9 Ways to Keep Employees Engaged
Author: JoAnna Brandi
Are your employees engaged in their work, or are they estranged from your agency's mission and their role in making it happen? Mounting evidence suggests that the more engaged employees are in what they do, the better their performance and the higher the rewards for everyone. The key is to have managers who are skilled at creating employee engagement.
Are your employees engaged in their work, or are they estranged from your company's mission and their role in making it happen? Mounting evidence suggests that the more engaged employees are in what they do, the better their performance and the higher the rewards for everyone. The key is to have managers who are skilled at creating employee engagement. Customer Care Coach® publisher JoAnna Brandi explains why this is important, and shares tips for giving employees what they need so that they're willing to be and do their best.
Are your employees giving your company 'their all?' Do they believe that what they're doing is important? Do they feel appreciated? Do they show up for work each day with passion and purpose?
A 'red flag' should go up if you answered "no" to any of those questions. Why? Managers who aren't taking care of their employees are missing out on significant cost-savings and profits.
I've been spreading the word about this for 15 years, but only recently have I been able to 'rest my case' on a growing body of research. For example:
Gallup International reported that businesses in the top 24% of employee engagement had less turnover and remarkably higher percentages of customer loyalty, profitability and revenues.
Extensive studies by HayGroup revealed powerful links between employee engagement and productivity, which ultimately impacts the bottom line.
Workplace values expert John Izzo has abundant proof that this 'generation' of employees is more conscious of their own needs and of their place in the world
For business leaders in companies of all sizes, the writing is on the wall: You can make and save money by keeping employees engaged. Coupled with The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which requires that businesses document internal controls relating to employee and customer satisfaction, it's never been more important for business leaders to stop dismissing internal customer care as 'soft and unimportant.'
Let's face it, employees are not just humans 'doing;' they're human beings. Today's managers must make it a priority to get to know them so that they, in turn, can provide whatever's needed to keep their teams fully engaged in what they do. This creates wins for everyone. With that in mind, here are nine management tips for creating and sustaining employee engagement:
Let go of any negative opinions you may have about your employees. Approach each of them as a source of unique knowledge with something valuable to contribute to the company. Remember that you are co-creating the achievement of a vision with them.
Make sure employees have everything they need to do their jobs. Remember when you started a new
school year and you'd prepare by getting all new school supplies? Why not build just such an opportunity into your department simply by asking each staff member, or the team as a whole, "Do you have everything you need to be as competent as you can be?" Remember, just as marketplace and customer needs change at daily, so do your employees' needs change.
Clearly communicate what's expected of employees - what the company values and vision are, and how the company defines success. Employees can’t perform well or be productive if they don't clearly know what it is they're there to do – and the part they play in the overall success of the company. Be sure to communicate your expectations - and to do it often.
Get to know your employees - especially their goals, their stressors, what excites them and how they each define 'success.' I'm not suggesting you pry too deeply or start 'counseling' your team members. What I am suggesting is that you show an interest in their well being and that, when appropriate, you do what it takes to enable them to feel more fulfilled and better balanced.
Make sure they are trained - and retrained - in problem solving and conflict resolution skills. These critical skills will help them interact better with you, their teammates, customers and suppliers. It's common sense - better communications reduce stress and increase positive outcomes.
Constantly ask how YOU are doing in your employees' eyes. I know it can be difficult for managers to request employee feedback - and it can be equally if not more challenging for an employee to give the person who evaluates them an honest response. To get strong at this skill and to model it for employees, begin dialogs with employees using conversation starters such as, "It's one of my goals to constantly improve myself as a manager. What would you like to see me do differently? What could I be doing to make your job easier?" Be sure to accept feedback graciously and to express appreciation.
Pay attention to company stories and rituals. Are people laughing at each other or with each other? Do they repeat stories of success of moments of shame? Stay away from participating in discussions that are destructive to people or the organization, and keep success stories alive.
Reward & recognize employees in ways that are meaningful to them (that's why getting to know your employees is so important). And remember to celebrate both accomplishments AND efforts to give employees working on long-term goals a boost.
Be consistent for the long haul. If you start an 'engagement initiative' and then drop it your efforts will backfire, creating employee estrangement. People are exhausted and exasperated from 'program du jour' initiatives that engage their passion and then fizzle out when the manager gets bored, fired or moved to another department. There's a connection between an employee's commitment to an initiative and a manager's commitment to supporting it. A manager's ongoing commitment to keeping people engaged, involved in and excited about the work they do and the challenges they face must be a daily priority.
