Why bother with job satisfaction? Simply, it will bring you more profitability… oh and a bunch of other great things… find out more…

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Transcript of video:

My name is Nick Leighton and for the next few minutes you are exactly where you want to be.

This is originally recorded September 29, 2020 for Facebook Live - uncut and uncensored.

You and Your Team’s Relationships.

Today’s business owners have never been under so much pressure. Even as you navigate the evolving COVID-19 crisis—keeping your customers and teams safe and your businesses viable—expectations are sky-high. Shareholders are calling for foresight, bold strategies, agility, and resilience, while governments and communities increasingly expect businesses to support broader goals, such as sustainability and social justice.

To move forward, rather than stand paralyzed, crystal-clear prioritization will be key. There is one essential area where companies can create enormous social value: job satisfaction. Because of the connection between happiness at work and overall life satisfaction, improving your team’s happiness could make a big impact - and the one thing that I know as I speak to business owners every day - business owners WANT to make an impact. Oh, and it could also boost profitability and enhance your company’s health.

Relationships with management is the top factor in employees’ job satisfaction, which in turn is the second most important determinant of employees’ overall well-being. According to analysis by McKinsey & Company, only mental health is more important for overall life satisfaction.

Unfortunately, further research shows that most people find their managers to be far from ideal; for example, in a recent survey, 75 percent of survey participants said that the most stressful aspect of their job was their immediate boss. And those describing very bad and quite bad relationships with management reported substantially lower job satisfaction than those with very good and quite good relationships.

Good bosses = good performance

It stands to reason that management plays a crucial role in you team’s workplace happiness. The wealth of literature on what makes for a good workplace highlights two aspects that all managers directly control:

1 - good work organization—that is, providing workers with the context, guidance, tools, and autonomy to minimize frustration and make their jobs meaningful —and

2 - psychological safety, which is the absence of interpersonal fear as a driver of employee behavior. With burnout on the rise, and stress and anxiety a leading cause of ill health and absenteeism, the emotional health of workers becomes particularly important.

And there’s more. It starts as a good manager instills a sense of trust and confidence, with a clear set of attainable goals rooted in customer-centric thinking.

And then it goes further... In such an environment, frontline workers feel empowered and often receive positive feedback from customers and colleagues.

They are also more likely to raise issues when things do not go well. A safe and collaborative environment for joint problem solving generates innovation, a sense of achievement, and even higher levels of customer satisfaction.

With more loyal customers, lower absenteeism, and low staff turnover resulting in higher profitability, a manager may now be in a position to allocate more resources to their workers.

This is not just theory. Countless studies show the empirical link between employee satisfaction, customer loyalty, and profitability.

There four practices that have proven effective for business owners and managers to improve the workplace happiness of the people who report to them

Empathy, compassion, and vulnerability: A manager who genuinely cares about an employee’s well-being will get the most from them. Sincerely asking, “How are you doing today?” and showing empathy no matter the answer creates an opportunity for employees to raise issues and to feel safe when they do. And.. The best managers also open themselves up to others’ empathy and compassion and share their own emotions in response, which requires the willingness and ability to feel and show vulnerability.
Gratitude: Being thanked makes people feel valued. Celebrating small achievements helps people face larger challenges… the experience of celebrating small accomplishments sets up a positive dynamic where everyone wants to do better. Routinely, frequently, and generously thanking team members costs nothing and has enormous benefits.
Positivity: Giving positive feedback builds employee confidence and reinforces beneficial behaviors. Unconditional positive regard—the practice of validating feelings, withholding judgment, and offering support—bolsters motivation and fosters authenticity.
Awareness and self-care: Being a supportive and compassionate manager is easier for people who are themselves aware of and at peace with their own inner state of being. I’ll post a link to an article I wrote earlier this year in Forbes to help you understand awareness in greater detail.

Now it’s your turn. What do you do as a business leader to have a great relationship with your team?

Post here – I would love to know.

If you found just one nugget of advice or inspiration in this quick video useful, then please do me a small favor - like and share.

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My name is Nick Leighton and I wish you passion, profit, and happiness.

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