MGMT Of Human Resources Chapter 10: Building Positive Employee Relations

Actions

An employee's attitude directly correlates to their actions. If an employee has a poor attitude towards their company, their team, or their job, they are less likely to perform at expected levels. Disengaged employees are unmotivated and dissatisfied with their current job or job functions. They are more likely to show up late, leave work early, or put forth lackluster effort when completing their job functions. On the other hand, engaged employees are more likely to not only complete their job, but take extra steps to perform the job at the highest possible level. Employee actions directly impact their company's profitability and reputation. Therefore, employee engagement also directly impacts a company's bottom line and public perception.

Why is emotional intelligence important in companies experiencing international expansion and globalization?

Emotional intelligence allows companies to better navigate cultural differences and the complex ways in which other cultures express their emotions

________________ is the most effective form of communication to use when trying to resolve a conflict.

Face to face

Productivity is impacted by conflict! What is the best solution for resolving conflict that arises out of employee differences?

Good communication

_______________can spark interest and motivation in the short term, but often fall short of building any kind of long-term engagement.

Incentive programs

Wei manages a team of representatives at a call center. Recently, HR gave him a list of suggested engagement efforts he should begin implementing among his team. Why is it likely that these efforts will fail?

Managers can't shoulder all of the employee engagement responsibility

Who is responsible for driving employee engagement?

Managers, HR, and employees

Laurie was on the verge of tears after an argument with a coworker over interpreting the data in her employee engagement report. Before discussing the matter any further, she wisely followed this step in resolving conflict:

Take a step back

What tool, used to measure an individual's response to conflict situation, can be leveraged to manage workplace conflict?

Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument

If an employee plans to depart, one can gain information helpful to employee engagement by doing what?

conducting an exit interview

Organizations sometimes struggle with the employee engagement issues, because they look to___________ to shoulder the weight of the engagement efforts.

managers

The ________role in employee engagement includes helping workers understand their goals and how their goals align with the organization's mission and strategy.

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Benefits of Employee Engagement

1. Stronger financial performance 2. Lower employee turnover 3. Increased employee morale The benefits of employee engagement can manifest in a number of ways. One of the most obvious benefits of employee engagement is employee job satisfaction. If employees are more engaged, they are more satisfied with what they are doing and vice versa. Directly correlated to employee job satisfaction, is reduced turnover. People who are satisfied with their jobs are significantly less likely to search for another job than those that are unhappy. Reduced turnover helps companies save time and money by not having to spend as many resources on hiring and onboarding new employees. Productivity is another large benefit of employee engagement. People who are engaged and satisfied with their jobs are more likely to show up to work each and every day. Disengaged employees on the other hand, are more likely to call out from work as they do not feel a strong sense of loyalty to their company. Employees with high attendance perform their job functions with higher productivity, since they spend more time at work. And, you guessed it, higher productivity leads to higher profitability for the company. Engaged employees are also more likely to have positive relationships with clients and customers. Positive relationships help to retain customers and can lead to an increase in customer referrals, all of which help to improve profitability.

Measuring Employee Engagement (Interviews)

A common way to measure attributes of employee engagement is through one-on-ones and interviews. For example, exit interviews are a great way to gain honest insight into employee engagement and job satisfaction, or lack thereof. Exit interviews are commonly used by companies to determine how to improve employee engagement. While exit interviews can provide useful information, they are conducted after an employee decides to leave an organization. Other ways to gain information, prior to an employee deciding to leave the organization, is through one-on-ones or walking chats. These types of employee interactions are essentially miniature interviews where managers, or the human resource team, conduct a short and sweet conversation with an employee with the intention of building relationships and providing and gaining feedback. These in-person conversations help build rapport, and when they occur regularly, can help measure engagement and address any issues or concerns before they become a larger problem.

