Key points:
- Intentionality and authenticity are essential in working with higher-ed employees
- What your institution gets when you give
- The horror: Top traits of a horrible leader
- For more news on faculty and staff, visit eCN’s Campus Leadership hub
Employee retention strategies are complex, interlacing multiple layers of programming and recognition. However, the most sophisticated employee retention strategy, drawn up by the priciest corporate consultant, will fail if it is not mirrored by attitudes and practices of supervisors.
H. Jackson Brown Jr. has said, “Don’t forget, a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.” One of the top reasons employees leave positions is because they feel misunderstood or underappreciated by their supervisor. The truism “people don’t quit jobs, they quit managers” holds true.
Driven higher-ed professionals put in long hours and focused effort to accomplish projects. Far too often, those contributions are not celebrated or even acknowledged. This leaves higher-ed employees feeling invisible and resentments begin to fester. If your faculty, staff, and employees aren’t appreciated at your organization, they will find somewhere they can be appreciated.
The tragedy is that often, supervisors are trying to appreciate their higher-ed employees–they are just doing so ineffectively. Ineptly showing your gratitude is worse than not doing so at all. When you dole out cliche words of thanks, it seems hollow or out-of-touch. In order to make sure your gratitude is clearly heard and taken to heart, make sure it’s sincere, specific, and steady.
Sincere
First, when and how you thank others paves the way for how it’s heard. Do you throw a perfunctory “thanks” at the end of an email? Do you only express your appreciation when employees voice how stressed or exhausted they are? Intentionality and authenticity are essential. Make a practice of integrating appreciation into your routine. Take a moment to send an email sharing your gratitude. Seek out a colleague to personally express your appreciation. Thank members of your department or team individually and also make a point of recognizing them institution-wide. Make eye contact and pause for a moment of connection.
Specific
Give personalized appreciation, not generic compliments. Stop to identify exactly how they contribute to the success of your team or the latest project and then offer targeted feedback rather than worn-out platitudes. Think in terms of character traits, individual skills, and helpful practices. Be attuned to attributes, not only outcomes. Individuals who can stay calm in difficult situations and mitigate challenges should be praised: “Dominique, I know that collaboration didn’t turn out like we’d hoped. Your insight and communication throughout the process enabled us to pivot and minimize the cost to the university. Thank you for your vigilance and diplomacy.”
Steady
Don’t assume employees know what you appreciate. Spell it out and repeat your thanks regularly. Individuals are confronted with discouraging news and criticism on a daily basis. Verbalizing the positive strengths and skills of your team members provides a ballast for the negative messages that confront them. Many successful professionals harbor untrue and detrimental self-perceptions, as the rise of discussion of “imposter syndrome” brings to light. You can provide an accurate picture of the strengths they bring to your team, which will encourage them to cultivate them even more.
Be aware: The pendulum can swing too far in the other extreme. Don’t cheapen your praise by offering it endlessly or when it isn’t warranted. Ensure that you have a regular–and frequent–rhythm of honoring the positive traits and important contributions of your employees.
Simple
Given the cost of attracting, identifying, and onboarding qualified candidates, there is a clear economic cost to neglecting employee appreciation. For many managers, employee appreciation gets crowded out by the unending insistence of their to-do list. For others, they lack the necessary strategies to engage their team in a way they will communicate effectively. Yet, when properly approached, employee appreciation is not complicated or onerous. It takes less than two minutes to send an email saying, “Your attention to detail and calm, upbeat presence on orientation day was such an asset to our team and an integral part of welcoming our students to campus. Your work sets a tone for their entire colleague experience. Thank you for all you do.”
With only a few moments of time, you can strengthen your connection with members of your team, improve their morale, and renew their resolve for the work ahead.
Cheryl Hyatt is a founding partner and CEO of Hyatt – Fennell, Executive Search Plus and President and owner of The Charitable Resources Group, Inc.