Give your employees a fight song and refuel their passion for work

Did you know that an average person spends about 93,600 hours of their lifetime at work? This is assuming we work an average of 40 hours/week starting from age of 20 years until 65 years! That’s a considerable chunk of your personal time spent serving an organization.

Imagine, what that can do to you? Unknowingly, we all at some point in time, get so caught up in the rut of things that we forget why we got into it in the first place. If that’s the case with you, it’s time to stir the pot and re-kindle your old flame – I mean your passion! There needs to be enough fuel to keep your zest and passion last that long, if not, it can become an empty, sterile place to work and earn a livelihood.

Unfortunately, the current economic downturn has contributed to this. It has not only shaken the stock market but also the faith and spirit of the people. The sudden and domino downfall of companies with their downsizing has not only stolen employees of their jobs but also their identities. This is considering how for some, their work became their life, having dedicated so many years of their life to an organization! As for those who remain back and still have a job, they appear equally clueless on what to expect next! Is it my turn next? Will I have a job when I come back tomorrow morning? – There’s a lot of insecurity in the air, tension between relationships, poor morale and a constant undercurrent of fear versus sense of pride and ownership towards your work. The economy today has made people feel like Kleenex tissues. Everything is disposable, including human emotions and spirit!

Agreed, the economy will take its time to recover and rebuild itself. But we are only looking at the numbers and running the statistics. In the chase to fix the bottom-line and balance out the assets and liabilities column, its crucial that companies don’t forget and leave out their most important asset – their employees. If you want to fix your bottom-line, invest in your people first! Fixing the economy is not an easy feat, but we can start with refueling our people with hope and give them a purpose.

This is a great opportunity for organizations to not just revisit their number crunching strategies but also look at revamping their outlook towards change. Focus on what matters most and strengthen that. Give your employees a fight song and revive their team spirit. Empower them by engaging and involving them in the decision making process. Nine out of ten times, people just want to be heard and shown some respect (yes, I’m quoting Oprah here!). Like Courtney Rubin, I agree, it’s not all about the compensation.

In chasing the big picture, even the small wins count, so stop to acknowledge and celebrate that. Value and acknowledge your employee’s efforts. A small act of thanking an employee by name, and recognizing her/his efforts in front of others can help boost employee morale. Rebuild your employees’ trust in the leadership and strengthen your walls inside out! Tracy James and Nancy Mobley offer interesting tips on how to effectively communicate and engage your employees in a recession.

What’s your viewpoint? Would love to hear your outlook on this economy and how we can help our people?

Photo by: Beverly & Pack