The Summer months are approaching quickly and employees are getting antsy.
While a select few will choose to use up their hard-earned vacation days to hit the beach, many will opt to work through the warmer months, taking advantage of the quieter work season to reflect, report, and plan for the upcoming quarter.
As leaders, it can be easy to leave your team to their own devices during the Summer months, but now is the most important time to make sure your hard-working heavy hitters are happy. With a lighter workload, employees tend to develop a wandering eye. If they're not fully engaged, they can be easily tempted by job openings with other companies, and if they feel under-appreciated, that may be the ammo they need to move on to new opportunities.
Here are some ways to ensure that your people remain happy and engaged through the Summer months, so they stick around:
1) Conversation. Keep the conversation flowing. Having frequent and open conversations with your team will keep them engaged and productive. Not sure what to talk about? Here are some ideas to help get the conversation started.
2) Connection. Find ways to connect with your team. Organize a team lunch or suggest a spot to work as a group outside of the office for a change of scenery. Maintain a healthy working relationship and make sure your team is happy to have you as their leader. It's important to remember that people don't leave jobs, they leave managers.
3) Coaching. Provide one-on-one coaching. The Summertime is a great time to improve skills and expose your team to new opportunities. With fewer people in the office, take time to offer up some one-on-one coaching to help further skills or tap into new interests. Coach them using leader-led learning techniques, and leave a lasting impression.
4) #Collaboration. Contribute to the creation of a collaborative culture by inviting your team members to participate in the planning process for the upcoming months. Use this time to listen to their feedback, invite new ideas, and work as a team. This will keep employees engaged and make an impact on how they feel about their roles.
The best way to ensure that your people stick around is to keep them happy and engaged, and there's no better time to connect, converse, coach, and collaborate than in the months of Summer.
Companies that have licensed Lisa’s Leadership Programs have seen great results when it comes to employee job satisfaction. Perhaps this is the next step for you?