One of the best things you can do for your organization is to give your people a voice. It’s a sign that you hear them, understand them, and look out for their best interest.
There are plenty of consequences when you don’t give your employees a voice. Research shows employees:
- Have decreased productivity
- Have reduced job satisfaction
- Quit more often
We all know the results of these points: The business suffers.
So, why don’t we give our employees a voice? It could come from leadership bravado, where we believe we are the alpha and omega. It could be that we’ve shut them down because we don’t value their voice or opinion. Or it could be that we’ve never asked them to speak up.
Regardless of where it comes from, one thing is for certain… your people deserve to have their voice heard. When they do, they become a more productive, contributing team member. AND you can see business improve.
How To Give Your People A Voice
The big question is: How do we give our people a voice in the organization? I suggest you begin tackling this leadership problem in three ways. It won’t be easy, will take time, and may hurt your feelings.
That’s okay. As you implement these strategies, you’ll find things running smoother than ever. Your team will become happier and more engaged.
Giving your people a voice helps everyone.
Town Hall Meetings:
Town hall meetings are small group gatherings of your team members where they can share valuable insight into how they’re feeling, what they see is working, and where there could be improvements.
Gather similar groups together. One town hall meeting may include your sales team, customer service members, and purchasing. Or it may be a group of 5 from production.
By gathering people from similar roles, you can hear their voices clearly. It’s likely that if one of them has a problem, they’ve all felt the pain point.
After holding these town hall meetings, you may want to mix in people from different areas of your organization. You might pull in one or two people from production, another one from sales, two from finance, and a final one from the IT team.
These groups will have varying opinions and situations they’ve experienced. By combining different groups, you’re able to create a more cohesive team, and they can see how their actions impact others.
One One-On-Ones:
I love one-on-one meetings. It’s time for you to get with your direct reports and hear from them. They will share what they’re doing, how they’re feeling, and what you can do to help them.
One-on-ones are a time for your team members to have time specifically dedicated to their needs, concerns, and ideas. You will sit with them, listen to them, and respond to their voice when needed.
Find time to have these one-on-ones with your team members. This may be the best place for their voice to be heard.
Singular Interactions:
You can only hold town hall meetings and one-on-one meetings infrequently. It may be on a regular basis but it’s limited to the amount of time you have available in your schedule. Singular interactions are different. They’re random, sporadic, and spontaneous.
Singular interactions happen as you’re walking through the office. You bump into a coworker as you head to the refrigerator to grab a drink. They grab you for a quick moment and you give them your undivided attention. You take the time to listen because you know they’re essential.