Ultimately, you must keep in mind that employees are a company's greatest assets. Their collective ideas, feedback and enthusiasm for what they do can help your business grow and succeed. Some people are naturally wired to give their all and do their best no matter where they work. But the majority of people require the guidance of skilled managers who welcome their ideas, ask for feedback and generate enthusiasm in order to have a sense of purpose and energy about what they do.
JoAnna Brandi is Publisher of the Customer Care Coach® a weekly training program on mastering "The Art and Science of Exquisite Customer Care." She is the author of books such as "Winning at Customer Retention - 101 Ways to Keep 'em Happy, Keep 'em Loyal, and Keep 'em Coming Back" and "Building Customer Loyalty - 21 Essential Elements in ACTION."
A Speaker and consultant, she is publisher of the bi-weekly Customer Care Tips Bulletin. To receive her free bi-weekly tips bulletin, sign up at www.returnonhappiness.com. You can also reach JoAnna at 561-279-0027 or e-mail joanna@customercarecoach.com.
Copyright 2005 by JoAnna Brandi. Used with permission.
Easy, No fuss way to Save - submitted by Kim Cameron, CPIW, CLP - CA Council Communications Liaison
Congratulate yourself for surviving 2021. Give yourself a big pat on the back. But now it's time for us to tackle 2022.
Unfortunately we are hearing from more and more members that they are losing their employer's support and it is very difficult to pay the out of pocket expenses for IAIP dues, educational courses, travel expenses to Convention and Pop Up Shops. Well, here is a simple no fuss savings plan to help you save.
The 52 Week Savings Challenge is based on saving a specific dollar amount 52 weeks in a year.
Linked below you will find a spreadsheet that contains various tabs on how much many you can save based on $0.25, $0.50, $0.75, $1.00 and $2.00 increments per week.
https://www.internationalinsuranceprofessionals.org/resource/resmgr/bulk_emails/2022/Dues_Savings_Spreadsheet.xlsx
My personal favorite is the $2.00 increment a week savings. The challenge builds up slowly, starting with saving $2 the first week, with the largest amounts of money you have to save coming in mid year, and then gradually lessens again. So if you do start in January you don't feel a double pinch at the end of the year when you're both trying to save for the challenge and pay for the holidays.
The fun thing is you can start this at any time and still have a savings.
Are you ready to start SAVING some money and investing some well deserved YOU time to IAIP?
Respectfully Submitted,
Kim Cameron, CPIW, CLP
2020-2022 CA Council Communications Liaison
10 tips for creating budgets at nonprofit organizations
The annual budgeting process: a necessary evil exercise involving crunching numbers until you go cross-eyed to arrive at an estimated idea of how much money you will raise versus spend throughout the year — and, of course, which you hope your board will approve. For most organizations, developing a budget is a tedious and painstaking process that many leaders dread each year. However, considering the following strategies can help streamline the process, making it easier, more efficient and more accurate.
Here are some tips and tools to help ease the pain of building your next budget:
1) Use a template. Begin with a general template that defines your main revenue sources and contains basic expense line items such as personnel costs (salaries, benefits, bonus), office expenses (rent, utilities, copying, supplies), travel (airfare, hotel, meals), etc. You can build out the line items in greater detail as you continue to develop your budget, but starting with these will give you a good start.
2) Minimize your line items. Avoid adding too many line items or making them too specific. This can cause your budget to become overly complicated and lengthy, and it reduce the flexibility you have in allocating funds and costs throughout the year.
3) Budget by month. Use a format that allows you to budget your activity per month of your fiscal year, rather than on an overall annual basis. This allows you to track your monthly progress accurately and foresee any realignments that may be needed earlier, so you can reallocate funds or plan to raise more revenue if needed. Additionally, focusing on shorter time periods helps break down the specific activities that will occur per month and account for special events, one-time costs, etc.
4) Create an annual total. Include an overall annual column to roll each monthly estimate up to and budget on a year-to-date basis. Having the overall view along with the month-to-date view will allow you to measure progress against the overall goal as you move through the fiscal year.
5) Account for inflation. Use prior year results as an estimate to begin from. Be sure to account for inflation (roughly 3 percent) for the following year. When creating a multi-year budget, account for inflation on each line item, over each year.
6) Consider your fixed and necessary costs first. Start with fixed costs you know you will have regardless of activity level and that you need to cover such as rent, utilities, salaries and insurance and then build in the variable costs. Have a list of the “nice to haves” that you can add into your budget if you have projected funds left over after all the necessary expenses are covered.
