Communication is one of the most important skills for leaders, yet the now-common hybrid office model has created a challenge to creating an engaged and empowered workforce. Perhaps this is because studies show that communication is 7% words and 93% body language, tone of voice and emotional energy, all of which cannot be read as accurately if not in person.
To help you overcome common miscommunication barriers, here are seven ways to engage and empower your workforce:
1) Design a hybrid work environment.
The hybrid work environment isn’t going away. The companies that are benefiting from this work environment have found success when they engage and empower their talented teams to make the decision on which days to be in the office. Most companies have found that Tuesday through Thursday works best for all people to meet in person, so this time in the office is valuable.
2) Create alignment with your vision,values and goals.
To empower and engage your talent in the vision, values and goals, start with a S.W.O.T. analysis that allows your talent to give their opinion on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of your company. Share with your talent your appreciation for their honesty and how you used their input. Next, promote your vision, values and goals often by creating communication tools that reiterate them frequently, like having them posted on your intranet site, on top of your meeting agendas, a project dashboard that shows how activities roll up to meet the vision, values and goals; and a wall dedicated to this in your office.
3) Train your talent on how to communicate effectively.
Since much of our communication is done by email, it is important to train your talent on email best practices and when to use other methods of communication. Emails are great for sending information back and forth and coordinating logistics. However, emails are not effective for engaging in sensitive topics or conflict resolution. If emails should take a turn in this matter, it is best to train and empower your employees on how to request a phone, Zoom or in-person meeting.
4) Use meeting agendas to create collaboration.
In general, people do not look forward to meetings. This is because many meetings are not engaging and empowering. Effective meetings need to have a clear agenda, a problem-solving question to address, two-way communication for engagement and a final decision that empowers your talent with a plan of action. If you are having meetings with one-way conversations or ones that don’t end in a plan of action, stop them right now. That information can be sent out by email.
5) Align your talent to the goals.
Beyond one’s job description, it is important for your talent to understand how they fit in to add value to your vision, values and goals. This means asking them how they see their skills positively affecting the outcome. When we engage our talent on how they see themselves adding value, we unlock a sense of empowerment and engagement that can increase productivity up to 74%, according to a McKinsey & Co. study.
6) Project management dashboard.
Once you have effectively aligned your talent to the goals, it is important to keep them empowered and engaged with a project management tool. Having a digital dashboard that shows who is doing what and by when creates an empowered and engaged workforce. It not only acts as a communication tool to show the progress to the vision, values and goals, it is a great way to hold people accountable to the promises made.
7) Scorecard to celebrate and correct.
Scorecards are now a common monthly practice rather than waiting to do an annual performance review. Monthly scorecards keep leaders and their talent in sync and indicate where leadership coaching is required. Use the scorecard to highlight the key aspects of your talent’s job description, their teamwork/communication skills and their added value to the key initiatives. Celebrate their success and create action steps for focus and improvement for the next 30 days.
