Whether you are new to managing a team or a long-time manager, tasks like performance reviews and regular check-ins might feel like something you just don’t have time for. After all, do they really make a difference? They do! These management tasks, although simple, are essential to building a high-performing team.
#1 – Employee PTO
Employee PTO can feel like you are paying your team to do nothing. PTO literally stands for “Paid Time Off.” You are paying your employees not to work. It’s more accurate to view PTO as an investment. After taking PTO, employees return to work with a refreshed mindset and increased productivity. When employees don’t take PTO, they are more prone to burnout. By making time for employee PTO and encouraging your team to take PTO, you increase employee retention and save the cost of having to recruit and train a replacement.
Additionally, prioritizing PTO shows your team that you care about them as individuals, including their work-life balance, not just the work. Why should this matter? Making sure your employees feel cared about on a personal level is a key factor in building trust and maintaining employee engagement.
Finally, if you don’t prioritize employee PTO, you may find yourself in a tough spot as you approach the end of the year. This is particularly true if your PTO policy is designed so that days expire at the end of the calendar year. Employees will want to use their balance, and you may find yourself struggling to find a way to approve time while being able to meet the needs of your business. By encouraging employees to use their PTO throughout the year, you are proactively avoiding this bottleneck.
#2 – Performance Development Conversations
Performance development conversations are an opportunity for employees to reflect on their achievements and challenges. When these conversations are pushed aside or only held annually, you are losing their potential value. During these conversations, employees bring to the table any challenges or lack of resources that they have been struggling with. You have an opportunity to fill those gaps and set them up to be more successful and productive with each conversation. Issues and challenges are happening to your team throughout the year. It’s up to you whether you choose to make yourself aware of them and take action on them or to let them fester.
Additionally, these conversations set a path for your employees to increase their contribution. This is key to maintaining employee motivation and engagement. Employees will see the ways they can help the overall goals of the organization and align their individual growth efforts accordingly.
#3 – Regular Check-ins
It’s not enough to just have a performance development conversation. Successful managers also have regular check-ins with their team. You are creating a channel for receiving and providing ongoing feedback. Some folks struggle to raise their hand and ask for help when something goes awry. Having regular check-ins removes this obstacle and allows you to get ahead of challenges more efficiently.
Additionally, regular check-ins give you an opportunity to get to know your team on a more personal level. Taking the time to get to know your employees, outside of just the work they accomplish, is essential in building a thriving team dynamic. We trust people more when we know they care about us as individuals. Taking time to build this relationship through regular check-ins builds trust in a team, which is essential to successfully deliver constructive criticism.
An HR Consultant Can Help Your Management Team Grow
It sounds easy! But like most things, this is easier said than done, especially when schedules get busy. It takes time and effort to build the habits of healthy people management. If you know the culture you want to have on your team, but you’re having trouble figuring out how to get there, Red Clover is here to help! Our team of experienced consultants can roadmap a path to developing your culture and can skill up your people managers in the right way to motivate teams. Contact us to learn more!
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