Happiness

A person's happiness also plays an important role in their overall engagement. When a person is happy at work, they are more productive and bring a positive attitude to the work environment, making it more enjoyable for everyone

Conflict

Any time individuals interact, there is potential for conflict. Conflict occurs when differing interests and ideas collide, creating tension. Conflict is a natural part of everyday life, especially in the workplace. With compensation, deadlines, clients, etc. on the line, it is normal for the workplace to add additional stress and pressure to the challenges of everyday life. Therefore, it is more likely people will encounter conflict at work. So if conflict is so common, how can we avoid its impact in the workplace? In reality, we can't. Conflict will always be around, oftentimes in varying levels. Some conflicts may have simple solutions, where others may be accompanied with drama and complex situations. To best understand how conflict impacts the workplace, it is important to explore sources of conflict. Each source will have a different impact on the workplace environment and require their own solution. Check out the information below to learn more about a variety of sources that create conflict.

Indivual employees

As we discussed earlier, employees also play a role in their engagement. While engagement is influenced by management and HR, at the end of the day, it is up to each employee to determine how they think and behave. Employees are responsible for their attitudes and how they approach situations. It is naive to think a "perfect job" exists. Ideally, people enjoy their jobs and are invested in their careers; however, even a dream job still has days that are more challenging than others. Engaged employees are able to take the good days with the bad, and make conscious efforts to stay invested in their work and their organization.

Giorgio tells his employee, Jean, that her product is not sufficient and that she needs to go back to her desk and make necessary changes. Jean's final product was not of poor quality. This makes her angry, resulting in workplace conflict that delayed the project. What was the cause of this workplace conflict?

Different communication styles

____________need to assume some responsibility, or other efforts will have a limited effect on overall employee engagement.

Individual employees

Which of the following is NOT an example of how a lack of engagement can impact the workplace?

Individual employees who do not feel a part of a team separate themselves from the group to focus on improving their personal performance

If a company is experiencing international expansion and finds itself dealing with other cultures, emotional intelligence helps because:

It allows companies to better navigate cultural differences and the complex ways in which other cultures express emotions

Sara and Coraline both need to meet with their manager, who works remote and is only in the office two days a week. Because the manager is so busy, she can only meet with Sara. This angers Coraline and she neglects to assist Sara, as she should, with a portion of her project. What was the cause of this workplace conflict?

Lack of Resources

Managers

Managers set the tone for an organization. In order to successfully drive engagement, managers need to lead by example and work with their teams to set realistic and measurable goals. Engagement initiatives start from the top and work their way down. An exemplary management team is one that is passionate about their company's mission and abides by all company policies and procedures. Consistency is essential to promoting engagement. Successful managers value honesty, show commitment to company policies and procedures, and refrain from biased behavior. Relationship building is another critical component of promoting engagement. The more a manager knows and respects their team, the more likely they are to gain the buy-in of their team members. Managers, especially at a direct level, have the greatest impact on employee engagement. Whether they have a positive or negative effect on engagement, depends on the environment they create.

Using engagement data

Measuring engagement does not stop here. Collecting the data is important, but equally as important is actually doing something with the information collected. First and foremost, a company should review the data, analyze the information, and look for patterns and trends. After exploring all the information, the company needs to determine how they want to use the information to make improvements. One strategy is to hone in on a few key themes and create an action plan to effectively change and improve any large areas of opportunities identified during the data review process. Taking the time to collect the data, but not taking the time to do something with the data, is a waste of time and resources.

Micah is working on a project with three of his coworkers. They meet regularly to discuss goals, work assignments, and progress. Judy, one of the four members of the team, has only attended a handful of the meetings and often misses project deadlines. Micah is always short with Judy and keeps reassigning her parts of the project to the other two team members. Which of the following caused this workplace conflict?

Poor performance

Components of Employee Engagement

Prior to measuring employee engagement, it is important to understand the components that work together to determine it. In the last section, we discussed the key players in engagement. There are measurable attributes each of these players can use to determine engagement.

What measurement tool is designed to take a quick snapshot of the organization's employee engagement level by asking questions to measure employee engagement and satisfaction?

