Are employees confident in the ability of senior management?

閱讀中文版本

Good news for senior management - approximately eight in 10 professionals feel at least somewhat confident in the ability of senior management to grow the business, provide sound financial stewardship and drive innovation, found a Robert Half Management Resources survey.

Polling more than 1,000 workers, the survey further revealed that a similar number of respondents believe their organisation's executives support staff members' growth and manage change effectively.

That said, employees also raised red flags about the senior management, with roughly one in five expressing concerns, including a feeling their firm's senior leadership doesn't value employees' career and personal advancement.

Tim Hird, executive director of Robert Half Management Resources, commented: "Most professionals recognise and appreciate the efforts of company leaders."

"In recent years, businesses responded to intense hiring competition by focusing on creating satisfying work experiences. For example, many firms now place greater emphasis on work-life balance and developing career paths for their teams."

Though the survey painted a favourable picture for senior leaders, Hird noted that there is always room for improvement.

"Gaining and keeping employees' faith requires commitment," he added. "Stay in touch with staff, and continually invest in their growth. Your ability to attract and retain talented professionals depends on it."

In line with that, here are five tips for leaders to gain and keep employees' faith.

Take a genuine interest You can only address their motivations and concerns once you know what those are. So, talk to employees about their career goals and what keeps them up at night.

Add meaning to the job Let employees know how the firm's products and services improve the lives of customers and how their individual contributions support the company's mission.

Provide regular business updates Make the organisation's objectives an ongoing topic of conversation. Also explain to staff the rationale behind operational goals and the steps being taken to attain them.

Tap experts People won't feel confident in leadership if they don't have the support they need. Bring in consultants who provide in-demand knowledge not available internally, such as for a change initiative or merger integration. Interim professionals also can assist with spikes in activity, helping staff better manage heavy workloads.

Sell the firm to staff – again and again A mistake often made is where managers woo job seekers during the hiring process but often fail to keep the courtship alive. Don't let the same happen to you - keep employees apprised of the firm's successes and regularly promote the many great reasons to work there.

Photo / 123RF