GET YOUR EMPLOYEES TO THRIVE

You may be doing everything you can to create a positive working environment for your team but chances are, at some point, you will deal with an unhappy employee. Turning unhappy employees into happy employees can take a concerted effort, but sometimes, the hardest part is simply just recognising that your employees are unhappy!

So let’s start with happy employees. Here are some characteristics that suggest your employees are happy.

They show up on time and don’t take lots of unplanned leave They go the extra mile with a smile They are friendly to other employees and customers They are productive and deliver on promises They give feedback and suggestions They focus on the team result. Everyone has their off days, and most happy employees will own up to those. If you are trying to identify unhappy employees, here are a few characteristics that suggest an employee is unhappy. They show consistent patterns of negative behaviour They often turn up late, watch the clock or leave early They take unplanned leave, especially when there are deadlines looming They may start to show a poor attitude – with lots of eye rolling, sighing or avoiding tasks “That’s not my job” is a common complaint They may start to retreat and avoid socialising with other employees, or worse still, start toxic sub groups. Pulling others into secret huddles to complain and gossip They may behave less professionally with colleagues and customers Their productivity starts to decline. They don’t offer productive feedback or take any proactive measures to resolve issues themselves.

If your employee is showing some of these characteristics, it’s time to have a chat. Rather than try to guess

what’s causing the problem, it’s best to face it head on and ask outright. It may be that your team member is struggling with something in their personal life and hasn’t realised they are acting differently at work. Highlighting their behaviour in a caring way may help them to take action or seek help to resolve the issue.

Equally, their unhappiness may have started with a small issue at work that they have let fester over time,

but can actually be resolved easily once out in the open. Employees can often feel disgruntled if they think their contribution was not noticed, they were passed over for a promotion or a pay rise, or they perceive that they have not been treated as well as others. Having an open conversation can give you an opportunity to explain why particular decisions were made or actions taken.

Most people will be more understanding once they know

the facts in a situation and focus less on their emotions. Knowing their feelings will help you to understand more about your employee’s goals and motivation so that you can help them find their passion, and bring out the best in them. No one wants to be unhappy at work, but a grudge or grievance can cause people to lose sight of anything positive and let emotions rule their actions.

To bring out the best in your people, foster an environment of trust, where everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas, opinions and feedback. Let go of control and let your employees rise to challenges, and let them make mistakes so they can stretch their own limits. Give them a chance to identify their own learning opportunities and explore areas of interest. If they want to take on more, give regular and honest feedback so that they learn. Sometimes an employee will think they are ready for a bigger role, but once given the opportunity to “An honest and transparent conversation will help to work that out either way, and give you crucial information for the recruitment process.”

do some of it, will realise they are not ready. Others will of course thrive on the challenge and give you their all to succeed.

Occasionally, it’s simply time for an individual to move on to a new role or company, but an honest and transparent conversation will help to work that out either way, and give you crucial information for the recruitment process. In most cases, it will lead to renewed enthusiasm and engagement, which is a win/win for everyone.