Making the Best of Your Employees
For years, companies have focused on maximizing productivity, aiming to get the most out of their employees. However, modern workplaces call for a shift towards unleashing the full potential of employees by making the best of them. Here are 10 practices, inspired by leading companies like Ipsen, Baxter, and Hologic, that show how to achieve this:
1. Personalize Organizational Principles
Instead of using generic statements, tailor principles that start with “I” or “We,” helping employees connect personally to the values of the company. This encourages them to internalize these values and take greater ownership of their work.
2. Align Employees with Strategic Objectives
Give employees visibility into the organization's strategic goals and clearly show how their work contributes to achieving these objectives. When employees understand their impact, they feel a deeper sense of purpose and commitment.
3. Design Systems for Continuous Improvement
Build processes that allow employees to not only perform their best but also contribute to the ongoing improvement of those processes. Engaging employees in refining their own workflows, as seen in successful companies, enhances efficiency and morale. If you have a system that drives a behavior of "passing on" problems rather than stopping and taking action, ask yourself why. Identifying and addressing the root cause of such behaviors is crucial for fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
4. Empower and Develop Your Workforce
Develop training programs that are fun, engaging, and closely linked to employees' daily tasks. This approach ensures that learning is practical, boosting both personal growth and organizational performance. A great example is the Ipsen Dublin team, recent winners of the Shingo Prize, where each team member during the award ceremony, showcased their unique connection to the Shingo Model and the organization's success, highlighting the power of empowerment that lead the organization to receive the Shingo Prize.
5. Prioritize Well-Being
Focus on employee well-being with initiatives like Hologic’s “Moral Tracker,” where employees report their emotional state daily. This allows teams to support each other and creates a culture of care and psychological safety, leading to a more engaged and resilient workforce.
6. Foster Psychological Safety
Cultivate an environment where employees feel safe to share ideas, voice concerns, and make mistakes without fear of negative consequences. Encouraging open dialogue helps drive innovation and continuous learning, essential for long-term success.
7. Recognize Performance and Contributions
Recognize employees not just for their output but also for positive behaviors. Hologic’s meal voucher system allows colleagues to celebrate each other’s alignment with company principles, fostering a culture of appreciation and reinforcing core values.
8. Encourage Cross-Functional Collaboration
Promote teamwork across departments to break down silos. This allows employees to learn from each other, gain new perspectives, and contribute more holistically to the organization's success.
9. Create Relatable Employee-Driven Initiatives
Allow employees to name programs or initiatives to increase their sense of ownership. For instance, at Hologic Manchester, the Obeya room is named "The Haçienda" as a result of employees' competition (An iconic nightclub that was central to Manchester’s music and cultural scene in the 1980s and early 1990s) and the “AIM” (All Ideas Matter) program encourage innovation and camaraderie by giving employees a personal stake in success.
10. Offer Flexible Work Arrangements
Providing flexibility in how, where, and when employees work enhances work-life balance and well-being. Whether through remote work or flexible schedules, such arrangements support employees' personal lives while driving productivity.
By shifting the focus from simply getting the most out of employees to enabling them to bring their best selves to work, organizations foster a culture of engagement, continuous improvement, and long-term success. The result is not just better performance but a more motivated and fulfilled workforce.
Lean Management vs. Traditional Management
The functions of a manager in a lean manufacturing environment differ from those in a traditional management structure in some ways, but not in others. It’s crucial to understand these differences, especially in managing people and processes. In lean manufacturing, production is driven by actual customer demand, pulling products through the system to meet customer needs quickly. Conversely, traditional manufacturing relies on producing goods based on sales forecasts, pushing products into the market in hopes of selling them.
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