Pulse Surveys

pulse surveys

Pulse surveys are another quick and easy way to gather data on employee engagement. Pulse surveys are designed to take a quick pulse of the organization by asking a small number of questions to measure engagement and job satisfaction. These surveys should be quick and easy to complete and widely distributed throughout the organization. Pulse surveys can be effective but impersonal at times. Collecting data and feedback is most effective when multiple forms of data collection are utilized (for example, using pulse surveys and walking chats). An employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) is another survey that some companies use to determine engagement. To determine the eNPS, employers need to ask a simple question: would you recommend working for your company or using the product/services they provide? Some companies argue that the answer to this question is the biggest indicator as to whether or not their employees are engaged. Other companies believe that the information is good to have, but do not believe it is a strong indicator of true engagement.

Take Ownership

Realistically, an individual will not be in the right in every conflict. Taking ownership for misunderstandings and shortcomings and using conflict resolution as an opportunity to learn from mistakes is an important tool. Being able to acknowledge how an individual could have handled things differently is important to strengthening relationships and personal growth. Finally, it is important to take active steps to learn from the conflict. Determine what could have been done differently to avoid the conflict and find teachable moments that can be used to avoid future conflicts.

Relationships

Relationships, for example, are a key component of engagement. This includes relationships between managers and employees as well as relationships between coworkers. The amount of feedback and recognition given at work is another measurable indicator of employee engagement. Feedback and recognition are both strong forms of communication. Feedback provides valuable information to an employee so they know what they should continue doing and what they need to improve upon. Recognition is a great way to praise an employee for doing their job well and motivate them to continue to perform at a high level. When an employee feels valued, they are more likely to be actively engaged at work.

Human Resources

The Human Resources team plays an important role in helping to develop company culture, which includes employee engagement. HR can drive engagement initiatives, promote engagement through training opportunities, and utilize feedback from employees to initiate and drive change. Even more importantly, HR is the first line of defense against employee disengagement. The recruitment and hiring process plays a significant role in employee engagement. Hiring the right person for the right job is essential in establishing an engaged culture. A poor hiring choice can negatively impact an entire team. On the other hand, a great hiring decision can play a positive role in spreading engagement.

Where is the disconnect for most companies failing in the area of employee engagement?

The competition between engagement and results

It is important to understand that employee engagement is a long game, not a short game. Engagement cannot be established overnight and cannot be developed as a quick and easy company initiative. As we have discussed in this module, there are

a large number of components that contribute to engagement and it is important to carefully foster each one in order to see desirable results.

There are many components and nuances in employee engagement. From an employee standpoint, engagement can be broken down into two main factors:

attitudes and actions

What can one do to discover helpful information regarding employee engagement and culture where an exiting employee is concerned?

conducting an exit interview

Juan's awareness of his emotions and the emotions of others, and how well he is able to express, control and read emotions, is called:

emotional intelligence

What is a workplace methodology focused on fostering an inclusive and nurturing environment that motivates employees to put forth their best efforts every day?

employee engagement

The most effective form of communication for avoiding (or solving) workplace conflict is:

face-to-face communication

A big factor in how an employee offers any kind of valuable engagement feedback hinges on:

his or her happiness or well-being

The practice of hiring the right individual is one way that ____________ drives employee engagement.

human resources

Employees with a high level of engagement are more likely to show up to work everyday which:

increases their productivity

TKI Model

is a great tool because it helps to promote one-on-one and group conversations around conflict and conflict resolution. It aids organizations in understanding how conflict resolution impacts both interpersonal dynamics as well as team dynamics. Understanding how conflict resolution impacts both the individual and the group will help people determine the best resolution strategy for the betterment of the team.

Emotional Intelligence (EI)

is a person's awareness of their emotions and the emotions of others, and how well they are able to control, express, and read them. People who are emotionally intelligent are able to control their interpersonal relationships with thoughtful consideration and rational insights. a form of social intelligence that emphasizes the abilities to manage, recognize, and understand emotions and use emotions to guide appropriate thought and action Emotional intelligence is not simply whether or not someone is emotional, but rather how well they handle their interpersonal skills and the emotions of others. Emotional intelligence is extremely important in the workplace to reduce conflict and create a more stable and effective workplace environment.