7) Divide annual costs out by month. For line items that are easy to estimate on an annual basis and are relatively consistent, divide the annual amount by the number of months left in your fiscal year to arrive at your monthly amount.
8) Account for timing inconsistencies. Consider seasonality and timing of when revenue and expenses will come in and out, such as for events, annual appeal revenue drives, large gifts, etc. Make sure to understand the months that may have more revenue coming in or more expenses going out so you can plan to pay certain expenses when you have the cash or reserve enough cash to cover those expenses later.
9) Use prepopulated templates. Create tools such as general templates to help develop estimates for areas where revenue or expenses are consistent and repetitive such as travel or revenue proposals. For example, assign an average value for flights ($600), hotel stay per night ($250), per diem per day for food ($50), taxi/transportation ($50), etc., to quickly calculate trip costs throughout the year.
10) Calculate dependent line items from known costs. Use known values to budget for other related estimates, such as personnel costs. You can create a detailed personnel tab of your budget by listing each employee’s base salary for the year and calculating bonuses, benefits/taxes, etc., as a percentage of the known salary. A standard rule of thumb is to include a 3 to 5 percent bonus and benefits/tax costs at a rate of 25 to 30 percent of each employee’s salary.
Creating an organizational budget always takes time and lots of thought to develop, but hopefully these strategies can contribute to a more successful process for your group. Remember to involve key leadership from your organization to contribute the necessary details and accurate information to your budget.
Sample Budget - http://caciaip.org/chapter-resources#:~:text=Documents%20and%20Templates-,Sample%20Budget,-Social%20Media%20Page
TOP TIPS ON WRITING SUCCESSFUL AWARDS ENTRIES
It can be difficult and stressful to make an award entry perfect, but knowing the best way to write a successful entry will likely help make it to the shortlist. Let’s learn how to write an award entry to make it a success.
What are awards entries?
Writing a winning award entry is about making a compelling case to the judges and convincing them that you have the academic abilities to win. That takes time, evidence, style, and a winning angle, so let’s start there!
Writing problems and pitfalls
To help you with writing a smashing award entry that wins, we’ve collected together some common pitfalls, problems, and setbacks that are important to keep in mind when writing a winning award entry.
In order to draft an award-winning entry, you must begin months in advance—no less, no more.
Do not violate the deadlines.
Remember that awards writing deadlines have a habit of creeping up on those people who are entering.
Do not forget to create a credible awards scheme.
Develop rigorous entry criteria.
If you complete your entry process with care, there will not be any vital mistakes, which are so easy to make.
Create a winning plan for your awards entries to stick to and minimize the risks of failure.
Creating your winning award entry plan
When you plan your winning award entry, you should have a great PR plan as its basis. An award entry will then be much easier to write as you can simply borrow items from there.
Below you will find the five ways to improve your award entry efforts and start winning.
As usual, conduct thorough research.
Use SMART objectives.
Evaluate your award entry objectives.
Use support materials to highlight main points.
Include your budget.
Keep in mind that writing a good award entry always takes longer than you think it will!
How to write a winning awards entry
If you’re going to get the success you deserve, you should come up with a flawless award application. For this, you will need a few reasonable tips to help you get started:
Carefully read the awards criteria and questions.
Start with a straight-to-the-point, short summary.
Use award entry examples.
Avoid copy and pasting.
Don’t be afraid to revise what went wrong.
Eliminate the PR jargon, even if you use some items from your PR plan.
Avoid “show off” speeches.
Include some visual supporting evidence.
Don’t be sparse with the details.
Keep it brief.
Don’t ignore the word count.
After your winning awards entry is ready, take your time checking it for spelling and other typical mistakes while adjusting the format based on your awards plan. Follow the tips for writing successful awards entries to double check.
Tips on writing successful awards entries
Do you want to know how to write awards entries to impress and win? Here are a couple of working principles that will help you do just that.
#1 Give yourself enough time.
Take your time to approach the research and writing of an awards entry, taking into account your objectives and initial plan.
#2 Stay on topic.
It is sometimes hard to stay on topic and not blur your statements. Make sure you use short and clear expressions.
#3 Write offline.
You can easily write your material offline on iOS and Android apps, and your drafts will be saved locally to your device.
#4 Tell the truth.
There’s no need to be cunning and hide the truth from the jury. Be honest, and do not attempt to fool anyone.
