How employees V.I.s.H to be treated

It seems simple right?  Just Value your employees. Ensure they feel Inspired to work hard and contribute. Support their needs and take the time to Hear their concerns. Why then is it so hard to actually bring this to life in an organization? Why do so many employees report not feeling this way and link it to a KEY REASON why they quit?
During the development of my book Knowing Who You Lead- a business guide for leaders and teams I surveyed employees to learn more about what makes a great leader, why they leave organizations, and what they wish their leaders knew about them. It fundamentally came down to V.I.S.H. 

Let's start with an easy question. How would you answer it? 
What qualities do you most admire in an effective Supervisor/Coach?
Answers I received all centered around V.I.S.H- 

• Compassion, Respect, Integrity, Knowledge, Empathy, Trust, Authenticity, Humility
•  Effective communication skills, Effective listener
•  Transparent, Understanding, Fair, Flexible, Supportive, Approachable

Employees are hoping to have a leader that Values who they are. Their first request was for a leader to have the willingness to invest time into learning and Knowing Who You Lead. Each and every one of your employees brings unique skills, experiences, insights and ideas to their job. After all, that's likely why you hired them. Yet how many times do you tell them/show them that you Value their contributions?
Consider this- As a new employee, are they invited to meetings, involved in team huddles, given the chance to share their ideas? As a veteran employee, who's been with the organization longer, are they still celebrated, thanked for their work, credited publicly for their contributions, or asked to share their expertise? Too often, we forget to openly show our employees how much we Value them. We "assume" they know, or we just want them to do the job they are assigned to and only point out when they have made an error.  But employees are wanting more. Consider the responses to this question.
Does you supervisor provide you with regular feedback on your performance?

• Yes, it helps me to know I am appreciated
• Yes, they ask us how we think we did, and then also provide feedback and help set new goals
• Yes, a lot of praise, support and encouragement.
• No, performance management is unequal. If I make a mistake I get called out, if someone else makes one the boss expects me to fix it.
• No, rarely to me directly, but they tell other people about my work (good or bad)

What people really want is to be -seen, noticed, Valued, and appreciated. As leaders we need to think about how this can be brought to life in our Organizations.

The next focus is a tougher one. How do we Inspire others? Some leaders have commented that this is not their responsibility. After all, don't people need to strive for their own goals and chase their own dreams? But when it comes to employee retention, we need to figure out a way to Inspire them to work harder, invest their efforts in the company, and feel Inspired to support organizational success.
When asked- Why did you leave your last place of employment?- answers spoke of a lack of inspiration.

• They hired me because I am a problem solver, but they don't want to involve me in any new projects
• They like to keep things the same. They set the parameters. It's not very inspiring
• Their mission and vision said they are "innovative, collaborative, and inclusive"- I haven't seen them live these values... so I am not inspired to stay

My business Inspiring Organizational Growth addresses many of this concerns, and focuses on helping leaders and teams get to the root  of issues. Often it requires the need to first understand and examine how we operate as leaders, and how that IMPACTS others. Rarely does a leader set out to be "uninspiring"- it is more a result of not understanding what others need, desire, and want to be part of. If we take the time to learn this, then we also learn how to Inspire the growth we are all craving.

Everyone wants to be Supported, but we differ dramatically in how we want it done.
When asked- How can a supervisor support you?  the answers varied.

• Asks me "Do you need any help?"
• Open communication, provides emails with instructions
• Helps me in ways that are most beneficial to my learning
• Teaches me how to have courageous conversations, offers suggestions
• Is empathetic to my family situation and allows me to adjust my hours
• Understands my mental health struggles and doesn't judge
• Defends me when others try to knock me down or gossip
• They are willing to listen and help me process a tough case

The key element to each of the examples is that the supervisor learned how to adjust their approach in response to WHO they were dealing with. Knowing Who You Lead, how they learn, what struggles they have, skills they needs assistance with, and challenges they face helps leaders learn what Support can look like, sound like and what approach to take. 

Everyone wants to have a voice and feel Heard. Sometimes it will involve people wanting to share their ideas, concerns,  feedback, and suggestions. The critical component is- what happens next? Is the receiver of this information receptive, dismissive, or judgmental? Are they open, curious, and invested in learning more from the speaker?
When asked, Are you supervisors open to suggestions/feedback? -The answers ranged
From:

• The good leaders see self-improvement as a sign of good leadership
• Being able to give and take criticism and suggestions is a must
• They ask us for feedback
• They openly acknowledge if they don't know something and show appreciation for learning

To:

• More of a dictatorship- do as I say. Suggestions are unwanted
• I have never tried
• I had ones that were open to it and others that definitely were NOT
• I stay silent
• They saw suggestions as threats
• Tried to help but was turned down

We need to put effort and time into building ways people can feel safe to share, and also ensure they are being Heard. It's not enough to just ask "does anyone have any questions or suggestions" and then not actively consider them. Don't ask people to complete employee surveys and then not SHOW them how you have used their input. People need to feel Heard and appreciated.

My last question was even deeper and actually brought all four needs into focus. The need to be VALUED, INSPIRED, SUPPORTED, and HEARD. I offer this to you as a gift... insight from employees on what they V.I.S.H for. 

When asked- Is there anything you wish you could share about yourself with your supervisor/coach that would help them better understand how to work with you?-people responded with this-
•    Stop multitasking and just listen to what I am saying
•    Sometimes I need a sounding board for their trusted advice
•    When they are distracted, I feel less valued
•    The impact of workplace stress is real. I need to feel supported.
•    My mental health impacts my job, and I may need help with barriers
•    Past traumas, stress, home life all impact me. Being criticized by them only makes it worse
•  I did share. But now they just leave me alone and complain to others. Didn’t enhance our relationship

Now it is your turn. Take the time to think about how you can actively make a greater effort in these four areas. How can you help to ensure you are fulfilling your employees V.I.S.H for 2023?

• What are you currently doing?
• What could you do differently?
• Who you could you ask for feedback so you could learn about the IMPACT of your efforts?
• How can you improve employee experience for 2023?

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Carrie-Lynn Hotson is a College Professor, HR Specialist, Speaker, and Coach. She is the author of Knowing Who You Lead, and the owner/CEO of Inspiring Organizational Growth- an HR consulting business designed to help leaders and teams understand WHY issues occur. To learn more, visit her website www.inspiringorganizationalgrowth.com/