The road ahead….
Q. Now that the holiday season is over, I keep hearing rumours that some of my staff are unhappy. It’s always the same every year: people go off on holiday and come back wanting to change their lives. What can I do to make sure I don’t lose some of my best staff.
A: Doesn’t this make you wonder why your staff don’t come to you directly? And why do you only hear these “rumours” after the holidays?
We all know it’s not a specific legal obligation to hold appraisals or to develop personal development plans with your employees, nevertheless, the benefits are recognised not only by industry benchmarks but also standards such as ISO 9000 and Investors in People.
So, you’ve put an appraisal process into place responding to best practice indicators – an effective review system is one of the greatest retention factors. Why, then, do sceptical employees question your intent? I would suggest that the key word here is “effective”.
If your idea of an appraisal is to make your employees fill in a lengthy form, sit them down for an hour and tell them what they should have written, and berate them for any issues they’ve raised with which you disagree, then its hardly surprising that they view them with dislike. If you cap this attitude by using the appraisal outcomes as one of the criteria for your regular redundancy programmes then you’re on a hiding to nothing.
The worrying thing is that you are not alone in this. The effectiveness of appraisal programmes and their outcomes seems to be a current widespread industry concern.
Look at it from an employee’s point of view: they return from holiday having had the first opportunity for twelve months to take time to consider their career. Whilst one can’t assume that everyone wants the same from their job, there are certain common factors that crop up: the desire for recognition, the chance to make positive input, the opportunity to develop and learn, the positive energy of working in an environment where ideas are listened to and discussed, rather than dismissed and ignored.
Whilst there is certain merit in the view that architects and designers work because they are driven by creativity, nevertheless you will not be unique in providing these creative opportunities. Your competitors are equally capable of doing so.
Therefore, you need to show your employees that you value their input and provide opportunities for them to have their say in a non-judgemental forum. Their contribution will enrich your working environment and make your practice a more desirable working place. Not only will you be more likely to keep your best staff, but you will it easier to recruit even more high quality employees.
Also, you refer to your “best staff”. Do they know they are your best staff? Have you ever told them?
Relate it to a design project – if you bring a project in-house, you will consider a whole variety of options, really trying to get at what the client wants. Do you ever think about your employees in the same amount of detail?
This is particularly pertinent in the case of long-term employees. The “best staff” in your office will also be “best staff” to your greatest competitors. What is it that would keep your employees with you rather than moving on elsewhere? In the current market, you really need to understand what motivates and fulfils your staff. And this is not just about money.
Being an employer of choice is not just about paying well and providing challenging design work, it’s also about taking the time to listen to your employees and being properly aware of their individual motivations and desires for development.
Adding value to your employee relationships will add value to your organisation and to the work that you do for your clients.
September 2004
FX Magazine