I recently had a conversation with a director of a major
law firm about morale among employees. It was low, and
employee retention was beginning to be an issue.
As we talked, it became apparent that while the lawyers had
access to everything that would help them perform to their
potential, the same could not be said for everyone else in
the firm. People from managers and supervisors to support
staff at all levels felt their contribution was not valued.
The problem was not money. On the contrary, these people
were paid very well, and in fact that may have become part
of the problem. Senior management felt that any unrest in
the ranks could be quieted by simply giving them more
money, and they were quite dismayed to find that was no
longer doing the trick. For them, money was the first and
only form of reward and recognition to offer employees.
Why would they think that, and why would they be surprised
to learn they were wrong?
I wonder how often they actually thought about the feelings
and attitudes of their people, and my guess is --- only
when there was a problem. Of course the problem was there
all the time, and growing worse, but they just didn't
notice.
This situation is unfortunately all too common, and not
just in law firms. There is much discussion among Human
Resources professionals about employee retention, and how
to make sure good and great employees stay around. The
principles are understood, but the practice often doesn't
match up.
Of course there are numerous specific incentives that can
be implemented, including formal appreciation programs, and
these should certainly not be ignored. Many of these
programs are expensive, and management might well feel
employees are ungrateful not to appreciate them.
Ironically, the root cause of discontent can often be
successfully addressed with no financial outlay at all.
No matter how much money you pay someone, if they are
overloaded with work and constantly stressed by
unreasonable deadlines and treated as if they are
invisible, don't be surprised when they rebel. Again and
again, studies have shown that the number one cause of
workplace dissatisfaction is that employees don't feel
respected or appreciated --- and those are two different
things.
In another law firm where I facilitated a difficult
discussion between a senior lawyer and his support staff,
one clerk pointed out that the manner in which work was
assigned was offensive. Citing one common task in their
particular area of law, she said, "It takes you just a few
seconds to throw the papers on my desk and tell me to do
it, and for you it's done. But you forget that for me it
represents two hours of work." She wasn't complaining about
the work itself, but felt that her contribution to the
process was not appreciated. As part of a broader picture
of discontent and deepening resentment, this was
significant.
When I visit clients' offices for meetings, I'm usually
offered coffee, and in this simple situation I can
immediately observe the attitude of the manager or
executive towards staff. One person will introduce me by
name to the assistant bringing the coffee and make the
request in a friendly civilized way; another will simply
buzz the assistant and say, "Bring us coffee in the meeting
room." This may sound like a small thing, but the second
version demonstrates a lack of respect for the person as a
human being, and when it's part of an overall pattern, it
can make a huge difference in someone's quality of work
life.
If you are a Human Resources professional facing morale
problems, you might take some time to observe the
interactions between management and staff. If you see the
signs I've been talking about, consider meeting with
managers as a group and pointing out the possible
consequences of their thoughtlessness. Encourage them to
recognize people's deep human need for respect and
appreciation and take any opportunity they can to meet it.
If you are a manager yourself, consider honestly how you
treat people. Have some meaningful conversation with those
who report to you to let them know you value their
contribution and respect them as individuals.
There's no financial cost to these initiatives, but the
positive effect on employee retention, morale and
productivity can be immense.
----------------------------------------------------
Helen Wilkie is a professional keynote speaker and workshop
leader specializing in workplace communication. She also
facilitates World Cafe events to enable deep conversation
at all levels in organizations. For more information on her
services, or to subscribe to her free e-zine,
"Communi-keys", visit http://www.mhwcom.com or e-mail her
at hwilkie@mhwcom.com
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