Want To Keep Your Employees Happy? Then Be Sure to Nurture Their Sense of Belonging


Recent reports suggest that for your employees to really feel happy about coming to work they need to have that sense of belonging that we all crave. “Yes indeed” you might say, it doesn’t need a Phd to work that one out. 

But amazingly many companies still don’t put any emphasis on generating that feeling within their employees.  And yet when we look around in everyday life we see numerous examples where people bend over backwards to become part of the herd.  It seems that we just can’t live without the respect and love of our peers.

So what happens when employees feel left out, not part of the pack?  Well the reports don’t paint a pretty picture.  Everything from cynicism to depression to physical aggressiveness is pretty much par for the course. And when this happens your employees suffer, they start to take time off work and start to look for other employment, even, perhaps, with one of your competitors where they take along all the skills and training that you provided for them!

Fortunately there are some easy ways to combat this and I would advise every company to take heed.  Quite simply, have your managers keep an eye on how people are being treated within the workplace. Look closely for the loners in the lunch room.  Do they just enjoy their own company or is there a concerted effort happening in the company to exclude them?

Check out who goes to the social events within your company and who never goes.  If you find that there are a consistent group of people not attending then this could be a signal that some of your employees don’t feel included. Another great way to find out what is happening beneath the surface with your employees is to use the “

Even Better Place

to Work” feedback tool, which is available from High Performance Employees. It’s one of the easiest and best ways to find out if there is harmony or discord among your employees. Click here to find out more about this.

It does take a little effort to find out what is really happening in your company but when you do take those extra steps then all the reports suggest that not only you, but also your employees, will reap a huge reward.   

Jeff Campbell
President
High Performance Employees
“Helping you to GROW your People”!

Job quality 'not improving'

Study finds only one-third of workers are 'very satisfied' with their job

Eric Beauchesne, CanWest News Service

You might ask how I know this but the research shows that it’s exactly the same in your workplace as in the rest of the workplaces throughout the nation.  The rumors spread….”the boss is having an affair with the secretary and that’s why she got promoted,” “John plays soccer with Dave and he gets all the good jobs that Dave has going,” “the supervisor  knew Debbie in school so she’ll never reprimand her,” and so the story goes on.

And what do you think all of this does to the company and the people working within it?  Does it help them to get up out of bed in the morning and shout “Fantastic, I’m going into work today”.  Well of course the answer to that is an emphatic “No”.  In actual fact disgruntled and unhappy employees cost companies throughout the nation billions of dollars in direct and indirect costs each year.  

Let me tell you about a friend of mine.  We will call him ‘Tom’ and his story goes as follows; ‘Tom’ was a real go-getter, high flying type of person, nothing could stop him from achieving his goals.  He was promoted within 1 year to manage the second biggest office in the country and met all the goals and targets set for him.  He then made a personal decision to move to manage a much smaller office that was struggling, but he still retained his original salary.  Along came the regional vice president and he started to make changes in the company.  Good people started leaving but nobody in the executive board took notice.  Eventually the regional vice president decided that Tom was too much of a threat to him so he set about making the conditions right to let Tom go.

However Tom was no slouch and he realized what was happening. He took 8 weeks sick time at full pay (Tom had a six figure income) before eventually returning to work to negotiate his severance.  All in all it took around $75,000 to cover the sick leave and his severance.

What I still find hard to believe is that this vice president kept his job. What is even harder to understand is that he worked hard to fire one of his brightest, award winning stars and rack up a direct loss to the company of $75,000.  When you add in the cost of employing and training a replacement and also the ‘opportunity lost’ amount then that figure could go as high $150,000.  Then add in the cost of all the other employees that left or were fired when the new VP arrived and the cost to the company was enormous. Well done to that vice president!! And well done to the executive board that didn’t even notice what was happening. They just stuck their heads in the sand and kept on going.

And the terrible thing is that this is not an isolated incident.  I could think of several people I know that left a company due to problems with their supervisor or work colleagues.


