How can you encourage feedback from employees?
Here are a few tips on how employers can set the stage to receive complaints properly and improve communication.
- Solicit your employees for company improvement suggestions. Don’t just send out a survey once or twice a year that asks what they like and dislike about their jobs. Start a recommendation reward program. The program should reward any employee who suggests an improvement that helps the company save money, make more money, or become more efficient.
- When an employee brings a complaint to your company, LISTEN. Always ask them for their ideas on how to fix the problem.
- If an employee brings up a complaint or constructive suggestion during a group meeting, NEVER criticize or patronize the person in front of the group. Thank them for the comment and if it’s better to address it after the meeting, ask if you could spend some time later discussing and trying to fix the problem.
- Remember that most employees have or want a reason to work for your company. An employee who complains is probably just saying “let’s fix this problem so I can enjoy working here again.”
SOURCE: Matthew C. Hollingsworth, Techemployment.com, Cincinnati.