#5 Quantify the results.
When you quantify something, you’re putting it in numbers. Quantifying is counting or expressing something in numbers. Your entry should have some well-calculated and real numbers if you want it to be taken seriously.
#6 Get your staff and co-workers involved.
One of the most important criteria for many companies is the ability to work as a team player. Writing an entry is a good opportunity to demonstrate this quality.
#7 Include the icing.
Don’t be too dry or formal; add a little spice or humor if you can.
#8 Read your submission aloud.
Re-read and double check the way your submission sounds to the public. Make it perfect.
#9 Do your research.
You cannot skip a thorough period of research on the subject of your entry. Decide what intention you have for your research, such as telling a good story, engaging the jury, etc.
#10 Use SMART objectives.
Help ensure that your awards objectives are more than just empty wishes by making sure they are SMART.
#11 Evaluate your objectives.
Make your results measurable, and identify indicators that will help you stay on track to achieving your awards goals. Don’t skip the evaluation stage after closing the project, as it helps to identify new areas of improvement and new revenue streams.
#12 Use support material to highlight.
Select what kind of material you plan to use: video, audio, quotes, testimonials, or interviews. It is very important to use numbers and diagrams to show the differences and changes you made. Apply templates and examples if you need additional visual support.
#13 Include your budget.
It would be best to draft a monthly budget to keep you on track. Budgeting for awards entry submissions will keep you motivated.
#14 Tell a great story.
Tell the story. A story has natural momentum to it. Use a good hook as your awards entry effective opener. Judges are human beings who inherently love stories, so they want to be a part of something great and valuable. Help them enter your story and help you keep telling it.
#15 Answer every question.
Even if you have thousands of questions asked on your entry agenda, be sure to answer them in the awards entry because that may impact your awards success.
#16 Stick to the word limit.
Consider 50 words as the lower boundary, with the word limit as the upper boundary. Basically, try to get to somewhere between 450–500 words for a 500-word-limit story.
#17 Focus on your message.
Here’s how to make sure your message is memorable. Make it clear and focused at the start of your entry.
#18 Use evidence to back up your claims.
Make sure your evidence does, in fact, support your argument or claims. It is important that you support your entry in order to sound more convincing and win.
#19 Read, proofread, and repeat.
Test your story out, and see how the story will sound in front of an audience. Your main goal is for it to be short, simple, and understandable. Use professional, in-depth proofreading services if you’re not sure you can handle this process by yourself.
article courtesy of: Judgify.com
8 Ways to Prioritize Your Professional Development
Making Time for Learning
Get into the habit of learning a little every day.
We all know the benefits of learning. But, we also know that learning takes time – often, time that we simply don't have.
It's hard to find space for learning around a daily commute, our everyday work, household chores, and, of course, precious time with friends and family.
But, when we ignore our professional development, we risk getting left behind. For example, we might miss out on opportunities for greater responsibility, or even get passed over for promotion.
In this article, we explain why dedicating time to learning is so important, and explore eight strategies for doing so, no matter how busy you are.
What Is Professional Development?
Professional development means taking positive steps toward improving your skills and knowledge. Taking ownership of your own development can help you to feel more empowered and confident in your abilities.
When you dedicate time to building up expertise , you'll be seen by your boss, colleagues and clients as someone who is able to make valuable, intelligent and insightful contributions. This will soon earn you a reputation as the "go to" person on the team who can "turn their hand" to anything. In addition, your newfound expert power will make it easier for you to win support for your projects, to negotiate contracts, and to respond to change.
You'll also find that your professional value goes up! If you have a long list of skills to your name, you'll be more marketable and you'll be in a better position to take on a challenging new project, or even a promotion.
Create a Professional Development Plan
One of the hardest things about learning a new skill is finding the time to do it. In fact, research has shown that many of us spend 72 hours a week working, leaving precious little spare time each day!
So, here are eight practical strategies that you can use to prioritize your professional development, even when you have a busy work schedule:
1. Focus on Objectives
If you can't see the benefit of something, you'll likely give up on it. After all, why bother, if it's not going to get you anywhere?
So, you'll need a strong sense of purpose when it comes to drawing up your learning objectives.
Start by listing the skills and knowledge that you most want to learn. Then, express these as SMART goals . When you've done this, break them down into long- and short-term goals that you can add to your daily To-Do List or Action Program .
