In this third column on HR, we address how to reengage employees, especially those who are currently disengaged. In the initial column in March, we discussed how to avoid common hiring blunders. In April, we offered questions that can help you determine how engaged (or not) your team really is.

Surveying employees can be a huge help in deciding what steps to take. However, Gallup reports that, in reality, only 8% of employees feel that their employer actually takes steps based on those surveys.

To help with this series on HR issues, we have called upon Daniel Abramson, CTS, who is founder and president of StaffDynamics. He has written two books—"Secrets of Hiring Top Talent” and “When Your Magic Wand Is Broken”—and is a business coach and sales trainer. Abramson has been sharing his expertise on workforce performance for more than 30 years. Here’s what he has to say on reengaging staff members.

MULTIPLE LEVELS

Whether you’re in a small practice or a large company, there is more than one level of disengagement. Actively disengaged employees are unhappy and don't care who knows it. They will often undermine what engaged people aim to accomplish.

Employees in the middle are not engaged and are thus not adding to business growth. They are happy to collect a paycheck as long as they don't have to put in too much effort for it. Unfortunately, in most businesses, these folks represent most staffers.

THE TAKEAWAY

It’s great news that the Covid-19 public health emergency ended earlier this month. Even though the pandemic is finally in the rearview mirror, some employees continue to express pent-up frustration. While employers took necessary steps to streamline operations and remain competitive during Covid-19’s three-year run, many employees have felt neglected. The long-term result is a more disengaged and disgruntled workforce.

WHAT TO DO

In an optical practice, it's difficult to assess the mood and motivation of staff members because the doctor is most likely in the back of the house examining eyes, often with minimal interaction with other staff members.

So, don’t just take a few random steps to make workers feel better. Instead, make actual action plans, suggests Gallup. How? Follow each “of four steps in a cycle of workplace improvement: survey employees, make discoveries from their responses, create action plans, and develop managers as they work to make life better for employees.”

How can this advice apply to your practice?  Here are just five suggestions, all of which have been proven to make a big difference.

• Proper pay. Review your compensation program for a strong “Pay on Performance” component. Most companies are using the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to calculate those salary increases. According to CNBC though, “While the 2022 COLA adjustment was 5.9%, government inflation data showed costs grew at a faster pace for much of last year. Now, the 8.7% COLA for 2023 is outpacing current inflation, with a 5.8% increase over the past 12 months for the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers, or CPI-W.”
• Team trips. There are also many small ways to make employees feel more engaged and part of your team. One is field trips, also known as Learning Expeditions (LEX) in business lingo. For example, take some of your key staff members to local optical industry events and meetings to get a mental fill-up on product and professional issues. Among the benefits, says Aurelie Truchet, co-founder of @Uptale, “By stepping back from usual workplace routines, employees broaden their horizons to think ‘outside the box.’ They gain a new capacity to contextualize problems and [optimize] their existing strategies.”
• Balance. Look at who's doing what in your practice. Ensure that the workload is balanced and that everyone is pitching in. Be careful about not playing favorites.
• Praise and reward. Show appreciation with quick notes and gift cards to restaurants, coffee shops, or stores. Pick up the phone and thank people personally. We all spend way too much time online. Make it more personal. Praise people in front of other staff members. When it’s necessary to reprimand an employee, however, be sure to do it behind closed doors.
• Communication. Hold formal review sessions twice a year. Talk to your employees. Keep them informed of new policies and procedures. Don't keep secrets.

The bottom line? Don’t ever forget that an informed and educated employee isn’t just more engaged. He or she is also your most effective tool for success.