Resources

Judging from the comments and discussions around this series, worker satisfaction is a relevant issue for us all. 

The goal is to generate these discussions so that we can each take away a bit of knowledge or insight into creating a happier workplace.  Whether you are an employee or employer, I appreciate and encourage your comments.

This post will share with you a Gallup survey that was designed to measure employee engagement called the Gallup Q12 index.  Researchers have found that there were 12 key expectations that form the foundation of strong feelings of engagement.  You can find this survey on-line.

The gallup organization has created from this survey an engagement index which slots people into one of three categories.

 

Engaged employees work with passion and feel a profound connection to their company.  They drive innovation and move the organization forward

Not-Engaged employeeds are essentially ‘checked out.’   They are sleepwalking through their workday.  They are putting in time, but not enough energy or passion into their work.

Actively Disengaged employees aren’t just unhappy at work; they’re busy acting out their unhappiness.  Every day, these workers undermine what their engaged c0-workers accomplish.

Ask yourself the following?  Are you engaged?  Are your workers engaged? 

1.  Do you know what is expected of you at work?

2. Do you have the materials and equipment to do your work right?

3. At work, do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?

4. In the last seven days, have you received recognition or praise for doing good work?

5. Does your supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about you as a person?

6. Is there someone at work who encourages your development?

7. At work, do your opinions seem to count?

8. Does the mission/purpose of your company make you feel your job is important?

9. Are your associates (fellow employees) committed to doing quality work?

10. Do you have a best friend at work?

11. In the last six months, has someone at work talked to you about your progress?

12. In the last year, have you had opportunities to learn and grow.

Isn’t is funny, people are looking for respect, acknowledgement, the ability to do their job without barriers or conflict and learning opportunites. 

The example company for this series is Bellamy Homes in Kelowna.  The reason that we are looking at Bellamy Homes is because, they are doing something right.  It is an example of a company who has found a balance of productivity and worker satisfaction.

His trades appreciate him for some very simple systems that he has implemented.  By establishing a set construction schedule at project start, they know when to be on site, how much time they have and that the site will be prepared for their arrival.  The site will be clean, there will no other trades working in their area, the materials will be on site and they can do what they do best.  It is evident at Bellamy’s job sites that the workers are committed to doing quality work.

 As the site safety manager, I get to visit with the crews.  They appreciate that someone cares enough about their well being to provide hearing protection and safety glasses, a first aid kit, an emergency plan.

  When workers know that someone cares about them as a person, they work with passion and feel a strong connection to the company.