Some organizations don't have an effective employee engagement program, and that is because it's not practical to put all the weight of employee engagement on:

managers

In addition, Fotsch and Case argue that many companies place too much pressure

on managers, holding them solely responsible for engagement. While it is accurate to say that managers directly impact employee engagement, it is not practical to put the weight of engagement all on their shoulders. Instead, it is important to consider policies and procedures in place that may need to be altered in order to more efficiently run daily tasks and processes. Many managers fail to paint a bigger picture for their team, which can scramble overall team goals and objectives, creating a confusing working environment, and having a negative impact on engagement.

If managers wish to measure their employees' engagement, they can schedule short, face-to-face meetings called ______________ with each of their employees.

one on ones

An employee with strong emotional intelligence is more likely to make:

rational decisions

An emotional response to conflict is normal. When one is in the middle of a conflict and having an emotional response, one should:

take a step back

When addressing and resolving a conflict, it is important to focus on ___________not the individual's personality.

the behavior

______________________________________________ affects how he or she responds when solicited for employee engagement feedback

An employee's overall happiness and wellbeing

What is employee engagement?

At its surface, employee engagement is a workplace methodology focused on fostering an inclusive and nurturing environment that motivates each employee to put forth their best effort every day. Employee engagement needs to be a team effort between the employee and the employer in order to be effective. Employees are responsible for their personal actions and attitudes; however, employers play a huge role in cultivating a pleasant and welcoming environment in the workplace. Employee engagement is not something that can be built overnight. Engagement is a continuous process that needs to be a conscious part of a company's daily operations in order to yield effective results.

Take a step back

Conflict is oftentimes accompanied by emotions. This is a normal reaction in many situations, however, it can create additional conflict when people let their emotions take control. Before addressing the conflict, take a moment to address any emotional reactions you are experiencing. Addressing your emotions in private before addressing the conflict with others is an effective way to approach the issue from a more objective standpoint. It also allows you time to address any anger or frustration before meeting with your coworkers or supervisors, which will help you to maintain a professional demeanor.

Health and Wellbeing

Employee health and wellbeing, both physical and mental, also influences their engagement at work. Employees who feel challenged and supported to advance in their career field are more likely to perform well and embody the company brand in all they do. All of these things influence an employee's engagement as well as their overall job satisfaction. Employees who are highly engaged and satisfied with their jobs are less likely to seek out new employment opportunities, even for greater pay. They say you can't buy happiness, and employees who are truly happy with their careers understand this and choose to stay because of it.

Attiudes

The attitudes of employees include both their thoughts and their feelings. What does an employee think about their job? Do they understand their job functions and feel supported in their role? Do employees feel valued as a member of the team, or do they feel secluded and unsupported? It is impossible to precisely gauge employee attitudes; however, the way employees think and feel has a significant impact on the workplace and employee engagement. Employees who feel trusted and supported, and believe their job performance is valued, will perform better and exert more energy to go above and beyond.

Focus on Effective Communication

The way in which you communicate through a conflict will greatly influence the outcome. Communicating face-to-face is important to ensure clear communication. Trying to address conflict via email, or even through a phone conversation, leaves room for misinterpretation. Tone and inflection are extremely hard to decipher through text, and can be misconstrued as rude or snarky. Meeting face-to-face allows everyone involved in the conflict to clearly communicate their viewpoints and frustrations. It may also be a good idea to get the opinion of a third party before addressing the issue (with the exception of conflict with sensitive or personal information that should not be shared). This will provide fresh perspective and help you see the conflict from a different angle.

If companies could harness this competitive spirit, instill it in the workplace, and work with their teams towards greater profitability,

they would inevitably improve employee engagement.

