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Organisations
constantly highlight that people are their biggest competitive advantage.
What do they mean by putting people first? I believe it is time companies
put their money where their mouth is. And it is not very difficult to do
it.
Here are some simple things that they could begin with:
• Companies need to articulate clearly what is expected from each
employee. This helps the employee to know his or her role and work
towards it.
• That done, companies need to invest in the individual. Employees have
to be technically equipped to overcome any shortcomings to reach the
acceptable level of performance. I believe it is the manager's job to
help the employee deliver according to his skills.
• Employees need to be given sales and service support. Today jobs have
become intensely task driven because of the deliverables. It is seen,
when a task is not completed on time or when the quality suffers,
managers blame those under without sharing the responsibility.
Managers have to realise the importance of building a relationship with
individuals as well as with the team before being totally task focused.
If the manager is very brusque in his approach then the rest of the team
would follow a similar style.
Building the right atmosphere where people can ask for support when they
need it without being judged is an integral part of how we manage people.
This approach is taking shape in form of performance coaching, which is
gaining popularity worldwide.
• Most organisations and managers hesitate to invest in the softer side of
people management. They are afraid to be perceived as being weak and not
task driven. This is not true.
In fact, having a personal relationship always works better. For
instance, if a manager having a one to one relationship with the
employee, tells him about his failing performance, the employee is more
likely to take it as a 'fair' evaluation.
• Companies need to increase their tolerance of employee's failures.
Mistakes have to be accepted as part of expenditure. And for this,
higher-level managers have to encourage people to take decisions by
themselves.
By doing this companies actually ask employees to take responsibility for
the job assigned to them.
• Making 'fun' as part of the job. It is not just the pay, but also the
work place itself, the work culture, the freedom with which one can act,
also appeals to people.
When companies realise the true meaning of the saying all 'work and no
play', that's their way of putting people first. This done, the customers
will be served with delight and excellence will be achieved.
• Organisations have to believe strongly in putting people first and
institutionalise these cultures. This is best done by articulating what
the company wants and then actually investing time and energy in various
culture - building approaches.
The idea is to make sure the concept is not dependent on a single
leader's skills or just a yearly fad.
• What matters finally is the leadership's belief that putting people
first is the only way to build companies. Companies can never be built
through the control and command approach. They need to remember, fear can
deliver but not help sustain.
On the other hand, positive reinforcement and continuous engagement with
the employees, is what helps build an organisation.
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