Drawing up a clear plan of action will help you to organize your learning time more effectively, strengthen your self-discipline , and boost your motivation. It will also give you a way to measure your progress. And when you do this, you'll more clearly see the value of continuing with your professional development.
2. Manage Obstacles and Distractions
Next, identify possible obstacles that might make it difficult for you to stick to your learning schedule. Then, go through each obstacle and brainstorm strategies that will help you to overcome it.
For example, you might plan to commit some time to learning during your daily commute. But, as soon as you open your computer, you get distracted by a slew of emails – and, before you know it, you've forgotten all about learning.
So, commit yourself to reserving your commute time for learning only. And avoid opening your emails or looking at your daily To-Do List until you arrive at work. You could even write down this promise as a "contract" with yourself.
3. Make Learning a Habit
When you make learning a habit , you'll more likely make a positive, long-lasting change, and achieve the goals that you set yourself.
Do this by building learning into your daily routine. Schedule time – however little – each day for learning, and stick to it!
For example, you could get to work early on Mondays and Wednesdays to practice a new skill, or find a quiet area each lunchtime to study.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure that you do it routinely. Be clear on what you're going to do, where you're going to do it, and how long you're going to devote to it.
4. Set Boundaries
One of the biggest distractions is often other people. You might have set aside some time in your lunch break to read up on a new industry development or complete an online test, but other people may not realize this, so the work requests keep on coming.
It can be hard to say "no" when this happens. But doing so in an assertive way will help you to protect your valuable learning time. This doesn't mean you should be rude or inflexible. Instead, be friendly but firm. Explain to your colleague what you are trying to achieve, and ask that he or she respects your "time out."
Tip:
Of course, use your best judgment here. It would be unwise to ignore a genuinely urgent task that needs your attention. Be sure to prioritize what's most critical and return to your learning plan as soon as you can.
5. Make Every Minute Count
Many of us assume that learning something new requires large chunks of time. But short blocks can be just as effective… as long as you focus !
The key is to maximize the impact of every moment that you have available. Start by taking a look at your To-Do List. What could you realistically achieve in the time available?
Even if you have just 10 minutes to spare, grasp the opportunity! Use this time to fit in a bit of extra learning. Make sure that you focus your energy effectively. For instance, minimize distractions by going somewhere quiet, turn off your phone, and log out of your email.
Strategies such as speed reading , mind mapping , and making use of Bite-Sized Training resources can also help you to maximize every moment when you have limited time available.
6. Learn at Your Best
Many people opt to work on their professional development after they've completed everything else. But, however tempting this may be, think about how you feel when you've ticked off everything on your To-Do List – you're usually exhausted, right?
Instead, try to schedule your learning for times of the day when your energy levels are high and you're more likely to be "in the zone ." For example, you may feel a little slow straight after lunch, but you might be buzzing with energy in the morning.
7. Find Your Own Learning Style
We all have our own way of learning. Some people prefer to read and take notes. Others are more active – they learn by doing.
When you identify your own personal learning style , you'll be able to learn more efficiently and in the way that works best for you. Time spent slogging through a textbook, for example, would be time wasted if you find videos more engaging.
8. Collaborate With Others
Learning alongside others can often make the experience more fun and engaging. They can help you to stay motivated, and provide advice and support. If you have someone checking on your progress, it can also keep you focused on your main objectives.
Ask your colleagues whether they'd be interested in making more time for learning. If they are, why not form a study group, run a lunch and learn event, or simply spend some time reading and learning with them? You could even join a class or do an online course together.
Social media sites like LinkedIn and Twitter can also help you to find other professionals in your industry who are interested in learning, or who can offer training and advice.
You may also want to explore more specialized training activities. Some workplaces offer mentoring or shadowing programs, which enable you to structure your learning around a relationship with a knowledgeable partner. Alternatively, your employer may offer to fund training on a professional course, if it will benefit your role and the business.
Key Points
At a time when so many of us are time-poor, finding time for professional development can be a real struggle. But doing so has a number of benefits. It can help to enhance your professional value and build up your expertise, and it makes you more capable when you're faced with new challenges or given new responsibilities.
These eight strategies can help you to prioritize your professional development, even when you're busy:
Focus on objectives.
Manage obstacles and distractions.
Set boundaries.
Make learning a habit.
Make every minute count.
Learn at your best.
Find your own learning style.
Collaborate with others.
This post first appeared on FrankSonnenbergOnline © 2021 Frank Sonnenberg. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from FrankSonnenbergOnline.com is strictly prohibited.
