missed their deadlines, pawned things off on other things, and weren't communicative. There also might be a lot of distrust on the team.
Work Environments Matter
You could have the greatest employee on your hand that is capable, willing, and able to get the job done. If they are surrounded by a group of people that have no interest, you'll lose that employee (and this is regardless of age). Communication is the key to this. By giving your employees the necessary tools to communicate and encouraging them to use these tools by not only being excited about them, but using them yourself, is vital.
Morale is an Easy Thing to Miss
When coworkers are bickering more and more, or when projects start to slip, these are signs of an unhappy staff. You can do all kinds of things to make your staff happy - free coffee, time off, bonuses, acknowledgment - but those are all band aids to a bigger problem. If processes were streamlined, if deadlines were met, if accomplishments were praised and noticed these would be things that make people happy on a day to day basis.
One of the easiest things to do, might be to respond in a timely matter to employee emails. Even if it's a simple, "Thanks, I'll get back to you on this" at least the issue has been acknowledged.
Another tip could be to show interest in a particular method your employee/team member is using to accomplish a task. Maybe they keep a to do list on their desk for the week, or they are always smiling while on the phone with customers, these little things are worth noticing and mentioning.
A huge thing to remember, is if you are not pleased with something, don't ignore that either. Quick constructive feedback is better than bottling it up and unleashing months later with a number of problems. The employee is not a mind reader for your happiness or your unhappiness. Communicate effectively and in a timely manner.
Remember, you and your employees or team members are out for the common goal of making the company be all it can be.