Could it be possible that you measure progress towards success differently than many of the people in your organization?
Let’s say you measure it by financial outcomes: how much did we bill, book and collect?
Your warehouse manager may measure orders shipped. Your collections manager might measure past due collected.
All good. Now, how many people measure hours clocked? Let’s say that is 70% of your workforce. Remember our discussion that 20% are actively disengaged, and 50% are not engaged?*
To create greater engagement, each department should have measurable goals. People will buy in if they participate in creating clear goals. As they create them, they will identify what tools they need to accomplish the them. Maybe, they were brushed aside in the past when they asked for better tools. Here is your chance. Don’t blow it! Have a new discussion. As the Gallop study found: “do I have the tools I need to do my job?” Is one of the most basic requirements for satisfaction as well as performance at work.
If I am measured and ranked against clearly defined and measurable outcomes, I have a new game to play every day at work. Let’s make it fun. Let’s have prizes that we can earn as a team. They don’t have to be expensive. I’ve seen a CEO dye his hair red when the team made the stretch goal. People went crazy. Your great employees will like it. The poor performers will leave. And, what is wrong with that?
*Blog dated May 25, 2014 referencing the Gallop state of the American Workforce study.