Indeed research indicates that the typical manager loses approximately 25% of his/her working day to unwarranted conflict and that 75% of employees report leaving a job due to workplace conflict with colleagues.  This is time and money lost day after day after day. Not to mention the lost productivity from the workforce when they are concentrating on their problems rather than on the task at hand. You know how it is…you’ve seen it time after time…and that adds up to a lot off the bottom line, doesn’t it?

So what causes this conflict and how can we reduce it?  Well it’s actually quite easy to explain where a lot of this conflict comes from. Quite simply put conflict happens when we are involved in a relationship of some sort and we begin to feel that our needs are not being met.  This leads to feelings of lowered self worth which leads to us starting to try and redress the balance against the person who caused the feelings in the first place. Quite often this involves talking behind backs, spreading rumors and gossip, and getting our allies into our corner so that the workplace becomes divided.

Conversely to this if we take away the bad feeling that our needs are not being met and we once again begin to feel worthwhile and are much more likely to be a positive contributor in the work environment rather than helping to create a caustic environment.

One of the best ways to do this is to make each employee feel that they are a valued contributor to the team and that their opinions matter.  Make sure that they are given positive reinforcement often and that the lines of communication are always open.  Corporate business training may well help but introducing a system that encourages feedback, such as our Even Better Place to Work system, will make sure that you know about employee problems before they become too big to deal with.

Our system encourages employees to take control of their work related relationship problems, be that with their boss or co-worker, and to make whispering behind backs a thing of the past. It enables your staff to feel happier about coming to work and greatly increases motivation while significantly reducing conflict across the board?

Some executives have called it “a spark of genius”, others “a Godsend for our company” while others still have vowed “never to be without it ever again”. It truly is going to be the “next big thing” in improving companies’ abilities to communicate on a human level. It is the culmination of 17 years work from one of the world’s leading organizational psychologists. Major companies are already using the system and now you can too.  Contact us today to find what you can do to truly make your organization "an even better place to work".

Jeff Campbell

Think About It….






The Story of Shia

Much has been said regarding what it takes to recruit and then retain good employees but it is really not as hard as some people would make out. My name is Jeff Campbell and I am the President of High Performance Employees.  What I always like to do is look at human nature and what drives us as human beings and then we can make a reasonably good guess at what employees need from their employers. I always go back to basics when trying to solve problems because after all, that is where we come from. Thousands of years of evolving and refining the human race makes us what we are today and believe it or not we still crave what we needed all those years ago.
 
These basic needs may never change e.g. food, clothing, a safe place to live, a partner to love and perhaps raise a family with, etc.  These are some of the basic needs but then we need something more than that. 


You see human beings need to feel that they are appreciated, that their voice is heard and that it matters.  We also seek the respect of our peers and we want that respect to be demonstrated in a way that satisfies us. It’s much like a child wanting to impress his parents or friends. And while we are on the subject of children and parents here is another thing that I’m positive would have really annoyed you as a child.  Perhaps it didn’t happen to you but if it did you will recognize it and it will stir up bad memories for you.
 
What we are talking about is the perception of being treated differently than our siblings by our parents.  If that has happened to you then you will know the anger and resentment it caused and, believe it or not, that anger and resentment will surface again if your employers treat you less well than another employee.  The funny thing is that they don’t have to treat you differently; rather you just have to perceive that they do.


It is also highly important to feel that our needs are being addressed and met by our loved ones and also those whom we work with.  When you think about it, if you feel that someone is ignoring you or not responding to a particular need of yours then you tend to become really angry and aggravated with that person. The same applies at home and at work, there is really no difference at all.


Keeping these things in mind I have compiled what I have experienced to be the top 7 factors that will keep your employees happy at work and help to retain your best employees.  Use these factors and you will find that it goes a long way to making your place of work a much more harmonious place to be.



