How HR Can Help Employees Flourish In Their Jobs
A major reason that employees may be feeling overwhelmed or disconnected at work is that they are not in roles where they can best flourish.
One of the most important functions of human resources professionals is helping their organizations to ensure they have the right talent in the right place and at the right time. People who are feeling overworked and overwhelmed are often doing work that doesn’t come naturally to them.
A critical component of success in a given role is organizational fit – individual compatibility with organizational values and mode of operation. People who do not feel personally aligned with the organization’s values and mode of operation may not be working to their full potential, and/or may eventually seek employment with a more compatible organization.
Psychiatrist Edward M. Hallowell, author of the book Shine: Using Brain Science to Get the Best from Your People, who presented at a recent ClearRock human resources event, has developed a five-step, science-based “Cycle of Excellence” that human resource professionals can disseminate across their organizations so employees are managed better. The components of Hallowell’s “Cycle of Excellence” are:
- Help people find the job that’s right for them. The right job for an individual is one that they like to do, that is what they do best, and that includes tasks or functions most beneficial to the organization. As many as one third of workers feel they have reached a dead end in their jobs, according to recent surveys. This occurs too often because they weren’t a good match for the job in the first place.
- Help employees connect with those around them. Disengaged employees feel distant from other people, their organization and their jobs; and that disconnection drains their energy. Find ways for employees to link themselves with the ideas, people and organizations that empower them.
- Foster creativity by encouraging play in the workplace. Liven up work with special days, provide a warm atmosphere and ample tools for creativity, such as whiteboards and markers.
- Help employees identify their most crucial work and focus diligently on it. People want to make progress and grow by working hard, but first they have to be in the right job, connected and imaginatively engaged. Help them identify their main challenges, think them through, and shut out common distractions to improve focus.
- Recognize staff members for the hard work they have done. Acknowledge people’s accomplishments through recognition and rewards.
ClearRock recommends that employees who feel they are not flourishing in their jobs take the following actions:
- Have an open discussion with your manager about your potential and the possibilities for expanding your responsibilities or making your job more challenging.
- Transfer your skills to another part of your company. The switch should be to an area in which you already have both the education and experience to succeed.
- Volunteer to lead a special project, task force or charity drive so you can showcase your capacity to take on responsibility and produce results.
- Find a mentor whocan help you sharpen your job-related skills and refine your people-related abilities.
