In the wake of the pandemic, the world’s view on work has evolved, to say the least. Workers demand far more than a paycheck. They want strong compensation, flexibility and a voice. To attract and retain top talent leaders must double down on culture. At Brabo Payroll, there are a few things that we ask of our leaders that our team seems to appreciate.
Core Values
Too often they are mentioned in an email or a handbook and forgotten about thereafter. Consider getting a peer-to-peer recognition system that allows you to enter your core values. Some companies name each of their office rooms or locations after a core value. We feel that four to five core values are plenty, as companies with more, often cannot name them without looking them up.
Peer Leadership
Lead from the middle. Consider vacating your office for a desk on the floor with your team. It is important to stay close to the process by handling some of the work of the people that report for a few reasons. One is esprit de corps by showing that you are not above the work. Another reason would be to ensure the process you ask to be followed is efficient and palatable. Hopping in and rolling up your sleeves sends a message to everyone around you and ensures that you have a pulse on the process.
Feedback
Provide regular feedback. Let good feedback stay good by avoiding pairing it with an area that could be better whenever possible. An example would be “You had a great week this week, now if we could get the other weeks to improve you would really be great.” This is a backhanded compliment that takes away from the compliment. The more frequently you give feedback the less threatening constructive feedback can be for good team members.
Learn And Grow
Finally, the last big secret of leadership is learning. Depending on the size of your organization you may not have other leaders to look to or learn from. You must seek out growth opportunities through other channels like books, classes, podcasts, etc. The number one area we have learned from has been reaching out to leaders in other organizations to get their best practices and thoughts on challenges we may be addressing.
By incorporating the above principles, you will see a positive change in your team and organization.
Kevin Hennessey is Chief Executive Officer of Brabo Payroll located at 65 Cordage Park Circle in Plymouth. For more information, visit https://plymouthpayroll.com, email service@brabopayroll.com or call 508-356-8266.