Employees need:
1. To feel that they are appreciated by their colleagues/supervisors for work completed and as a person within their place of work. One of the most common traits amongst us all is that we all crave attention.  In our home lives and intimate relationships it’s very apparent that we want to be appreciated and that our loved ones must show that appreciation in a way that is acceptable to us. When we consider the relationship between employers and employees, the same ideal applies: in order for a successful, harmonious work environment, employees must feel appreciated. So find out what each individual person wants in terms of appreciation and give that to them. In terms of workplace satisfaction this is probably the most important factor.
2.  To feel that they are a worthwhile member of their team.  Once again if we look to our relationships at home we will find that a key factor that we all need is the feeling that we are a worthwhile and full member of our family group.  The same can be said about our relationships at work; we need that feeling of being included 100%.  Nobody likes to be an outcast!!
3. To be treated fairly and given praise when they have went beyond the call of duty.  Let’s face it, we all like to think that others like us and appreciate what we do for them.  Its only common sense that we all like to be praised for those things that we do for our peers. Look at the family unit again and we see that from a very early age children start to crave for attention and praise from their parents.  If it’s normal to seek that praise as a child then it’s normal to seek it as an adult. When any of your employees goes beyond the call be sure to give them praise; and please give it in the way that they like to receive it.  Make sure that you give the praise to all the employees that warrant it and don’t make the mistake of being unfair and leaving someone out. Do this and you will have employees that will do just about anything for you.    
4. To receive help and a sympathetic ear when they have personal or work related problems. We all need a helping hand at some point or maybe many points in our life.  You’ve probably required the help of a friend or colleague at some time and you may well need it again.  As humans we are not set up to cope totally alone and in isolation from others. Just remember that what happens at home naturally is carried into the workplace.  Lend a helping hand to those who need it and that helping hand will most likely will likely be paid back to you several times over. 


5. Salary in line with their expectations along with reasonable job security. As human beings we have an inherent need to feel safe and secure.  Some of our feelings of safety and security come from the ability to provide a roof over our heads and put food on the table for ourselves and our family.  In this day and age families need more and more to ‘keep up with the Jones’.  You can bet that your employees find this very important as well. If you don’t offer them a decent wage and some job security then they will show you as much loyalty and caring as you show them. Pay them well and offer incentives tailored to their needs and you will have a happy workforce that stay with you as long as you want them to.
6. The ability to apply for any promotional opportunities and be treated equally and fairly when doing so. This is an absolute ‘no-brainer’. Treat everyone fairly and steadfastly refuse to have favorites.  When you offer favor to one employee over another you will most likely end up losing one or, at best, end up with an employee that is so disillusioned that their effective work rate drops way below what it used to be. Add to this the fact that the employee will most likely tell every other employee about how badly he/she was treated and the damage to the company is multiplied many times over.
7. Loyalty from their company and colleagues. No-one likes to be thrown to the lions and if you do this in your company then it will instill nothing other than fear amongst your employees.  Believe me when I say that fear is not what you want. What you do want is loyalty and respect and these have to be earned over time.  And guess what your employees want? Yes that’s right; they want loyalty from their company and their colleagues too.  Everyone likes to think that when things go wrong their company and colleagues will stand by them and give them a helping hand rather than throw them to the lions.  Make sure that you are prepared to do that for your employees and in turn you will earn their loyalty and respect.

As Jeff Campbell of High Performance Employees has stated before, if you treat people in a special way you will get special results from them. Loyalty, openness, motivation, trust and collaboration will all increase. Staff turnover, stress, conflict, sickness, and disputes will go down.

High Performance Employees has the tools you need to introduce this culture into your organization in an easy and proven way. You know that your people deserve it so why not contact us today to find out how we can make your organization an even better place to work. contact@highperformanceemployees.com

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stallard.


Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.."  
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag.
Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stallard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."



After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stallard, MD.
The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other, and Dr. Stallard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference"
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back and said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."
Comments:   The tale of little Teddy Stallard and his inspirational teacher, Mrs. Thompson, is from an original story written by Elizabeth Silance Ballard (now Elizabeth Ungar) and called "Three Letters from Teddy."

