Quickly scaling businesses are our specialty over here at Bigcommerce, and we know that with growth often comes the need to let go a little. This typically means backend automation to increase business efficiency and the handing off of workloads to free up intellectual bandwidth. In this three-part series, first published on the Candid Culture blog, a Bigcommerce customer, you’ll learn how to effectively hire, manage and train your staff so that every new team member you bring on is as passionate and hardworking about your business as you.
If an employee quits and you, the manager, are surprised, then shame on you. Employee turnover – literal turnover (he or she quits and leaves the building) or figurative turnover (he or she “quits” but continues to come in everyday and do his minimal best) – is extremely predictable.
If an employee quits and you, the manager, are surprised, then shame on you.
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Most employees need only a handful of criteria to be satisfied and productive at work. The key is getting employees to tell you what those things are. And they might do just that, if you ask.
An employee’s first few weeks at a new job often involve a lot of training. Managers tell employees what they need to do and, just as importantly, why these tasks need to be accomplished. I recommend balancing telling with asking.
Effective management involves asking the seven questions below during the interview process, after an employee starts and again 90 days to six months into the job.
- “What brought you to this company? Why did you accept this job? What are you hoping the job will provide?” Ask one of these three questions. Pick the one you like best.
- “What would make you leave this job? What are your career deal breakers, things you just can’t tolerate at work?” Ask either of these questions.
- “What type of work, skills, and/or areas of our business do you want to learn more about?”
- “Tell me about the best manager you ever had. What made him/her the best manager?” This will tell you what the employee needs from you as a manager and is a much better question than, “What do you need from me as your manager?” That is a hard question to answer. Telling you the best manager s/he ever had is easy.
- “Tell me about the worst manager you ever had? What made him/her the worst manager?”
- “What are your pet peeves at work? What will frustrate you?” Why find out the hard way what frustrates employees when it’s so easy to ask. This question demonstrates that you want your employees to be happy and that you will flex your own preferences, when possible, to meet employees’ needs.
- “How do you feel about being contacted via cell phone or text outside of business hours? How do you feel about receiving emails during the evenings and weekends?”
If you’ve participated in any of my management training courses and received a box of Candor Questions for managers, you know I could list many more than seven questions. But these seven questions are a good start.
Regardless of age, gender or work and educational background, all employees have a few things in common. Employees want to:
- Work for someone who takes an interest in and knows them
- Feel valued and appreciated for their contributions
- Be part of and contribute to something greater than themselves
- Feel respected as a person. Have a manager who respects their time, expertise and needs
Taking the time to get to know employees throughout your working relationship allows you to meet many of these employee needs. And, if you haven’t conducted this exercise with current long-term employees, it’s never too late to ask these questions.
If you haven’t conducted this exercise with current long-term employees, it’s never too late.
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Regardless of how long employees have worked for you, they’ll appreciate you asking. There is no need to feel that employees will raise an eyebrow and wonder why you’re asking now. They’ll just be happy you’re asking at all. You can simply say, “I realized that I’ve never overtly asked these questions. I just assume I know, but I don’t want to do that. You’re too valuable to me and to the organization. During our next one-on-one meeting, I’d like to ask you these questions and you can ask me anything you’d like.”
Conversely, if you have a manager who will never ask you these questions, provide him or her the information. Don’t wait to be asked –– you’re 100% accountable for your career. Tell your manager, “There are a few things about myself I want to share with you. I think this information will make me easier to manage and will help ensure I do great work for the organization for a long time.”
Don’t wait to be asked –– you’re 100% accountable for your career.
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Managers: the better your relationship with your employees and the more you know about what your employees need from you, the organization and the job, the easier employees are to engage, retain and manage. So stop guessing and start asking.
The post Business Leadership 101: Effective Management Requires Asking Questions appeared first on The Bigcommerce Blog.
