Managing disgruntled employees

One of the key components in many businesses is the staffing or employees. An unhappy employee can lead to inefficient work days, unhappy customers, and lower productivity. The following is a look at how to manage disgruntled employees:

Help them feel heard- Most employee unhappiness comes from feeling undervalued, under-appreciated, or disrespected. Thus, one of the best ways to help an employee to feel more positively is to make sure they know that their concerns, complaints, suggestions, etc. are being heard. If an employee feels ignored, they will act as if they are ignored (meaning waste time, do dumb stuff, etc.). Make sure they know you are paying attention, and that their voice is not just one in the crowd, but that you are listening to them, even if you are not giving them exactly what they want.

Express your appreciation- No one wants to feel like they don't matter or are unnoticed. If efforts go unnoticed, then soon, employees stop making efforts. Make sure to regularly express your appreciation to your employees. A quick email, a appreciative word in passing, or a more formal expression of appreciation (like a bonus) will all have similar results-more contented employees.

Define responsibilities and value- It is important for an employee to know exactly what they bring to the company. When responsibilities are unclear, the ball often gets dropped. Each employee should understand that they play an important part in making the company work. Even if they are not the stars, no show or company or anything else could succeed without the support cast, backup dancers, etc. So, no matter how insignificant their job seems, make sure they understand how much your value that position, and be clear on the responsibilities each position holds.

Regular meetings and checkups- Managing employees well means checking in on a regular basis. This helps you catch any problems before they become huge, and it helps employees feel like you actually car about whether or not they are happy. Do evaluations, and let them evaluate you (even if what they have to say is meaningless when it comes to your job security). By regularly making sure everyone is doing well, and no one has concerns or issues they want to bring up, you keep employees feeling satisfied with the company management. A monthly review of how things are going at a staff meeting can do wonders for employee satisfaction, as it gives them a platform for discussing any areas of concern.

Open door policy- Make sure that your employees can always come to you if they have a problem (work related of course), or question, or concern. If employees feel comfortable discussing things with you, there is far lesser likelihood of them becoming unhappy and that translating into problems and inefficiencies at work. Employees should be able to talk to management without fear of recrimination, and with confidentiality.