Employees who understand the organization's strategy and feel like they have a purpose are likely to be:

more satisfied and less likely to quit

The HR Today article also discusses the research of Jacob Morgan, author of Employee Experience Advantage, which found that,

"companies that invest in employee experience are four times as profitable as those that don't and have more than two times the average revenue

Employee Differences

Even if you work in the same field as your coworkers, chances are each of you are very different from one another. Everyone views their world through a different lens which influences their values and outlook. Your values may not align with your coworkers, and while that is expected, it can also lead to workplace conflict. If there is a lack of understanding or a lack of acceptance for your coworkers' differing views and values, conflict is likely to arise and create tension among coworkers. Employees are also likely to have differing interests. If an employee is more focused on their personal interests as opposed to the interests of the team, conflict is inevitable. While it is important to foster your own goals, it should not be at the detriment of the team. Personality differences may also create conflict. People approach problem-solving and the workplace differently, which can create conflict if coworkers do not understand one another. Even if a person acts with good intentions, it may not be perceived that way by others they work with. Communication is the best way to avoid conflict from personality differences, but can create other challenges when incorporating multiple communication styles.

Communication

Everyone has different communication styles and they may not always mix well. Someone with a direct communication style may come off as rude or abrasive to someone with a more indirect communication style. Even if the direct individual had no intentions of being rude, their communication style may present them in that way. Additionally, the direct individual may feel like the more indirect communicator is wasting time with unnecessary details. However, each communicator understands the other's communication style, and makes allowances for personal differences, there is less likely to be conflict. Understanding how your coworkers and supervisors communicate is extremely helpful in navigating your workplace. Poor communication can also create conflict in the workplace. If important tasks and information are not communicated properly, it can create confusion, extra work, and frustration. If someone gets only part of the message, or gets varying versions of the same message, they are more likely to get frustrated and involved in workplace conflict. Poor communication can have a detrimental impact on an organization if it is not addressed.

Find the Cause of the Conflict

When dealing with conflict, it is more important to understand the root of the problem than to focus on who is in the right. Instead of looking for a person to blame for the conflict, focus on the central cause of the disagreement. Addressing the root cause of the issue will not only help fix the current conflict but can also help to prevent future problems. It is important to focus on the behavior, not the individual's personality. Blaming a person's personality can create additional conflict. Focusing on behaviors and actions is a more constructive way to approach a conflict and is something an individual is capable of changing. It is not realistic or helpful to focus on personality traits and emotions that cannot be changed.

Lack of Resources and Poor Management

When resources are scarce, people are more likely to get confrontational and competitive about the limited resources available. Fighting for time and resources will most likely always lead to some sort of workplace conflict. A company can help in this scenario to avoid creating conflict by ensuring their employees have the resources they need to be successful and complete their job functions. If there is an underperformer on the team, it can be frustrating for everyone. Poor performers do not contribute to the success of the team and, equally as concerning, they can even create additional work for their coworkers. Underperformers who take advantage of their team members and their work efforts, are going to draw negative attention and conflict.

It is evident that employee engagement is

a vital component to increasing company profitability

From the employee point of view, employee engagement can be broken down into two factors:

attitudes and actions

Organizations sometimes look to ____________________ to spark interest and motivation, but they often help with short term goals and don't move the dial at all on long-term employee engagement.

incentive programs

According to Gallup's Business Journal, unless these people assume some responsibility, other efforts will have a limited effect on overall employee engagement:

individual employees

Incentive programs are also common practice at many companies. While incentive programs and competitions are great ways to spark

interest and motivation, they oftentimes fizzle out. More times than not, incentive programs are short lived and lose their gusto sooner rather than later. Incentive programs are great for reaching short term goals but fail to improve long-term objectives, like engagement. Finally, engagement initiatives may fail because they are not properly vetted or supported. Having a pulse on the company and understanding the shortcomings of current company operations is essential to implementing an effective engagement plan.

employee engagement is determined by

managers and employees alike

Four Levels of Emotional Intelligence

perceiving emotions, reasoning with emotions, understanding emotions, and managing emotions. Perception, reason, understanding, and management are all important skills that need to be considered when determining emotional intelligence. Being able to navigate these four levels is indicative of a person with high emotional intelligence. Oftentimes people think of intelligence and emotion as mutually exclusive skills; however, emotional intelligence is an extremely important form of intelligence that determines a person's interpersonal skills, ability to work well with others, problem solve, and build relationships. Each of these skills are extremely effective and valuable in the workplace and help to foster a productive and engaged work environment.

The four levels included in emotional intelligence are:

perceiving emotions, understanding emotions, reasoning with emotions and managing emotions