What way does your organization treat its people? Is it like the way the teacher Mrs. Thompson treated Teddy to start with or how she eventually ended up treating him. If you were to take a poll of the employees at your organization after reading this story and asked them what way they would like to be treated by their colleagues I think we know what the answer would be. 
According to Jeff Campbell of High Performance Employees if you treat people in a special way you will get special results from them. Loyalty, openness, motivation, trust and collaboration will all increase. Staff turnover, stress, conflict, sickness, and disputes will go down.
High Performance Employees has the tools you need to introduce this culture into your organization in an easy and proven way. You know that your people deserve it so why not contact us today to find out how we can make your organization an even better place to work.


As Jeff Campbell of High Performance Employees states “You listen people into existence so therefore the Corporate Ombudsman feature of our website will help staff in any organization to feel that they actually matter, and their ideas and concerns are being taken seriously. I invite you to try it out for yourselves and make your voice matter. After all, that is the least you deserve.”

We've recently added even more information to the site for those of you interested in learning how to make your company An Even Better Place to Work. Now, you can download a PDF document detailing the An Even Better Place to Work program. Feel free to print the document for distribution among company decision makers toward facilitating incorporation of the program. We've also added a brief PowerPoint presentation further highlighting the program process, rationale, and benefits. A personal message about the An Even Better Place to Work program from Jeff Campbell, President of High Performance Employees,
I feel that this is absolutely THE best product on the market today for evaluating your teams and individuals and for showing you the information you need to know to make a good team GREAT. Just look at what it tracks automatically for you:

• Satisfaction @ Work Diagnostic
• Openness @ Work Diagnostic
• Feedback @ Work Diagnostic
• Motivation @ Work Diagnostic
• Difference Management @ Work Diagnostic
• Ownership @ Work Diagnostic
• Conflict @ Work Diagnostic

With all this new information coming your way your teams cannot help but improve dramatically across the board. I am confident you will love the results the program provides and am willing to risk my own money on it by offeringa free trial. We will help you with everything that is required to get you started. If, after the trial, you decide that you like the program we'll be more than happy to help you implement it at on a permanent basis. If you decide that you don't like it then you have lost absolutely nothing. Take a moment to contact us for your free trial. I know you will be delighted with the results. -Jeff Campbell Contact us now to learn more about how to make your company a great place to work!

Discovered by our very own director, Jeff Campbell: Now, of course this isn't our philosophy on how to handle office conflict...but it's a fun little piece. A little bit about what's behind conflict and what you can really do to address it, from one of our workshops:
"We don't have conflict because we're different. Don't blame 'because we're different' for conflict. That's not why. We have conflict when I don't feel you're trying to understand me, when I don't sense you're willing to meet my needs. Those are two of the real key factors in terms of conflict... If you're looking to add value, grow your business, get your customers locked in to you, feeling good about you - that's it! Getting people smiling when they hear your voice they got a sense from you, 'Hey, you understand me and you're willing to meet my needs!' They're the two key factors, no matter how different we might be. So, in terms of significant relationships in your life, these are magic questions: 'How much do you feel I understand you?' Ask that of the people around you. And of course the second would be, 'How much do you feel I'm willing to meet your needs?' And if those scores are low, ask the next magic question, 'What do I need to be doing so that you felt I understood you even more, or that I was more willing to meet your needs?'" *We're always on the lookout for images of office conflict expressed in a funny or otherwise interesting way, so if you've run across something you'd like to submit, please let us know! (Refresh the page to play the clip again.)

Now you can stay connected to the High Performance Employees website via your email inbox! Just use the 'Get Connected!' signup form on any of the main website pages to enter your email and receive a copy of our monthly newsletter. The newsletter will be targeted to business owners with working relationships as the main focus; including tips and highlights from the High Performance Employees workshops, event information, new site feature announcements, targeted news articles, and personal messages from the Director of HPE, Jeff Campbell. Also included will be helpful business tips ranging from maintaining high morale in the workplace to how to decrease turnover rates at your company. Get connected! Sign up now! Our first issue is expected to make it's debut in early August. Archived newsletters will also be available on the website, in our News Room.