Many organizations take advantage of the holiday season to celebrate their employees, but companies with excellent culture celebrate and engage their employees year round. When people feel appreciated and connected to a common purpose, they’re more inclined to continue delivering impactful results – even through the busy holiday season.
To foster a culture where people stay engaged through the holidays, follow these three tips:
1) Recognize the accomplishments of your people and share the “puzzle boxtop.”
Your people deserve to feel valued and informed. They want to see the big picture – the “puzzle boxtop” – and how their work contributes to it. Whether you celebrate your people with a party, bonus, or tangible gift, ensure they know how valuable they are and how impactful their work is in the organization. Your people are an integral part of your strategy and overall success, so be clear about the greater direction your organization is taking and where your people fit in that future state.
2) Make your New Year’s resolution to be a compelling storyteller.
To excite your people about a new plan or strategy, you must have them invest in it emotionally and intellectually. One of the best ways to galvanize your people is to share your strategy in a compelling and meaningful manner. Tell them the story of your strategy and illustrate where the strategy will take them. Use visuals and interactive means to bring your people into the story so they are involved. Engagement is not a spectator sport and your people cannot participate in the story if they are not included as a character. Metaphors are an important part of storytelling and can synthesize information, data, and concepts into something simple. Make it your New Year’s resolution to brush up on your storytelling skills.
3) Give your people the gift of job crafting.
If your people feel stuck in their roles, they won’t be engaged. If they feel that their manager doesn’t care about their future, they’ll go find one who does. Instead of leaving your people frustrated, give them the freedom to job craft. As told in the book What Are Your Blind Spots? Conquering the 5 Misconceptions that Hold Leaders Back,
Leaders must create a culture that focuses on both framework and freedom. They must create a framework that clearly outlines the non-negotiables that ensure consistency and safety in the products and services they deliver. At the same time, they must also create a sense of freedom. Doing this allows people to be their best selves, use their judgment to create extraordinary touchpoints, resolve unplanned issues that arise, and look for new ways of doing things in a better and faster way.
Your people deserve a role in defining their future, and they should feel comfortable telling you how they’ll be more satisfied at work.
Engaged Employees Lead to Better Business Results
While it might be impossible to have 100% of your employees actively engaged 100% of the time, it doesn’t mean you can’t try. Leaders can do this every day by sharing the reality of the business, including their people in each part of the journey, and giving everyone a voice. When everyone feels valued, supported, and able to see a bright future, the results will speak for themselves.
