Category Archives: Leadership
March 22, 2023 Why Young Workers Quit (And how to retain them)
A version of this post was first published in September, 2019
I often hear people complaining about the “new generation” of workers as being disloyal to the company. They change jobs like gym shorts and can’t commit to a single business for more than a few years. While that may be true, have you ever stopped to think about WHY that’s the case?
1. Stagnant Wages
For many young and not-so-young (the oldest Millennials are in their 40s now) people, the workplace landscape is MUCH different than it was when Boomers and Gen Xers began their careers. Wages have stagnated and benefits aren’t what they used to be. In many cases, the only way to get a raise is to negotiate one by switching jobs.
Solution?
Make sure your business is competitive. Offer fair wages, and regularly give raises that account for cost-of-living increases. In addition, make sure your list of benefits is attractive and competitive in the industry.
2. Boredom
“But what about their short attention spans!?” you might say. “We can’t seem to capture their interest.”
Sure, job boredom may play a role in Gen Z and Millennial job-hopping, but this is often a preventable woe. If more than one or two of your staff seem bored or distracted, it’s probable there’s something systemic going on. It may be that…
- They are not well-suited for their role.
- They are so efficient that they complete their workload much faster than previous generations of workers.
- They have checked out because they feel like they don’t fit in in the workplace.
- They have checked out because they don’t think they have a voice.
Solution?
In all these scenarios, communication can help prevent boredom. Regularly check in with your staff and make sure they are feeling engaged and supported. Give them the space to express how they are feeling and vocalize what they’d like to see changed. Then, work with them to strategize ways to make positive changes.
If your young workers are checking out because they feel like they don’t fit in, counter that by encouraging team-building workshops (consider Insights Discovery as a starting point), after-work outings, or collaborative projects. Pay attention and make sure your seasoned workers are giving the newer workers a voice.
3. Feeling Lost
According to a study of 6,900 young people, Gen Zers are actively seeking mentorship at work. The vast majority (82%) want a boss who cares about them and can “relate to them on issues beyond work.” They also crave guidance during this early and formative stage of their career.
Solution?
The guidance this younger generation is seeking can come in the form of mentorship or sponsorship. Establishing a mentorship program does not have to be terribly involved. Rather, it can be as simple as aligning experienced workers with less experienced workers, advising them to meet once per month, and (if you’re a leader or HR rep) checking in with them every once in a while. I’ve talked about how to start a mentoring cohort in a past blog post, and have also provided steps to find one’s “perfect mentor.”
4. Lack of Freedom
Nobody likes it when others look over their shoulders to supervise their work. It conjures images of elementary school, when teachers had to keep a classroom of rambunctious youngsters in line in addition to teaching multiplication tables. Such treatment in the workplace could induce anxiety and the feeling of being hemmed in. No one works well under that kind of pressure.
Solution?
Your staff are not elementary children and should not be treated as such. It’s a good idea to demonstrate trust in your team by giving them a long leash when it comes to projects, minimizing your involvement, and being open to different styles of working and different solutions.
Another thing: consider allowing your staff to occasionally work from home. We live in a time where technology enables many people to work remotely on at least some of their projects. As long as the work is being done, who cares if they work in their pajamas?
If you have a retention problem, ask yourself if any (or all!) of these four factors are coming into play, and then DO something! I’m here to help.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.
HER NEW EBOOK IS CALLED A QUICK GUIDE TO COURAGE.
Tags: better workplace for Gen Z, margaret smith career coach, Margaret Smith Minneapolis career coach, retain Gen Z workers, retain Millennial workers, retain young workers, why young workers quit
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- Posted under Better Business, Leadership, Organization
February 8, 2023 5 Ways to Avoid Meeting Drift
Picture yourself leading (another) Zoom meeting. You’re meeting with your usual team, and you have a rough agenda, but soon things get derailed. Someone mentions that their kids have been sick, and soon everyone’s sharing stories of family illness. This topics leads to a conversation about company policies and sick leave, which then leads to a chat about upcoming vacations. By the time you get back on track, you’ve lost your main point and everyone seems unfocused and unexcited to talk about work-related topics. You’ve lost any initial momentum your meeting had.
If this scenario sounds all too familiar, you’re not alone. “Meeting drift” is a common issue during meetings—virtual or otherwise—and can be extremely frustrating and counterproductive.
To help combat meeting drift, try following these five tips:
Stick to the Agenda.
