Too often I see employers try to use compensation to manage employees when they have managers who aren’t good at providing feedback.
An employee is paid low in the base salary range. When the employee asks why they are paid low in the range, the manager doesn’t say it is because you have these two behaviors that need to improve.
· Examples: “You need to assume less and ask more questions. You need to delegate more to your team members and follow up to ensure that the work is done in a way that meets your expectations.”
· Instead, the manager says, “Let me talk to HR about that.”
Or the annual incentive plan (aka bonus) is meant to communicate which metrics are important without having all employee meetings that reinforce how the metrics align to strategic goals.
Or the individual employee performance component of the bonus is rated as low, but the manager doesn’t tell the employee what behavior they need to change. They blame the limited bonus budget they got from HR.
For a manager to give an employee honest feedback, they need to know how to assess performance and provide feedback. It is best if the manager and employee have a relationship where the manager demonstrates consistently that they care about the employee.
If an employee feels cared for, that they matter, and that they have been seen and heard, a manager can provide honest feedback. The employee will listen with a desire to learn and potentially change their behavior.
If managers treat employees like they are easily replaceable, the employees will know that. Your intention matters. A lot.
What does it take to feel needed as an employee? Tell me how my strengths are making a difference. Tell me how I am essential and indispensable to getting specific work done.
And don’t just say it once. Say it often with sincerity and authenticity. How often? Every week.
Tell your manager, your peers, and your employees what you appreciate if they do something well. Take the time to get to know them and demonstrate how you care. Then you can share the things they do that are getting in the way of exceptional performance.
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