Managers are being advised not to be too hasty in making decisions without consideration for or consulting with their staff.
Furthermore, Productivity Council training officer Karen Collins said top management was sometimes guilty of being too concerned about the output in the organization while ignoring the needs of the workers to achieve it.
“Their focus should be more encompassing to have a handle on things. That is their job, to manage – that is why they are there. But building good relationships in the organization is always important,” she said.
“You can’t just focus on targets. You really have to look at building relationships with your staff at all levels and understand what impacts on them; what helps them to do their job better or what stops them from doing their job well,” said Collins.
She was speaking to BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY during a break in one of the organization’s general seminars at their new home on the third floor of the Baobab Tower, Warrens, last Thursday.
Collin said while each level of worker had his or her own challenges on a day-to-day basis, all employees where working to achieve the overall goal of the organization. For that reason, she said communication and information-sharing from top management to staff was very important.
“There should be that kind of culture where employees are more motivated and are always looking to do their best because of this idea of communication and information sharing.
“For example, you are ordering chemicals for the maid to use and you don’t go and ask the maid ‘what it is that you would prefer to use; this is your area, you are the expert here’.
“So you empower people. There are decisions they can make that will make them feel as though they are a part of the organization. It is very important to achieve what it is the organization is about; the mission and the vision,” explained Collins.
“Just talking to the staff and giving a simple explanation as to why something is missing this month or a change has been made, that is for internal customer-service relationships which then have a great impact on the relationship with external customers.
“If the employees are happy, they are able to greet the customer who comes in with a better approach.” (MM)
