Any concern that raises employees’ anxiety levels or affects their ability to concentrate will influence their productivity. As an HR manager, you should assess whether these ten concerns are affecting employees in your workplace. Discussing these issues with other managers will help you address them appropriately so your team can work as effectively as possible.
How can you find out employees’ concerns?
Surveying your employees is a great way to take the pulse of a department or organization. It will help you assess whether they experience any of these concerns (or others). A five-minute survey can give you hard data that allows you to make strategic decisions about how to improve!
Top 10 employee concerns
Rapport with their manager
Employees who trust their manager will know they can always clarify concerns as soon as they arise, rather than wasting valuable time by delaying the conversation. A good manager works to establish strong relationships with all their employees, inviting them to share questions, concerns, and feedback.
Access to quiet workspaces
If the workplace feels too busy, employees will struggle to focus on their work. Keeping noise down is essential, and offering additional workspace options that employees can utilize will ensure they always have a quiet retreat to escape to. If they work remotely, they may struggle with staying focused and self-motivated. Talking with them about how they can set up an optimal home workspace can help them navigate the transition.
A sense of overwhelm
Forty percent of employees experience job-related fatigue, which affects productivity. When employees have too much on their plate, they may feel a sense of panic, knowing they can’t possibly meet their deadlines. Worrying about how they’ll get their work done distracts them from actually doing the work. By setting more reasonable deadlines, you can help them work as efficiently as possible.
Workflow structure
Having a clear structure allows employees to effectively prioritize. The workflow process for every project should be clearly defined, outlining all the project stages that the team will carry out. Each employee should receive guidance from their manager on how to structure and prioritize their own work, too. That way, no one is left guessing at what they’re supposed to be doing, which takes time away from doing the actual work.
Ability to do work they enjoy
While employees don’t need to love every task they carry out, they should generally have the ability to do work they enjoy. When they look forward to coming back to their desk, they’ll feel more energized to get more done.
Feedback from managers
Receiving regular feedback from managers with clear details about what they’re doing well and how they need to improve will keep employees engaged. This feedback will help them stay focused on pushing their limits so that they don’t get bored with their job.
Perception of fairness
If employees know that they’re being paid less for the same work as another person even though they have comparable skill levels, morale will plummet. The same holds true for promotions—employees need to feel that such decisions are made fairly. You can avoid this issue by consistently evaluating pay levels and making adjustments as needed. Likewise, avoid playing favorites by nurturing one employee’s growth while neglecting others’.
The right tools and resources
Employees should have tools that streamline their work and help them manage their time at their fingertips. Likewise, they need access to learning opportunities and resources that strengthen their skillset so they can do their jobs better. Providing them with these resources will help them keep growing.
Work/life balance
Being able to leave work at a set time every day—and to truly leave work at work—will allow employees to achieve work/life balance. When they can enjoy their downtime, they’ll come back renewed and refreshed.
Transparency
If employees feel concerned about the future of their jobs and company, their fears will distract them from their work. Being transparent about future plans and decisions the company is making will help alleviate those concerns. Even in tough times, a transparent manager can help everyone feel that they’re on the same team and will get through it together if they put in their best effort.
By addressing these issues, you’ll enable everyone to be more present and focused in their role. You’ll enhance teamwork and help employees get better results from all of their projects by keeping them engaged and making sure morale stays high!