Ensure that your agenda is concise and that everyone is familiar with it before the meeting starts. Before every meeting, take a few minutes to review the agenda with your team. Make sure everyone understands the topics up for discussion and the intended outcomes of the meeting. During the meeting, gently remind your team of the agenda and try to stay on-topic by summarizing each point before moving on
Start with a Brief Check-In
If your team is distracted by personal issues, their focus is more likely to drift during meetings. Kick off your meeting with a simple check-in question such as, “Julia, what did you do for fun this past weekend?” Or, “Will anyone be out of the office this week?” Make sure to limit the check-in time to 2-3 minutes, otherwise this can lead to an entirely new conversation.
Rotate Meeting Leads
Enlist help to keep the meeting on track by rotating the leadership role. This can help ensure everyone is engaged and can keep the conversation moving. When someone else is leading the meeting, you’ll be better able to recognize when the conversation is straying off-topic
Be Mindful of the Time
It’s easy to forget how long you’ve been talking when everyone is sharing their favorite vacation spot, and you find yourself reminiscing about your last beach trip. Set an alarm for yourself (or a timer for everyone) to keep your meeting on track and on time.
Encourage Participants to Take Notes
Writing notes by hand has a number of benefits, including better retention of the material being discussed and improved focus. Encourage your team to take notes every time you meet. As an added incentive, you might even gift each team member a quality notebook and pen at the beginning of the year (or quarter).
The key to avoiding meeting drift is to stay on top of it and be mindful of your team’s focus. By sticking to an agenda, providing brief check-ins, rotating meeting leads, staying conscious of the time, and encouraging participants to take notes, you’ll be able to ensure that meetings stay productive and meaningful.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.
HER NEW EBOOK IS CALLED A QUICK GUIDE TO COURAGE.
Tags: avoid meeting drift, margaret smith career coach, margaret smith leadership, prevent drift during workplace meetings, prevent drift during Zoom meetings, stay focused during Zoom meetings
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- Posted under Communication, Leadership, Teamwork
January 11, 2023 Leaders: 4 Ways to Identify Your Team’s Strengths
One of the wonderful things about humanity is that we’re all so different, and we embody many different traits. Our distinct personalities can lead to powerful innovations, creative solutions, and out-of-the-box thinking. But it can also lead to conflicts, clashing, and misunderstandings. Have you ever tried to assign a highly collaborative leadership task to an extreme introvert? Or asked a “numbers person” to lead a creative brainstorming session.
It can be beneficial, of course, to stretch our abilities and challenge ourselves to reach outside our comfort zones. However, everyone has their limits. A social person who thrives on interpersonal interactions and teamwork can only take solo data entry work for so long. Soon, they’ll be miserable and, possibly, looking for an exit.
As a leader, it’s smart to identify your team members’ strengths and capitalize on them. Develop an understanding of their strengths by doing the following:
1. Ask them directly what they excel at, what they enjoy doing, and what their goals are. You might be surprised by how quickly people open up when talking about these topics.
2. Turn to a trustworthy assessment test for guidance. As an LP of Insights Discovery, I’m a big proponent of the Insights program. Rooted in social science, Insights Discovery identifies four key personality types (Cool Blue, Fiery Red, Sunshine Yellow, Earth Green) and outlines their inherent strengths and weaknesses. This can be used as a starting point to understand each individual’s potential. For more information, see my past blog post on Insights.
3. Observe each person on the job. What tasks do they excel at? How do they respond to different situations? Do they seem energized or drained after certain tasks? Taking note of these cues can help you better understand how to delegate tasks for maximum efficiency.
4. Listen to your team members’ feedback. They may have ideas on how they can best contribute to the team’s goals. They may be frustrated with processes or tasks they feel they are over- or under-qualified for. Address these issues and strive to create an environment in which everyone can utilize their strengths.
Once you’ve determined each team member’s strengths, you can start assigning tasks and roles that challenge and inspire. Letting team members play to their strengths can lead to greater satisfaction, higher morale, and better team performance. As a leader, it’s vitally important to recognize everyone’s unique gifts, and use them to drive the team forward and foster a more motivated, happier team.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.
HER NEW EBOOK IS CALLED A QUICK GUIDE TO COURAGE.
Tags: better teamwork, identify team member strengths, leaders identify team strengths, margaret smith leadership, Margaret Smith licensed Insights practitioner, play to teams strengths, team strengths with Insights Discovery
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- Posted under Communication, Insights Discovery, Leadership
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