When you want to be productive and satisfied in your job: A 5-Point Framework
I have been asked to present at an HR Leaders conference in a couple of weeks focused on productivity and job satisfaction. My talk is 25 minutes in length. There is so much that goes into this that 25 minutes is simply not enough time to do the topic any justice.
However, I started thinking about both sides of this coin, and how interesting it is to put them together. Can you be productive if you are dissatisfied in your job? Can you be satisfied if you are not productive?
For me, I can answer both of these questions with a big “no”. If I am checked out or disengaged, it is tough for me to be truly productive. I can get things accomplished, but if my heart isn’t in it, the results will be 80% of what I could achieve. If I am bored, under-challenged, or if there are barriers in my way from being productive, I get dissatisfied pretty quickly. As a leader, it is my job to bust barriers, however, which is one of my favorite tasks!
I firmly believe productivity and job satisfaction go hand in glove. I have written before about being busy vs. productive and what the difference is between the two concepts. I find myself from time to time buried in seas of to-do lists while trying to see and impact the big picture. This balance can be tricky at times. Sometimes we need to be heads down and focused on tasks. Other times, the tasks are moving along and we can be more strategic.
To inspire productivity and satisfaction, I have found 5 things need to be in place as a system:
Aligned Goals
For years we have talked about goal alignment and cascading goals. In large organizations, this may be difficult to achieve, but it is critical to help people understand how their jobs align to and participate in the moving the ship forward in the ocean. At the highest levels, an organization should have 3-5 goals they will be measured by, and they should not all be financial in nature. These typically center around growth, profitability, expense control, efficiency, client satisfaction, safety, accuracy, innovation, technology and, of course, people. I am seeing more and more organizational goals around people, whether it be engagement, retention, or growth and development. Each person should have goals that align to these high-level goals. Not everyone impacts revenue directly, but everyone can influence the bottom line based on their role. To see movement in big goals, everyone must have an aligned goal to help move the needle.
Clear Roles & Responsibilities
I have seen a number of struggles with communication and clarity within the last two years. This could be attributed to all of us being isolated and scattered. Or, we are taking on too much and, therefore, items are getting missed, are not being communicated, and remain undocumented. Focusing on roles, responsibilities, handoffs, and stakeholders have not been more important. Outside of doing some light process mapping and stakeholder management, this is the time of the RACI. I have never seen so many opportunities to put this simple tool into practice. If you’re not familiar, RACI stands for: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. For every project, process, product and change, map out who is responsible for doing the work, accountable for ensuring it happens, consulted for their opinions on who, what, when, where and how, and then, inform those who may be impacted. While all are important, it is this last one I see being missed more lately. This takes a little time to map out, but it will prevent misunderstandings and bad feelings in the future.
Manager Check-ins
In these times of remote and hybrid, checking in with one’s manager on everything from status reports to feedback opportunities to problem-solving sessions to career conversations helps keep everyone connected and on the same page. I have written on quality one-on-ones in the past, but the most important components include: schedule time frequently, have the employee drive the conversation, and use the meeting for all the reasons above, not just status reports than can be delivered over email.
Strong Teamwork
Defining teamwork with remote teams can be challenging, but we all have spent tons of time on this over the last two years. Having clear roles and responsibilities can help build strong teams to prevent toe-stepping and confusion. Schedule team meetings not just focused on work but also on getting to know one another. To inspire teamwork, find a project or problem the team can try and solve together. Using assessment likes DiSC, StrengthsFinder, or Social Styles will help one another understand communication styles, what “pinches” people, and how best to work with people. These assessments can help decode team dynamics quickly so the team can be most effective.
Purpose and Meaning
Lastly, people are spending more time on self-discovery and exploration. Just “doing a job” isn’t cutting it anymore. People are looking for inspiration, a strong connection to what they do, and alignment with who they are doing it with. Encourage your employees to establish their values and career goals. Engage in those conversations. Share the purpose, meaning, and values of the organization to ensure everyone aligns. Focusing on corporate social responsibility can also help create that sense of purpose for employees to feel they are part of something bigger.
There are many factors that contribute to productivity and job satisfaction. If we can get these 5 areas right, we are moving in the right direction. Think about these facets and ask if they are clear, articulated, aligned, and open for sharing and discussing in your organization. This is the right place to start.
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