Every time I sit down to write a post, I want to write something that you will find interesting and useful; something that you may not have seen before and that you will share.
Today’s post is about some of the things that drive employees crazy, (I prefer the term “associates”). Awareness is the first step: It is important to do more than just recognize the things on this list; you need to take steps to overcome each of these frustrations. Your associates are the key to your success. This is not a comprehensive list; these are some of the more common frustrations that I have seen in a variety of organizations, both “for profit” and “not-for-profit.”
- Having multiple managers or supervisors telling them what to do. In small or medium sized organizations, the structure can be very fluid without clearly defined lines of authority. Some people thrive in this environment, but many do not. As a manager, it is important to recognize this reality and be consciously looking for signs of frustration in your associates. It is important for your associates not to feel like they are in a “cross-fire” of conflicting directives. As an associate, if you are feeling frustrated make sure you tell someone, such as your supervisor or a co-worker and ask them for their suggestions.
2. Being asked near the end of the workday to stay later. People have lives, people have plans, and only part of those revolve around work. If a manager asks people to work late, especially very close to quitting time, it shows an incredible lack of consideration and respect for their lives. If you have to ask, ask early, and then make it voluntary. If you do have to ask late in the day, explain why it is necessary and allow people to say “no.”
3. Managers who gush over “suck-ups” and ignore those who work hard all of the time without attracting attention. There are associates who know how to “play” their supervisors; everyone sees this except the managers who are blind to it. Failure to appreciate the people who consistently work without seeking praise will eventually lead to a decline in their performance and/or their departure. To combat this, a manager must be listening and connected to their associates. It is also important to recognize that as a manager, you will have associates that may be perceived as “your favourites:” you must strive to treat everyone equally and consistently.
4. Having to attend pointless meetings. Meetings are important, but to be important they must have a purpose for everyone involved. Meeting paralysis is a real thing; sometimes people are included in meetings without really understanding why they are there or worse, not wanting to be there because they have work to do. The free exchange of ideas is important, but pointless “meeting drift” can add to the pressure people feel to get their regular work finished on time. Also, always try to stay within the time allocated for the meeting.
5. Managers who allow an associate not to pull their weight. A common mistake for managers is not appreciating that their associates know when someone else is not contributing as much as they should. Sometimes there are reasons for this and a good manager will communicate those reasons so their staff understands and appreciates the reason. Some managers do not realize that allowing someone to under perform or to get away “short-cutting” their work will only lead to resentment and destruction of company culture and morale. As with so many things, communication, transparency, and respect are very important.
6. Managers whose doors are closed almost all the time. A standard claim by most managers is that “my door is always open.” Unfortunately, many associates realize this is not the case and it is leads to resentment and frustration when they need help. A manager who is the only senior person present needs to understand their role is to assist their associates first and their own work comes second. If you are unavailable, ensure that your people have another person to go to or that they know they have permission to interrupt you.
7. Having a manager ask them their opinion and then doing just the opposite. This is a common failing in all levels of organizations and can be extremely frustrating for associates. As a manager, if you find yourself asking for opinions, ensure that you explain you are looking at alternatives and you are interested in getting as many good ideas as possible. Afterwards, take a few moments and explain to the people you asked why you did not use their ideas – communication, transparency, and respect.
8. Managers who focus on the one thing in ten that the associate did wrong and never acknowledge the other nine things. This is a common complaint from associates. As a manager, it is easy to focus only on the mistakes and ignore the things that are being done well. A lesson that was taught to me very early in my career was to try to balance any negatives with a positive comment and not always at the same time. Praise lavishly and find a way to criticize indirectly. Praise has to be genuine and managers should praise often.
9. Being In a meeting criticizing the entire group when only one person made an error. I have been guilty of this management error. Unless the entire group has made the same or similar errors, always deal with issues privately rather than in a group session. If it was a group mistake, deal with it early in your group meeting; never criticize or try to correct behavior at the end of a meeting, do it early, get it out of the way, and then work on things that build your team. Always end any meeting on a positive and upbeat note.
10. Doing reviews just to do a review. I prefer ongoing and more frequent “performance conversations” or annual reviews. Each associate should have “prep” time to get ready. The tone should be conversational and include time for them to express their opinions on the direction of the company. Too many reviews are discussed once and never discussed again; there is no continuity and no measurement in the future. The goals and objectives in any review should be actionable, achievable, and measurable. A performance conversation is a living document, a guide that should help the organization and the associate grow over the time and as a frequently used tool.
11. Organizations that have different rules for different associates. For a company to embrace an inclusive culture, everyone in the organization needs to play by the same rules. For example, owners and managers should try where possible to work some of the same shifts including nights and weekends. By doing this, the managers set an example, and importantly, they see the issues and challenges that their people face on a regular basis.
12. Managers or owners who publicly take all of the credit for the success of the organization. When an owner or manager stands in front of their peers and takes credit for all the successes of the organization without acknowledging the hard work of their team, it works to kill the culture of your organization. I have been to many corporate meetings and it was rare for the owner or manager to pause and credit their team. This lack of humility hinders building the right corporate culture.
13. Managers and owners who think they have a monopoly on good ideas. A good manager or owner tries to surround themselves with people smarter than they are. Too many owners and managers think they should be the smartest person in the room and as a result, the organization only grows as far as they can push it. Listening, developing, and using the ideas and concepts of your associates will make your organization stronger and more vibrant.
There are many more examples than these thirteen that drive associates crazy. This baker’s dozen highlights some of the more common issues and offers ways to remove the frustration. By encouraging communication, transparency, and always having respect for your associates, you and your organization will find that this list will be much shorter than those organizations that do not consider the perspective of their associates. Your organization will have less staff turnover, your organization will benefit from their contributions more, and your organization will have a much stronger culture.